Multicultural educational perspectives

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

Presented ByAdrienne Akinsete, Shannon Berger, Julie Burton, Ashley Busby

TOPICS:

1. Definitions of Culture2. Ethnicity or Exceptionality3. Multicultural Bilingual Education4. How One Thinks About Culture5. Cultural Pride and Shame

DEFINITIONS OF CULTURE

"Cultures are the maps of meaning through which the world is made intelligible."

- Peter Jackson


Traditional definition – A shared set of beliefs, traditions, values and goals that define a group, institution or organization


Sociological view of culture - the words, artifacts and symbols which interact with forms of social life

Anthropological meaning of culture - “Culture, or civilization, taken in its broad, ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” - Sir Edward Tylor

Romanticist definition of culture – consumption and leisurely activities

Cultural studies – the meaning and practices of everyday life


All definitions of culture include some description of what people do.

What varies is the construction and manifestation of human development

Similarities and Differences

ASPECTS OF CULTURE

COMPONENTS OF CULTURE

Sub culture - A sub culture is a group of people with a culture that sets them apart from the larger, dominant culture to which they belong.

Counter culture - is used to describe a group of people who are characterized by their defiance or opposition to the dominant culture.

Dominant culture – establishes the rules, language, behaviors, religion and social norms for the society and maintains control of social institutions.

HISTORY OF CULTURE:

18th/19th Century Europe – Culture was an agricultural term used to describe cultivation or improvement.

Early 19th Century Europe – Culture came to mean the improvement or development of the individual, primarily through education.

Mid 19th Century Europe – Culture was a term used by scientists to refer to universal human capacity.

20th Century – Culture expanded to be an anthropological term that had two meanings:

1. human capacity to classify and represent experiences with symbols* 2. the unique ways that people living in different parts of the world classified

and represented their experiences* *Both definitions include the ability of humans to act creatively After World War II the term culture was adopted by different disciplines, with each

discipline uniquely defining culture.

ETHNICITY OR EXCEPTIONALITY

How can ethnicity can be mistaken for exceptionality when one's own ethnic group is viewed as setting the standard for all others?

ETHNICITY

A historic origin. Identity, heritage and traditions. Value orientations. Behavioral patterns. Political and economic interests.

AN ETHNIC GROUP HAS IN COMMON

EXCEPTIONALITY

A group sharing a set of specific abilities or disabilities that are especially valued.

Requiring special accommodations within a given subculture.

A person may be considered exceptional in one ethnic group but not in another.


Patterns of eye contact Physical contact Use of language Ways of responding to people in positions of

authority.

Examples of Differences Among Ethnic Groups


What one group may see as deviant or unacceptable in their own group might be normal and adaptive in another.

We must not mistakenly conclude that a student has a disability or is gifted just because he or she is different.

What are the most important aspects of multicultural and bilingual special education?

MULTICULTURAL AND BILINGUAL EDUCATION


Disproportional representation between general population and special education.

Adolescents of color are more likely to be identified with disruptive behavior disorders than Caucasian peers.

Males living in poverty are more likely to be identified as having a behavior disorder.

White, Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic students are under represented.

Black and American Indian overrepresented.



Acceptance of and respect for those whose culture is different


curricula that provide equal educational opportunities to students regardless of their gender, social class, ethnicity, race, disability, or other cultural identity


Instruction that uses: The students cultural

strengths That involves teaching

tolerance Appreciation of culture Working with families Improving language

instruction For language-minority

students, Improving literacy


Culturally appropriate assessment that honors the student’s cultural heritage and does NOT penalize any student


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Socialization to multicultural norms

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WE NEED TO INCREASE THE UNDERSTANDING OF SUBCULTURES.


Multiculturalism is a very important aspect to the human experience and the advancement of our societies.


The landscape of Earth is an intricatemix of shapes, forms, and colors each with its own identity and spirit, separate, and yet apiece of a whole.

The land we live in probably best reflects this notion.

The landscape of the United States, a quilt woven of dramatically different terrains, is populated by people equally as unique and diverse.

Glancing over the entire country from the Pacific to the Atlantic, you see many different environments coexisting: warm deserts, snowcapped mountains, golden plains, green valleys, lush marshlands, sandy beaches, and bustling cities.

All are different, yet one: the United States. No less than its geography, the people who inhabit the United States also exemplify nature’s diversity

(De Melendez & Beck, 2007, p. 4).

Diversity Like Nature


Effective multicultural education allows all students pride in their own cultures, understanding and appreciation of different cultures, and ensures equal educational opportunities for all students, regardless of cultural background.


HOW ONE THINKS ABOUT CULTURE

Contemporary theory traces the ancestry of mankind to the African continent (National Geographic, 2003).

Through DNA we have been able to trace the beginnings of mankind to a tribe in Africa, whose genetic code is most similar to the earliest human remains that we have discovered (National Geographic, 2003).

Based on the biological, anthropological and archeological evidence it is safe to posit that mankind began on the content we now call African. From there, the human race dispersed throughout the world.

JOURNEY OF MAN tells the remarkable story of the human journey out of Africa and into the rest of the world, tracing history through evidence uncovered in the Y-chromosome of man’s DNA. Traversing six continents, the film takes viewers on a fascinating journey into the hidden world of their ancestry and offers a modern look at our ancestor’s lives(National Geographic, 2003).

We Are All Emigrants


Civilization brought about city states to govern the people and lands occupied by human migration.

Claims of ownership to the inhabited lands emerged.

As man politicized the lands, distinct culture emerged based on several factors.

A few of these factors are physical environment:

• religious beliefs• communication• technology • political organization


A melting pot was the metaphor use to describe the assimilation of various emigrant groups arriving in America from the 1800 through the 20th Century. Historically, public education aimed to assimilate emigrants into American society.

Now a SaladA unique blend of distinct flavors

Once a Melting Pot


How we think of culture influences our educational system.

Today we celebrate diversity and recognize America as part of a global society.

CULTURAL PRIDE AND SHAME

African Americans are a people rich in culture that Includes innovations in: Art Music Religion Sports Technology

In February of eachyear we celebratethe accomplishments ofAfrican Americans in the United States.

CULTURE PRIDE AND SHAME One source of shame is termed

as “Self-Hate.” Gang violence, drugs, and the

disproportionate number of African American men in the penal system is a reflection of self-hate.

There is evidence that the wide spread availability of Crack Cocaine was propagated by United State Government agencies. If these allegations are true, it exposes attempted genocide.

Cultural Shamehttp://www.justice.gov/oig/speci

al/9712/ch01p1.htm

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American Multiculturalism

SOURCES Clark, William A.V.(2007). Assimilation, Multiculturalism and the Challenge of Marginalized Groups. UC Los Angeles: California

Center for Population Research. Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/9zh4z33j

Exceptional Learners: An Introduction to Special Education, Eleventh Edition, by Daniel P. Hallahan, James M. Kauffman, and Paige C. Pullen. Published by Allyn & Bacon.(2009). Page 86-112.

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE © (1992) Lynn Johnston Productions. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate.Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

From J. A. Banks, Cultural diversity and education: Foundation, curriculum,and teaching (p. 76). Copyright © 1994 by Allyn & Bacon. Reprinted/adaptedwith permission.

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE © (1992) Lynn Johnston Productions. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate.Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

National Geographic, (2003) Retrieved November 14, 2009 from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/12/1212_021213_journeyofman.html

Retrieved November 17,2009 from www.youtube.com and www.peopleholdinghands.com

Wikipedia. Culture. Retrieved November 16, 2009, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominant_culture Wikipedia. Culture. Retrieved November 12, 2009, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture

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http://www.peopleholdinghands.com/�

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominant_culture�

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