Some educators do not "believe in" multiculturalism. Some claim it is a way to further marginalize minority students by presenting information in a "dumbed down" manner. They have it wrong. My idea of multiculturalism stems from inclusion and relevance.
Children should be taught from the beginning from a non-Eurocentric point of view. This is where the idea of inclusion comes into play. The very notion of marginalized minorities comes, not only from how we are educated, but also gaps and one-sided perspectives in that education. Our children should not only learn about minority groups and their key persons in chunks the way most social studies and history texts usually present them. They should be fluidly and consistently presented in a manner that is not saying: "Hey look! Black folks have a few smart people in history and look what they’ve done" or "Oh yeah, Native Americans happened to be here when the Pilgrims landed". It should not be presented as an afterthought and given only in sparse detail.
The need to be inclusive is definitely important in the early years. Kids are still free of prejudice and any other hang ups, especially concerning people. This is the time to nurture that behavior so that it remains intact for life. My son is a kindergartner and I’m simply making sure that we not only read about different countries and people in the realm of social studies, but also reading literature about children from various cultures.
Now we have relevance. Today Z is 5 years old and learning social skills. So, we read books that relate these skills but they are not just books featuring only white children or even only Black children, but kids from all sorts of ethnicities. Basic concepts are universal and reading culturally diverse literature will also parlay the message that at out cores, we are all the same–human. What is not relevant and adds no value to anyone’s life is the teaching of such things as ebonics. Thankfully though, I think it’s safe to day that that ridiculous idea has been lain to rest.
Finally, multiculturalism is about being celebratory. Not just for those who identify with a particular culture but others as well. I want my son to appreciate and respect all cultures, not just his own. And I want him doing so from the beginning, not when he gets to high school or college when most kids truly discover the world outside of their box. I think that’s why some kids feel the need to "find themselves" during or just after college. They often have their worlds rocked to the foundation by the spectrum of new ideas, beliefs and people they are exposed to and in a relatively short amount of time, thus the need to re-evaluate and retrospect. Am I saying this will lead to more kids going to college or out into the world knowing exactly what they should do with themselves? No. We are all forever evolving. However, more children would be welcoming of this often more liberal and diverse environment than overwhelmed by it. Again I’ll mention that I’ve started a Facebook group for this topic called Culturally Diverse Homeschooling.
This week’s library books:
The Colors of Us Karen Katz
Yunmi and Halmoni’s Trip Sook Nyul Choi
Not So Fast Songololo Niki Daly
Knots on a Counting Rope Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault
Africa Is Not a Country Margy Burns Knight and Mark Melnicove
Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions Margaret Musgrove
