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Running head: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: LOVE IT

Post University
Tesha A. Treasure

Multicultural Education: Love It

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Running head: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: LOVE IT

Introduction
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, a pleasant hello to you all. As I look around, I can see
people from all walks of life. We are alike and different in various ways. We are different in
gender, race, color, and so on. I am positive that we are all not Americans by birth, we all have
different experiences and cultures, we all have different stories, but here we are, all a part of the
“melting pot”, the great United States of America. Even though we are different in some ways,
we are all one!
My name is Tesha Treasure and I am an educator. I am also a Jamaican, a proud Jamaican. Like
many others, I emigrated to the United States for a better life. Just like me, every day a large
number of people inclusive of children migrate to the United States in search of better
opportunities. While we all come with our own cultures and beliefs, we have to or had to make
some adjustments in order to “fit in” or function effectively in this new environment. I believe
that multicultural education is important because of an individual like me. I grew up speaking
patois and standard Jamaican English all my life. I was never worried about not understanding
my colleagues, or my students understanding me because we all spoke the same language. When
I moved to the United States, I was nervous. I did not know how I was going to fit in. I was
overwhelmed as well. I was lucky enough though to meet new people who helped me in the
transition process. They made accommodations for me where necessary. There were some
people who were insensitive and treated me unfairly because I did not speak like them or come
from where they are from, but I was again lucky to come in contact with individuals who helped
me to be the person I am today.
We all come in contact with individuals from different backgrounds every day, whether it is at
the community center, the library, the park, at our jobs, at home or at school. As an educator, I
come in contact with learners who are from different cultures every day as well. My number one
goal is to ensure that they all learn. There are a variety of factors that play an integral role in the
learning process. Some of these are gender, race, language, socioeconomic status, just to name a
few. Every person is not the same. They learn in different ways, and they have different interests
and needs. One size definitely does not fit all. Since students come to learning encounters with
different cultural orientations, frames of reference, lived experiences, and personal styles,
treating them all the same instructionally is morally indefensible. (Milner, H. R. 2009). In order
to effectively cater to the multiple needs of learners, a variety of strategies must be utilized.
Educators should also try to be well-rounded so that they have background knowledge about
different cultures. This will make it easier for children to adjust to the new setting. Ladies and
gentlemen, Multicultural education is needed now more than ever.
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Running head: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: LOVE IT

What is Multicultural Education?

I believe that Multicultural education is an integrated education in which a variety of strategies
are utilized to cater to the diverse learners’ needs in the classroom setting. It entails providing a
fun, safe and nurturing learning environment for every individual no matter what their race,
religion, language, gender or family structure is.
In the book “Global Issues In Education: Pedagogy, Policy, Practice, and the Minority
Experience by Hutchinson, Charles B., Wiggan, Greg A, 2009, it made mention that the United
States, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Japan and Spain were the leading host
countries for international students pursuing higher education. It goes on further to state that in
2008, the United States and the United Kingdom, had a greater number of international students.
These students are in search of better opportunities like I was . In order to meet the diverse needs
of these learners, educators must educate themselves so that they can effectively prepare these
learners to function in this global society.
In the 2010 qualitative field study conducted at the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges
(NTICs) in Abuja, Nigeria, teachers, parents, administrators as well as students were observed
and interviewed. These individuals were from different parts of Nigeria as well as from other
parts of the world. Based on the results from the study, it was concluded that multicultural
education has a positive impact in education in that students are able to explore different cultures
in a safe manner which helps them to appreciate each other better.
In the qualitative case study of Multicultural Education in Turkey, it spoke about the fact that
population were very diverse now more than before. Multicultural education was the best way to
get individuals to socialize and work with each other no matter what they look like or where they
are from.
I strongly believe that Multicultural education is an important part of our society, especially now.
It is the responsibility of public schools to provide a safe and supportive environment and
equitable education to all students (Multicultural & Diversity Education. (2014). Ipswich,
Massachusetts: Salem Press
Benefits of Multicultural Education
Multicultural education allows learners to be more equipped to function effectively in the
classroom settings, and as they move on into society in the future. As they get older, they will
move on colleges or universities, they will have different professions. If they have not learned
how to socialize or communicate effectively with people from different backgrounds, then they
will be at a loss. The multicultural classroom will allow for daily interaction with others. This
will help them to become better communicators.
According to Arslan, H.,& Rata, G. (2013), “The basic principle of multicultural teaching is to
create a learning environment so that students from diverse cultural groups have an equal
opportunity to learn.” Multicultural education ensures that no one is being left out. It promotes
equality and allows individuals to be respectful to each other and value each other more. It also
helps them to compromise. It allows students to have a healthy relationship with each other.
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Running head: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: LOVE IT

Multicultural education allows students to learn about and celebrate different cultures and
cultural events. Arslan, H;, & Rata,G. 2013 states, “It is important to teach multiculturalism at all
school levels not only to understand their society but also the world cultures”.

Conclusion
Creating an environment that is conducive to learning is very important in the classroom. Our
classrooms are “melting pots” of a wide variety of cultures. Educators like myself need to utilize
a variety of methods so that we can cater to the different needs of our diverse learners.
Multicultural education incorporates the idea that all students regardless of their gender, social
class, and ethnic, racial, or cultural characteristics should have an equal opportunity to learn in
school, (Banks& Banks, 2010,p.3.) Multicultural education includes every individual. It allows
learners to be active participants. Educators should also be sensitive in the teaching and learning
process. While we have a duty to educate, we should also find effective ways of doing so
because every learner is not the same.
I challenge every one of you here today. Help to promote multicultural education. Build a
multicultural library at home, build word walls with your children using words that are from
different cultures, get with your children’s schools for those who have children attending school
and work with the counselors, parent liaisons, librarians, principals and PTA to create a
multicultural resource room or center. If there are educators or school personnel in the building,
plan different events that will help to promote multicultural education. Conduct regular
professional development sessions for educators to enhance learning as it relates to catering to
the diverse needs of learners. Also, create gallery walks that require students to design posters
that tell about their culture, plan food fairs, get with the English as a Second Language (ESL)
teachers and form language groups. These are just a few of the great ways in which we can help
individuals especially our future leaders to be ready for this global society. Ladies and
gentlemen, Multicultural education is needed now more than ever. If we want to be successful, if
we want our children to function effectively in this dynamic global society, Multicultural
education is the way to go. Thank you.

Reference

Arslan, H., & Rata, G. (2013). Multicultural Education : From Theory to Practice. Newcastle
upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Aydin, Hasan Educational Reform in Nigeria: The Case of Multicultural Education for Peace,
Love, and Tolerance South African Journal of Education, v33 n1 Article 611 Feb 2013. 19 pp.
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Running head: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: LOVE IT

Erbaş, Yahya Han International Journal of Progressive Education; Feb2019, Vol. 15 Issue 1,
p23-43, 21p
Milner, H. R. (2009). Diversity and Education : Teachers, Teaching, and Teacher Education.
Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas.
Multicultural & Diversity Education. (2014). Ipswich, Massachusetts: Salem Press.