Multiculturalism

America is definitely the melting pot of the world.  In the last few decades there has been more of a focus on multiculturalism and how best to teach all cultures and their part in creating America.  It's a difficult task.  You want every ethnic group to be proud of their heritage, but also to be proud to be an American.  It seems the more focus on multiculturalism that is promoted the more segregated we still become. 

When I was in high school we didn't have a lot of focus on multicuralism.  We learned about different cultures in social studies and geography, but honestly there were few other ethnicities where I grew up.  I learned more from exchange students that I befriended than I did in a classroom.  There were about 5% African Americans in my school and they honestly blended in with all the white kids.  If there were any issues I was not aware of them, but I was also a little naive.  In my system I guess the "white" history was taught and no one questioned that.  Perhaps that was a means of social control, but it could have just been the way it had always has been.

Three decades later it is a big deal.  In the news we hear lots of debate on immigration especially hispanics crossing the borders of Mexico to America.  The country is torn on whether or not we should let illegal immigrants to stay in America, allow them equal rights especially to government aid programs, and eventually become citizens.  This definitely carries over into our school systems.

I work in a school that not only has a good sized hispanic group, but a varied ethnic group in general. There are also various economical backgrounds.  My school is considered the closest there is to an inner city school in my county system.  Several of my teachers do their best to include a study in cultures where it is applicable in their classrooms along the lines of Adam Waxler.  My own children, who are younger, also come home and tell me about other cultures they learned about at school.  However, I am not sure a specific curriculum goal is in place in my school system.  I believe the teachers pull it in as they can like Waxler.  I think more curriculum could be put into place to serve all the students better and create a mutal respect for all cultures.

E. D. Hirsch's article "Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in School" was extremely enlightening.  I had not previouly even thought about what kinds of cultural education was being implemented in our schools much less two different kinds.  Both kinds look great on the on-set, but have different outcomes in the end.  Cosmopolitanism in Hirsch's mind, and I have to agree, is the better idea as it sets the stage for mutual respect of all ethnic groups.  The other type, ethnocentrism, focuses on ethnic loyalty.  The result, according to Hirsch, of ethnocentrism is more of a segregation.  I can see the latter form readily.  Perhaps it has more negative results at times and therefore ends up in the news and articles more often, but it is definitely seems more predominant.  Like Hirsch, I would like to see more of a cosmoplotanism taught so our children can be a part of the world respecting all cultures.  As a teacher I hope to promote a more balanced view of all cultures and lead my students to respect the varied backgrounds of American and the world.

Hirsch, E.D.  (1992). Toward a centrist curriculum:  Two kinds of multiculturalism in elementary school.  Core Knowledge Foundation

Kyriakou, Niko.  (2006).  Organizers see 'new civil rights movement' in immigration protests.  OneWorld.net

Waxler, Adam.  (n/d).  Multiculturalism in school curriculum.  ESL Teachers Board

Multiculturalism in Schools

I find multiculturalism interesting.  I remember when people referred to themselves as black, white, asian or mexican.  I'm not sure when the adjective-Americans began, but I remember how it felt.  It was like all of the sudden we couldn't be just American anymore.  We had to be separated somehow and that's kind of what Samuel Taylor kind of hit on in his literature "The Challenge of 'Multiculturalism' In How Americans View the Past and the Future". 

Taylor stated that we have a history created by white people.  When I was in school I don't remember learning about other cultures.  I know very little about Native Americans, African Americans, Asian American, and Hispanic Americans except what I was taught through the white person's point of view.  In my adulthood I have learned more about specific contributions of all people in America.  We have all made a difference, but how do we teach it as Americans when, as Taylor said, there are sometimes losers within these people groups.

Is keeping the whiter history a form of social control?  Keep the other people groups feeling a little less important by showing how the whites in America won?  I really don't know.  All I have to go on is what I have read by Taylor and it seems that it is very difficult to make an all-inclusive history that doesn't offend someone.  Until we can figure out how to be just American that may never happen.

Another issue we have in schools are the societal segregation.  I keep thinking as I look back, why are we still so segregated.  After reading Pithissippi Burning: Race, White Nationalism and American Culture by PJ Tobia it really opened my eyes to how much hate is till out there.  Tobia spoke of the white Aryan groups in the Northwest, but unfortunatley, its not just a white issue.  Every people group has a small grudge or prejudice against another.  Will we eventually be able to put these aside to become one nation?  This may be where a focus on multicultrualism in school may be a good thing.
Many schools promote the students working together.  As they work together they learn that maybe they aren't so different after all. In my own school I see kids hanging out together from a variety of different cultures and it excites me.  Someday we might be just Americans again.

Taylor, Samuel.  "The Challenge of 'Multiculturalism' In How Americans View the Past and the
     Future".  Journal of Historical Review, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 159-165

Tobia, PJ. 2009.  Pithissippi Burning: Race, White Nationalism and American Culture.  The Nashville
     Scene.              

Blog #2 Religion in Schools

Religion has been debated in schools since the beginning of school in the United States.  In the 19th century it was debated between the Protestants and Catholics which form of the Bible to use (www.religioustolerance.org).  In the 1960's judicial decisions began to be made about the separation of the church and state (www.ajha.org).  There has been a fight ever since to have religion completely removed from schools.

In Religion in Schools Debate Heats Up we see how the debate continues on today. I remember prayer in school changing as I attended grade school and middle school.  In grade school we were allowed to pray and even had classroom prayer before lunch everyday.  As I got older and moved to middle school the "moment of silence" was incorporated.  Now even that moment to pray or reflect is being challenged as a breach of the separation of church and state.  Personally I think it is clear that the "moment of silence" can be used or not used at all by the student and it is totally a choice.  It seems that the only reason it is questioned today is that there is still a personal option to choose to pray and therefore an assault on religion.

The second issue in Religion in Schools Debate Heats Up is science curriculum.  The debate centered around the Theory of Evolution.  One side wanted weaknesses in the theory to be discussed while the other did not think it was appropriate.  As a person who enjoys science I always question the hypothesis and theories in order to understand it better so I agree that strengths and weaknesses of any theory should be discussed.  It is not a religious debate, but a debate of understanding. 

Should religion be a part of schools?  I don't know what is best for our students in schools.  On the one hand schools seemed safer when God was a part of the day.  On the other hand, we need to be respectful of all religions and those who choose not to believe in anything.  Are we moving towards a country that will soon outlaw any belief.  Perhaps understanding different religions or the lack of belief in anything should be a part of curriculum in order to better understand our world.  However, religious belief is a personal choice.  We can only teach understanding and tolerance.


http://www.religioustolerance.org/ps_pra9.htm

http://www.ajha.org/the-history-of-religion-and-schools.htm

Calefati, J. (2009).  Religion in Schools Debate Heats Up.  On Education US News and Staff.