Developing A Multicultural Environment Plan

Question: Discuss the multicultural relationships in educational organization? Answer: Introduction The multicultural education includes the theories as well as the practices that attempt to promote an equitable access and academic achievement for the students who are from the diverse groups. This is done so that the students can work together towards a social change. It is seen that in schools that are PK-12, and even in higher education, the multicultural form of education challenges the domination and the biasness that are there and try to acknowledge the identities that the students introduce to the learning (Banks and Banks, 1993). It is seen that diversity means that the people irrespective of their background as well as their personal characteristics, it was seen that the people are sharing the common space within the organization (Abramova, 2012). In the schools it is seen that the students of different diversities are experiencing the cultures of the other and are learning from the cultures of the others. It is seen that diversity is for all the people despite of the race, ethnicity and the social class of the people. The students learn to respect the as well as accept and give importance to the diversity and the diversified atmosphere that prevails within the schools. The school is the place where the students are exposed to the diversified culture and the students learn the value of diversification from an early age (Andersen, 2014). The aim of multicultural education Multi culture refers to the sharing of the different culture. The main aim of multicultural education is to help the children in recognizing the difference and the similarities that are there in the educational institutions. The children develop values and customs from the others and from their teachers. It was seen that the students often share the same characteristics from mingling with children from other backgrounds (Ayers, 2014). The realization that the child that people is different and at the same time unique will help to develop and will make them work together and get associated with other more easily (Elliott, 2009). It develops the self esteem of the children and they learn to accept the other people more easily (Gereluk, 2006). If the children of different backgrounds are given importance then they feel that they are accepted by other and they value the traditions as well as customs of the other students. Thus it is very essential that the children are given education in a multicultural environment right from their childhood. The teacher needs to have knowledge of the multicultural activities and the diverse culture and the background of the students and help in developing a healthy relation among all the students. The teacher must engage the students of different backgrounds, in activities so that they communicate and develop a liking for the other, which will make them comfortable (Jeevanantham, 2001). The goals of the schools It needs to be seen that the school work in a global setting where the teachers, staffs and the students coordinate and involve in an environment which facilitates a teaching-learning experience for both. The teacher and the students needs to understand the commonalities as well as the difference that are there in the cultures of different people. Thus the main aim of the school is to make a harmonious relation and a set up where all the stake holders will be benefitted. Thus the contribution to this form of education needs to have students, teachers, staffs, parents, and the involvement of the community and the collaboration of all the stakeholders (Jeevanantham, 2001). Multicultural education policy- the schools should try to eliminate the harassment of the individuals which are based in the race, disability, gender, religion and the background of the people (Lee, 2013). The members of the school need to develop a tolerance and eliminate the differences that are there so that a healthy system follows. The school will provide the values to all the students at all the levels from PK to 12. They should ensure that there is no discrimination based on religious, racial or sexual context. Thus it will create awareness and the students will learn from a young age. The policy of delivery of instructions- it needs to be seen that all the educational programmes and services should not be conflicting to the racial, cultural, ethnic, gender, language, and socioeconomic backgrounds of the students and they must respect the individuality of each student. Involvement of Parent and community- the school along with the staffs and the organizational units in the area must see there are involvement of the parents as well as the representatives of the community so that they can implement a multicultural initiative to the schools (Lobb, 2012). Professional development- it is seen that the development takes place for both the teachers and the students. The students must develop positive attitude, beliefs, and behaviours towards the other children (Macedo, 2000). More over it needs to be seen that there are certain instruction in the curriculum that looks after the individual needs, abilities and interest of the students. The professional development of the teachers and the staffs should be directed towards the promoting high teaching expectations as well as attitude and behaviours of the teachers so that they can assist the students (Mason, 2006). The teacher needs to add textbooks that are in link with the cultural activities of the students. More over the teacher need to have training so that they can adopt new strategy to teach the students. It will ensure that there is a positive relation among the students and the teachers. The training will allow the teacher to mitigate the conflict that arises among the students more effectively. Practice of grouping- the school must take the initiative to group the students heterogeneously so that there are students of all backgrounds in the group. The purpose of the heterogeneous group is that it will make the students to inter act with others. The homogenous grouping should not be made compulsory as it will create a stereotype among the students. More over there should not be any grouping based on the performance of the students. But the principal needs to see that the heterogeneous group performing well so, if it does not then changes needs to be implemented some that the standard of the school is maintained (McCarthy, Dolby and Valdivia, 1997). Parents-teacher meet- the teachers need to communicate with the parents so that they are able to assess the performance of the students. There must be ongoing discussion so as to ensure that the dignities of the students are maintained (Nganga, 2014). The curriculum- there must exist a multicultural curriculum in the school, so that the students are able to develop a sense of identity that is positive. The students need to have a sense of pride and self awareness in the heritage of the children and that they should be respected through the aspects that are incorporated curriculum. The children need to feel that they are important and are useful members of the society. The students must be taught in such a manner so that they feel that they can incorporate to the change in the society (Osborn, 2002). The curriculum needs to be free from the ethnic, racial and cultural biases. It must include the representation of the various racial, cultural and ethnic groups, so that it adds value to the students and develops the personality of the students. The students need to gather a wide range of experiences and opportunities so as to broaden their understanding. The suggestion that can create a multicultural environment in the schools The classroom environment It needs to be seen that there is a sense of well being among the children, so the stereotype books, materials need to be removed. There should pictures in the classroom of different background of children and people so that the children are able to know about them. More over there should be arrangement so that the children are able to sit together and learn the things (Park, 2013). The children should be associated with group activities and play games which will make them freer in communicating with others and they will embrace the cultures of the others. There are different word games and language modulation games that the children must be taught so that they are able to learn the different languages of the others (Parker, 2006). Books and arts There should be use of rich colors and the children in schools needs to do the art activities so that they are able to adopt all the colors that they have in their life. There must be magazines that will contain people from all the diverse groups of life. The children needs to use the different colored crayons which will high light the different type of skin color, so that they are able to understand that they are treated equally The schools must use books that are useful for the students as well as teach them about the other cultures from various countries and the lives of the people. More over the children needs to learn about the ethnic groups that are there in the class. The teacher needs to teach the students from the books and tell them stories about the different cultures so that they can relate. The books which reflect biasness needs to be removed from the curriculum. The books should not have pictures that will bias languages or pictures that are stereotypical. The school should add more books that will be beneficial to the cultures (Practitioner Research on Multicultural Education, 2006). Block play and activities The children must have activities that will allow them to associate with others. They must be sent to communities where there are people of other backgrounds and let them mingle with them so that they are able to get accustomed with them. The children must be given activities like interconnecting blocks which are representation of different countries so that they are able to identify the different countries of the world. The teacher needs to organize dramas and dance programmes where the children can participate and they develop a sense of inter dependence on the other. Cooking activities in the class The children should be encouraged to adopt the cooking in the class so that they get familiar with the cuisine of the different cultures. The children should be taught the use the chopsticks, spoons so that they are able to adopt to the eating habits of all the people. The children should be given assignments where they need to bring leaves, flowers, fruits of different countries either in real or pictures (Sleeter, 2013). The role of teachers The teacher needs to be trained so that they are able to deliver the right things to the children. The teacher should not make any biasness among the children of different cultures. The teacher needs to interact with all the children so that they do not feel left out. There should be centers of interest in the school where the students and the parents can add their pictures for everyone to see. This will allow the students to know all the people. The teachers need to arrange for the students some group time inside the class where the children will do assignments or perform activities (Spencer, 1998). There needs to have teachers from different backgrounds so that there develops a diversified culture within the school which will draw more students from various cultures. The children of the school can also relate to it and will feel more comfortable. The teachers need to learn the different languages so that they are able to communicate with the students and make the students to communicate with them. The critical ingredient for the success of a teacher lies inimplementing a diverse culture classroom where the ability toadd a perspective that is multicultural should be incorporated into the curriculum planningas well as skills of classroom management. This will require carefulconsideration of the children's cultures as well as traditions, andthe planning of necessitates helping the other children to have an experiencein learning centers and also in activities. The teacher as well the staffs need to have knowledge of the diverse culture and take time in understanding the background of the students. The teacher needs to know about the language, food, values, and customs if the students before dealing with the children .they must keeping mind that they do not hurt the sentiment of the student (Tellez, 2002). Some of the books that the school can refer to the students Native American Scientists Skin Again The Day Martin Luther King, Jr. was Shot Families are Different How People Live Black, White, Just Right The Aunt in our House The Island on Bird Street Some of the books that the school can refer to the teachers Confronting Racism, Poverty, and Power: Classroom Strategies to Change the World Teaching/Learning Anti-Racism Working with Children from Culturally Diverse Backgrounds The Affective Curriculum: Teaching the Anti-Bias Approach to Young Children Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children Pedagogy of the Oppressed Cultural Foundations of Education Planning of activities that the school can undertake Strategies Responsibility Date Assessments The children should be exposed to a variety of cultures and traditions The teachers or administration continuously The children will be able to embrace the cultures of other students The cultural aspect should be reflected in the music and arts classes and through the literatures The administration and the teachers Every week The school must see that there are art and dance classes and culture influences should be there in the dance and the art The school libraries are to be given funds so that they can add books, materials and films related to tolerance of religious, culture. The teachers, staffs and the members of the committee. Needs to be added annually The school needs to be updated so that they can add new materials of study and interest to the students The input of the employees need to valued The committee of the school needs to see that the employees are valued Every alternative year it needs to be evaluated. The school needs to assess the performance of the staff. The school should implement the submission of assignments that show that there are tolerance of culture as well as diversity The staffs as well as the administration and even the students need to do. This process needs to be ongoing The school needs to make sure that they present to the parents as well as the community at the end of each year. The school needs to see that the multicultural concepts are shared with in the community that is there in the neighborhood The administration and the staffs need to ensure that. The students also need to see that they are doing the same. The students need to stage dramas or activities that will reflect that there is a multicultural environment inside the school. Its needs to be done annually The school should representatives of other countries who will preside over the multicultural programmes organized by the school. The school should devise and plan schedule to include programmes The administration of the school Needs to be done annually The programme list needs to be provided at the end of each year. The school needs to arrange for the student field trips so that the students can relate to the diversity. The teachers as well as the administration needs to see to it The trips should be done annually The school should provide the list of the places that they have visited. Ensure that all the multicultural activities are incorporated in all the curriculum revisions that are made. Administration/ Teachers The process needs to be an ongoing one The final products will reflect that the efforts are put forth. The school needs to provide opportunities for the students to create art or mural works that will reflect the diversity and tolerance towards others. The teachers, administration as well as the community needs to participate The programme needs to be done annually The school will display the final products to the community The school needs to develop a local program based on history for the school students. The Administration, teachers and the Community The process needs to be an on-going one so that it is beneficial for the students. Local citizens will be asked to participate in the development of a living history of our county. Provide the students with the opportunity to get in touch with the people in different parts of the country or the world. The Administration as well as the Teachers The process needs to be dome continuously The school should incorporate writing activities like pen pals as well as letter writing into the writing curriculum of the school Conclusion Thus it can be concluded that the school need to adopt a multicultural environment in the school so that the children are able to learn the value of diversity right from their childhood. It is done so that the students are able to learn the things that are needed for the proper upbringing of the child (Tett and Fyfe, 2010). They children must be taught the value of diversity and the need to respect the culture of the others so that they are developed as humans. It will help each other and the community at large. The students will associate with the others and they will not differentiate them form the others. The teacher need to teach the students that they are all equal and they should cooperate with others and help the other students when they need. 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