Multicultural Education For The Twenty First Century

This book presents a selection of readings that address multiculturalism and school restructuring as a reference for schools working to enrich their school-improvement agendas. The readings treat many areas within curriculum and student achievement. The 13 chapters are as follows: (1) "The Next Millennium: A Multicultural Imperative for Education" (C. F. Diaz); (2) "Multicultural Education: Nature, Challenges, and Opportunities" (J. A. Banks); (3) "Effective Teaching Practices for Multicultural Classrooms" (G. Gay); (4) "Institutional Climate: Developing an Effective Multicultural School Community" (V. O. Pang); (5) "Learning Styles: Implications for Teachers" (K. Swisher); (6) "Rethinking the Role of Gender and Achievement in Schooling" (J. Bernard-Powers); (7) "Evaluation Practices for the Multicultural Classroom" (R. J. Samuda and J. Lewis); (8) "We Speak in Many Tongues: Language Diversity and Multicultural Education" (S. Nieto); (9) "Reducing Prejudice in Society: The Role of Schools" (G. S. Pate); (10) "Involving Special Educators in Challenging Injustice in Education" (C. E. Sleeter and C. Hartney); (11) "Educating for Human Rights: A Curricular Blueprint" (R. L. Garcia); (12) "Institutionalizing Multicultural Education in Teacher Education Programs" (N. F. Daly and D. J. O'Dowd); and (13) "Resistance to Multicultural Education: Concerns and Responses" (C. F. Diaz). An Afterword entitled "The Leadership Challenge in Multicultural Education" (C. A. M. Banks) concludes the volume. An annotated bibliography of 18 items and information on the 16 contributors are also provided. (JB)

Multicultural education has become its own discipline, developed on the shoulders of the work of giants who argued its merit during the attacks of opponents who believed assimilation was the purpose of state sponsored education. In an age of rising populism and nationalism throughout the Western world, again questioned is the merit of multicultural education. In the shadows of Brexit and an America First agenda, where migration patterns across the world have led to demographic shifts, it is evident even in the richest countries in the world that gaps in opportunity (and subsequently achievement) still exist. Disparities in achievement lead some to question whether multicultural education works and others to revert to old notions that ethnically and linguistically marginalized students are in fact deficient. The scholars here believe in the untapped potential of all children and illuminate how educational structures have muffled the cultivation of that potential. Contributors argue the goals of multicultural education have not been achieved in part due to the piecemeal application of its tenants. The scholarship in this volume illustrates the state of multicultural education and articulates what educators committed to equity, inclusion, and a more just society must do to ensure the goals of multicultural education survive in the current age. The authors of these chapters bridge foundational knowledge with contemporary understandings; making the work both accessible for novices and beneficial for the authorities on multicultural education. With the diverse cast of contributors and topics ranging from mathematics instruction to discipline practices, this volume provides thoughtful discourse on issues of access: access to curricular content, access to opportunities to learn, as well as impediments to access. Containing chapters that speak to discipline specific pedagogical practices, the structures of schooling, teacher education, and research methodologies, the collected work encourages scholars and practitioners to not be discouraged in the age of retrenchment.

As the educational landscape of America continues to evolve and diversify, college faculty and administrators must be cutting edge in their approaches to create a variety of educational experiences with a greater level of multicultural cognizance. Unlike in previous generations, higher education in the 21st Century is no longer a luxury reserved for the elite and wealthy, but is an increasing necessity for access to labor markets. Community colleges and universities are working hard to respond to the demands of the labor market, by attempting to provide skills for jobs that may not yet exist. Colleges and universities should aim to make all of their students feel welcome and a part of the campus being committed to celebrating differences. Additionally, filling faculty seats with varied races, cultures, perspectives and identities will aid in providing mentors and role models everyone can relate to. These are some of the vital steps toward building a campus community that helps students develop a sense of belonging that allows them to persist and thrive in college. The scholarship in this volume illustrates the state of multicultural education on college and university campuses. The authors bridge foundational knowledge with contemporary understandings; making the work both accessible for novices and beneficial for the authorities on multicultural education. This volume provides thoughtful discourse on issues ranging from the racial and ethnic diversity of the student and faculty bodies, and important topics like disability issues, to different educational contexts such as community colleges, HBCUs and HSI institutions.

Multicultural Education for Learners with Special Needs in the Twenty-First Century provides general and special educators innovative information that address the road blocks to effective practice such that diverse learners will be appropriately; identified, assessed, categorized, placed and instructed. The book provides those who instruct diverse learners comprehensive, creative and best practice chapters by scholars in the area of multicultural education. Chapter One presents a system to reduce traditional education road blocks that confront diverse learners called Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching (CLRT). The CLTR system is designed to accomplish three objectives, namely, to increase student achievement, to help students develop skills to achieve economic sufficiency and to allow students to acquire citizenship skills based on a realistic and thorough understanding of the political system. Chapter Two discusses the pervasive problem of disproportionate representation of students from diverse backgrounds in special education by examining what it is, who is impacted by it, why it is occurring, and how it can be addressed using promising strategies. Chapter Three examines the use of authentic assessment to provide feedback for teachers and students, and guide the instructional process by differentiating teaching to meet the educational needs of diverse learners. Chapters Four, Five, Six and Seven address issues related to educating Latina/o Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans and Native Americans learners with special needs. Chapter Eight is a unique chapter that addresses the growing need to educate foreign-born immigrants who are now being referred to as “Today’s Special Learners in Schools”. This chapter delineates the use of the Comprehensive Support Model (CSM) to educate foreign-born learners who are identified by the authors as foreign-born English Language Learners. The CSM is recommended as a culturally sensitive intervention that integrates efforts of the self, (i.e., learner), families, school, community, and government in responding to the needs of diverse learners. Chapter Nine provides a comprehensive discussion of how Culturally Relevant Leadership (CRL) can impact educational theory and practice. The authors delineate how CRL leads to reflective practices which position teachers and administrators to become leaders in school change that can increase student success for diverse learners. Chapter Ten provides the reader with illustrative content regarding the use of technology to educate multicultural learners with special needs. Chapter Eleven delineates the culturally responsive infusion of effective behavior modification strategies that are designed to strengthen and facilitate positive behaviors for culturally and linguistically diverse learners with special needs. The book is an important addition to the education of multicultural learners with special needs as it provides much needed direction for the effective instructional practices for today’s diverse students. The book can be used as current best practices for special and general educators as well as school administrators.

This book offers educators new understandings of 21st century diversity emerging from contemporary national events within the U.S., global movements, and changes in the world political order that have long-lasting impact on local education and call for rethinking traditional generalizations and empirical prescriptions for inclusivity in teaching and learning. The book expands the literature on teacher preparation and intercultural education by providing the educational community with critical perspectives, theoretical approaches, and research methodologies for educational inquiry responsive to diversity. Driven by changes in classroom diversity this book offers educators, researchers and policy makers a language for articulating complex differences in educational reform, policy and practice.

Multicultural Education in an Age of Globalization: Compelling Issues for Engagement, starts out with a discussion of western colonization of the 19th and 20th centuries, and the residual effects of colonialism in the forms of colonial mindset of power, dominance, and white racial superiority that have continued to challenge the hopes of a peaceful and more harmonious exchange and interaction in the 21st century global communities. Issues such as white privilege and cultural humility are discussed in-depth. Subsequently, the idea of globalization and the concept of global citizenship are also addressed in light of their implications for multicultural education curriculum and practice in the 21st century classrooms. The book identifies and discusses compelling issues that must be carefully addressed as we undertake multicultural education in the 21st century educational setting: whether in the K-`12 or higher education setting. Such issues include Affirmative Action, Gender Equity issues, Religion in the public school setting, and the problem of Poverty in the 21st century societies.