| nication skills are critical for success in any classroom. | | | | accounted for; all students' situations must be taken |
| In multicultural education, communication skills are | | | | into consideration. Incorporating these changes is a |
| even more important because students and teachers | | | | large undertaking and an ongoing endeavor. |
| often face language and cultural barriers at the same | | | | Once teachers have a good idea of the existing |
| time. Teacher professional development can help to | | | | cultural differences, they must learn to apply the |
| train teachers to adjust to a multicultural classroom | | | | findings that are relevant to their situation and they |
| and foster a collaborative environment that is | | | | must learn to employ strategies to facilitate |
| beneficial to their students and other educators. | | | | communication within their classroom across the |
| When learning to teach in multicultural education, | | | | different cultural backgrounds present. Even in a |
| there are several important ideas that teachers must | | | | classroom that is not so diverse, it is still important |
| become familiar with. First, the teacher should | | | | for students to learn multicultural education skills |
| educate him- or her-self on a variety of cultural | | | | because they will undoubtedly be in situations later on |
| influences in our society, and in particular the cultural | | | | in life that will require those skills. |
| influences specific to the location where he or she is | | | | So here are some action steps for teachers when |
| teaching. Having things in common is one of the best | | | | beginning to learn teacher professional development |
| ways to create strong relationships, and teachers can | | | | for multicultural education: |
| make their students feel more at ease by laying the | | | | --Look at your current teaching strategy: what |
| groundwork for a successful team (team = | | | | methods are you using? What textbooks and |
| classroom). Multicultural teacher professional | | | | workbooks are in the classroom? What is the |
| development should include resources and | | | | curriculum? Do all of these things incorporate |
| suggestions for cultural influences that teachers | | | | components of multicultural education? |
| should familiarize themselves with. | | | | --Involve your students in your learning process as |
| An ambitious end goal for a multicultural education | | | | well. Ask them for their input about what they know |
| program would be to restructure our schools to | | | | already and what they want to know. |
| promote equality and acceptance for all students and | | | | --Ask questions of both your students and yourself - |
| educators. We may be on the way towards that | | | | find out how they know what they know already |
| objective, but there is still much work to be done. | | | | and where the knowledge gaps are. |
| Multicultural education can be improved via changes in | | | | --Look at the topics you are teaching/learning from |
| all areas of a school's framework - the curriculum, the | | | | different cultural perspectives. Then relate these |
| way teachers teach, how students are grouped | | | | topics to your students' life experiences and our |
| together, how students are tested, and community | | | | current society. |
| participation. The diversity of backgrounds of | | | | --Explore the cultures present in your classroom and |
| students (low or high income, native or non-native | | | | learn about what differences may exist. |
| English speakers, feminist or male-dominated cultures, | | | | Teacher professional development is a great way to |
| Western or Eastern background, and even mono- | | | | embrace and learn about multicultural education. |
| versus multi-cultural exposure, and more) should be | | | | These topics are important for all teachers to learn! |