Title: Expanding Multicultural Education to Include Family Diversity
Source: Turner-Vorbeck, T. A. (2013). Expanding multicultural education to include family diversity. Multicultural Education, 20(3/4), 24.
URL: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ759615.pdf
Key points: Article discusses how the structure of families has become more diverse and is changing. The authors encourage teachers to explore the diversity in family instead of shying away from it. Often teachers have concerns with some of the diversity seen in families and do not address the differences seen in their families. It is recommended that teachers be aware of their own biases, have more awareness and address their biases.
Intended Audience: Teachers and education professionals.
Relevance: I think it shows the importance to expand education past our normal thinking of classroom work and to incorporate diversity through family, race, and difference cultures.
This article brings up the sometimes difficult task of culturally relevant teaching. We should support our student's diversity and what they bring to our classes. Our students should know that their culture is valued and welcome in class. One of my students, in a special education class, is half Chinese. He is what we label as a "runner", and is constantly wandering/running off to different places. For the first few weeks, he was constantly taking his shoes off in class, which we would have him put back on, and then he would run. It occurred to us that he removes his shoes as soon as he arrives at home, which to him means that he is going to stay for a while instead of leave. We now honor his culture by letting him take his shoes off and keep them off, and he is now running much less throughout the school.
ReplyDelete