The Pros and Cons of Multicultural Education

With the realization that multicultural education must now become an imperative for the development of all schools, it is important to consider what has been written about the advantages and disadvantages of the specific pedagogy. Through a careful consideration of what has been written about the benefits and drawbacks of multicultural education, it will be possible to provide a clear argument in favor of this teaching method. Further by examining the strengths and weaknesses of multicultural education, a more integral understanding of the importance of this technique for the larger context of improving the quality of education that students receive will be clearly elucidated.

Benefits of Multicultural Education

Critically reviewing what has been written about the issue of multicultural education, it becomes evident that a lack of this type of education in the university setting has served as the basis for distant franchising many students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Researchers argue that when multicultural education is not utilized as a paradigm for developing learning environments, hostility toward ethnic minorities is effectively bread in these situations. "No wonder then that schools, like universities, have existed as hostile institutions with respect to the cultural identities of students of African-American, Asian, and Latino backgrounds. No wonder then that we are experiencing everywhere in this country what observers are calling a resurgence of racism and intolerance in educational institutions" (McCarthy, 120). What McCarthy refers to in this case is a systematic exclusion of ethnic minorities as a direct result of a lack of understanding with respect to diversity and multicultural education.

Other authors examining the benefits of multicultural education observe that this process can have a notable impact on creating cohesion in both the classroom and the school. "Classrooms are one of the Borderlands of the Western city. As highly controlled urban territories, and often the most ethnically mixed places, they provide an ideal space for the production and discipline of the modern social ideals of racial equality and dialogue" (Jones, 299). This author goes on to argue that went multicultural frameworks are utilized in the process of education they serve as the basis to reach the divides which typically create ethnic tension in the development of the most rudimentary aspects of education: "Ideally, in such a classroom, white students in particular learn to hear and empathize with others, developing a social imagination that allows identification with the other and thereby modes of understanding that are considered basic to a democracy" (304).

When framed in this manner, it becomes evident that the process of multicultural education is one that facilitates greater understanding between all individuals in a particular class or school. This greater understanding reduces the overall social tension experienced by individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds. As a direct result of reducing tensions, all students are able to focus on the context of education, rather than on the issues of multicultural diversity that separate "us" from "them." Clearly, what this suggests is that the process of education is one that is heavily predicated upon the social interaction takes place between individuals in the classroom and in the school. Went multicultural education is utilized to facilitate the development of these environments all students are able to contribute to the process of reducing tension and improving the overall culture in which students from diverse backgrounds can be educated on a level playing field.

Further examining the development and implementation of multicultural education programs Casbon and Schirmer make the observation that, "Culturally bound values are subject to misunderstandings between culturally different populations" (602). To help reduce the incidence of misunderstandings between culturally diverse groups, schools should be encouraged to implement multicultural education programs. When these programs are properly utilized in the classroom they will help the educator to effectively mitigate these types of culturally based conflicts. In addition, these authors note that, "Missed opportunities to connect with students of diverse cultures can be reduced if the pedagogy accounts for the diversity and complexity of a culture" (604). In this context, it becomes clear that the development of multicultural education paradigms can serve as the impetus to facilitate communication between the student and instructor. Through the process of facilitating communication, the instructor will be able to improve the level and quality of education is provided to the student.

Among the most notable benefits that can be derived from the process of multicultural education is the development of all students' understanding of the specific forces of oppression that are present in the context of society. According to one author, the process of multicultural education put in motion an emotional cascade that enlightens and empowers each student to fight against the process of oppression that has become a hegemonized part of social discourse (Garcia and Van Soest, 120). As argued by these authors:

Classroom discussions of issues such as social power, privilege, social identity, and empowerment often provoke deepened student awareness of social justice issues, the multilevel aspects of oppression, historical legacies, and culture-based identities, and allow faculty to help orchestrate equitable interaction and model ways to communicate about personal experience with these topics. Beginning with "where students are" involves helping them to develop empathy and understanding for themselves as a first step in understanding the pervasive nature of oppression (120).

Arguably, the process of multicultural education when applied in this manner can have significant impacts not only on the development of education is a classroom but also on the evolution of the individual student toward a greater understanding of how education fits into the larger context of social discourse. Through this process, the student becomes more than just a warehouse of facts and figures; rather the student becomes a dynamic learner capable of problem-solving and decision-making, critical elements for the evolution of the student.

Not surprisingly, other researchers have also made similar observations when it comes to the development of multicultural education from the standpoint of the individual student. Whiting, her observation of the development of multicultural education programs observes that: "Intercultural programs...enable children to move from a largely self-centered view of the world to an understanding of their roles and responsibilities in their families, their schools, and their communities" (256). This author goes on to argue that if students are to be able to improve their understanding and awareness of the world around them, the need to be able to establish concrete links between their worlds and the world of other individuals. Students "need the opportunity to compare their own experiences with the experiences of other children in the classroom, with the experiences of children they study about, with the experiences of children in the books they read, and with the experiences of the children in their fantasies (256). Alice Walker summarizes this reality best when she states: "therefore we must fearlessly pour out of ourselves and look at and identify with our lives living creativity some of our great grandmothers were not allowed to know" (Walker, 680)

Researchers have also noted that multicultural education programs have ramifications for helping instructors to understand the larger social context in which the school operates (Stachowski and Mahan, 155). According to Stachowski and Mahan cultural immersion programs have been utilized by some schools as a means to introduce new teachers to the cultural diversity of the community in which the school is located. Through a more integral understanding of the community that the school serves, it is possible for educators to better meet the needs of students in the classroom. As the process of multiculturalism begins to infiltrate the classroom and the school, educators are better poised to establish critical links between the school, the community and parents. In this context, the utilization of multicultural education is aimed toward the latter development of the school as an integral part of the larger community. When this process is successful, it can improve the overall operation of the school and the quality of education that is provided to all students. Mary Louise Pratt has observed that when the community is able to work together toward achieving a common goal, differences that exist among individuals can be put aside for the larger imperative of community improvement (526). This is clearly what is represented in sentiments to expand the multicultural learning environment to the larger community.

Finally, researchers examining the benefits that can be acquired through the utilization of multicultural education note that the use of reading materials that contain multicultural themes have a positive impact for engaging older students. "Novels have much potential for engaging high school students in reading at a time when a myriad of competing interests vie for their attention and time" (Bean, Cantu'Valerio, Senior, and White, 32). Clearly, what this implies is that the process of multicultural education can have notable impacts on the specific with which students engage. By utilizing these materials in the classroom, educators can improve the quality and context of information that is provided to their students. In this context, the importance of the materials utilized provides a means for educators to enhance the learning experiences of all students.

Drawbacks of Multicultural Education

Although much of what has been written on the process of multicultural education provides a positive review of the benefits that can be garnered, there is some research that suggests that there can be notable problems associated with the implementation of multicultural education paradigms. For instance, researchers argue that when schools decide to implement multicultural frameworks there are a number of variables that must be considered when developing these programs. In particular, schools must "examine the underlying context from which inquiries are to emanate" (Webb-Johnson, Artiles, Trent, Jackson, and Velox, 12). To accomplish this goal, these authors note that, "This entails learning about (a) the conceptual model that drives the program, (b) the organizational structure of the program, and (c) the domains of study that guide teacher education research" (12). What this effectively suggests is that considerable planning is needed to ensure that the outcomes of multicultural education have a positive impact on the development of the organization.

Other significant drawbacks that have been noted in the literature include student resistance to the process of multicultural education. According to Garcia and Van Soest, "Facing the social and psychological consequences of injustice, however, can be difficult. Regardless of whether students have lived lives of privilege or marginalization, they may find exploration of these topics painful-and they may resist it" (120). These authors go on to note that if faculty are to be able to effectively mitigate the negative ramifications that can occur as a direct result of multicultural education, instructors must be aware of the problems that can arise in this context and take necessary steps to reduce the overall resistance that may develop (120). Garcia and Van Soest argue that one of the most pertinent methods for overcoming this issue is for students to examine their own personal "social identity." Through personal exploration, students should be able to garner a more integral understanding of how they interact with the world around them. This information can then be used to examine the same process through individuals from different cultures (120-1).

In addition to creating resistance, researchers have also noted that multicultural pedagogies can also create a "false" understanding of other cultures. According to Scott, "Critics of the teaching methods associated with global education have suggested that what students are taught about different cultures is often superficial, with the emphasis on exotic differences and negative stereotypes" (180). When this occurs the process of multicultural education has the benefit for anyone. Multicultural education is aimed at increasing awareness of other cultures and also appreciating the diversity that exists within this context. Hence, when multicultural education programs only provide rudimentary information that is based on stark differences and stereotypes, students do not learn to appreciate the notable differences that exist among different cultures. Unfortunately, most schools attempting to successfully implement a multicultural education program have found that the complexities of achieving this goal often lead to the development of a rudimentary program that only has negative outcomes for the development of multicultural understanding. Thus, improving multicultural education is not just an issue of creating diversity in the school; rather it is an issue of improving the multicultural programs that currently exist.

Synthesis of the Data

James Baldwin in his examination of his experiences as an African-American in the United States clearly elucidates the complexities of the problems facing students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. "Yet they move with an authority which I shall never have; and they regard me, quite rightly, not only as a stranger in their village but as a suspect latecomer, there is no credentials to everything they have-however unconsciously-inherited" (96). The basic context of ethnocentric education that has been developed in the American public education system is a clear detriment to the development of individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds. Although public education does not seek to purposely disenfranchise any individual from having access to a quality education, what many scholars do not realize is that the basic context of ethnocentric education undermines the social and educational development of children from culturally diverse backgrounds.

When examining the specific information presented in this investigation, it becomes evident that the benefits of multicultural education far outweigh the problems that have been noted with this paradigm. In addition, the specific problems that have been noted with respect to multicultural education are easily resolved through the proper development of culturally sensitive curriculum. Overall, when he experiences of students from diverse cultural backgrounds are not included in the development of educational programs, the students lose the ability to effectively integrate themselves into the larger context of the school community. In the long term, this has ramifications with respect to the individual's integration into the larger community. For these reasons, it becomes clear that educators have a definitive responsibility to create all the cultural education programs that facilitated the development of all students, not just those that share the values and experiences of traditional mainstream culture.

Conclusion

In the end, it becomes evident that multicultural education is not just a paradigm for improving the quality of education that is provided to all students. Notable changes in the demographic composition of the United States suggests that in the next 20 to 30 years ethnic minorities in the United States will become the majority. In order for schools to aptly provide students with the education that they need to succeed upon graduation will have to include multicultural understanding of the school community as well as the community in which the school resides. In this context, it becomes evident that educators can no longer avoid the issue of multicultural education. While it is clear that some improvements must be made to this process in order to ensure that it fulfills its obligations to students, the changes that are necessary to make multicultural education work do not require considerable energy or resources on the part of schools for educators. Overall, to make multicultural education more effective educators and administrators need to consider how to expand current curriculums to include the experiences of individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Once this process is completed, all students in the school community will begin to understand how multicultural society functions effectively and cohesively. Through these experiences in the classroom, students from all ethnic backgrounds will be able to translate their knowledge and learning into the larger context of the local community. This process will have positive ramifications for the development of society as a whole.

Works Cited

Bean, Thomas W., Paul Cantu'Valerio, Helen Money Senior and Fern White. "Secondary English students' engagement in reading and writing about a multicultural novel." Journal of Educational Research, 93(1), (1999): 32-39.

Casbon, Jay and Barbara R. Schirmer. "Acceptance and caring are at the heart of engaging classroom diversity." Reading Teacher, 50(7), (1997): 602-605.

Garcia, Betty and Dorothy Van Soest. "Changing perceptions of diversity and oppression: MSW students discuss the effects of a required course." Journal of Social Work Education, 33(1), (1997): 119-130.

Jones, Alison. "The limits of cross-cultural dialogue: Pedagogy, desire and absolution in the classroom." Educational Theory, 49(3), (1999): 299-317.

McCarthy, Cameron. "Multicultural education, majority identities, textbooks, and the challenge of curriculum reform." Journal of Education, 172(2), (1990): 118-130.

Scott, Thomas J. "Thai exchange students' encounters with ethnocentrism." Social Studies, 89(4), (1998): 177-182.

Stachowski, Laura L. and James M. Mahan. "Cross-cultural field placements: Student teachers learning from schools and communities." Theory into Practice, 37(2), (1998): 155-163.

Webb-Johnson, Gwendolyn, Alfredo J. Artiles, Stanley C. Trent, Carolyn W. Jackson and Andrea Velox. "The status of research on multicultural education in teacher education and special education." Remedial & Special Education, 19(1), (1998): 7-15.

Whiting, Nancy Carolyn. "Archaeology and intercultural education in the elementary grades: An example from Minnesota." Social Studies, 89(6), (1998): 254-260.