Introduction
Over the last few decades, the Canadian education system has been characterized by ethnic and racial discrimination. Despite having the Ontario Human Rights Code that advocates for equal rights for all and freedom from discrimination, cases of ethnic prejudice have been manifested significantly, especially for the Blacks and Aboriginal population who have over time been denied access to quality education (Daenzer & Dei, 1994). These minority groups experience low-quality education, which leads to low academic attainment. Aspects of ethnic discrimination have deterred the minority groups and denied them a chance to pursue ambitions for social mobility and high levels of education (Quintana & Lana, 2016). Though some of the minority groups have tremendously achieved significant education and socioeconomic progress, the attainment of equal education opportunities have been greatly affected by ethnic and racial discrimination.
Nevertheless, many approaches have been introduced to support equality in schools and learning institutions. Mainly, the aspect of multiculturalism is seen as an effective way to which the ethnic and socio-cultural differences are acknowledged and valued to allow for contribution and empowerment of all cultural groups in creating an all-inclusive society (Dewing & Leman, 2006). This principle aims to end racial prejudice and discrimination in all settings and emphasize on equal treatments for minority groups regardless of their race or ethnicity. In this paper, we analyze important concepts of multiculturalism and establish how aspects of ethnocultural/racial diversity can be essential in making a school multicultural. Also, the paper will analyze different ways that can be explored in schools and classrooms to allow schools understand and adopt multiculturalism.
Aspect of Multiculturalism in School Settings
Multiculturalism entails the system of beliefs and behaviors that respect and recognize the inclusion of diverse cultural groups in an organization or the society. The concept of multiculturalism as a basis for multicultural education is understood as the value of diversity and accommodation of all cultural groups in the education policies and school practices. Multi-cultural education is applied as a way of preventing an essentialist notion of culture in school settings where intergroup ethnic and racial discrimination is manifested.
Multiculturalism creates a cultural identity where the minority students and staffs feel that their culture is valued and respected by majority groups. It inculcates a sense of belonging as it allows the minority groups feel associated by wider group memberships (Phinney, 1990). By adopting customs of multiculturalism in schools, cultural identity rises slowly and also rapidly depending on the situational demands and nature of policies put in place by the school management and the wider society.
How Ethnocultural/Racial Diversity Makes a School Multicultural
In the school set up, ethnocultural diversity has been widely applied to mobilize diverse cultures and prevent oppression of minority students and staffs on racial lines. In essence, diverse ethnic cultures promote multicultural school practices. It creates enrichment as students from diverse racial groups work closely together. Schools with students from diverse racial population develop a clear understanding of different perspectives from various ethnic environments and learn to interact in a multicultural background (Staff, 1999). As school’s culture diverse, students appreciate other cultures more efficiently and learn to live amicably in a multi-culture society.
In the interactive model of ethnocultural diversity, the cultural identity of minority groups transform as they relate to the majority population. With a diverse ethnic culture in education settings, it is likely to have students and staff with a sense of belonging to other cultures without affecting their own cultural identity. It is a more efficient way to adhere to more than one ethnic culture with proactive approaches towards a national school culture. Also, different identities under multicultural contexts may converge and even challenge the existing conceptions.
How Other Kinds of Differences Can Be Explored In the Classroom for Students to Understand the Politics of Difference
In addition to the specific educational programs, students coming from diverse cultural backgrounds can participate in various students’ projects and forums as an integral part of the school activities. The school departments may organize multicultural leadership programs that create chances for students to expand their leadership knowledge in various cultures. Efficient school programs can be put in place to address the needs of the diverse cultures. Also, support programs can be implemented to assist students who may not be able to easily understand the diverse cultures.
Community Relations
In promoting cultural diversity activities in classrooms, the students can introduce and develop better community relations. One of the most important community relations is through encouraging the students to reach out, communicate, and interact with parents from the diverse cultural backgrounds, especially from the minority and non-English speaking communities. Some of the policy developments to promote community involvement may involve recruiting regional and school-based staffs, promoting communication with specific cultural groups in the school, and developing links with local community groups. Additionally, the schools can develop community’s centers to reach out and include families from various cultural backgrounds in school programs and cultural meetings.
Language Provision
The main characteristics in the provision of the language in schools can be emphasized by incorporating a range of mixed languages other than English. Though excellence in the main language is an important approach for structuring thinking processes, providing a venue for multi-culture languages would help to promote social participation in diversified social settings. Approaches such as community language programs would help to promote the teaching of community languages to the students. An equally important approach is to utilize optimally on the various linguistic, cognitive, and expressive ideas from the proficient primary or ethnic language of the students.
Programs Projects and Events
There are various programs, events, and projects in schools that can promote the focus on cultural diversity. Some of the essential programs may include intercultural approaches, cooling conflicts programs, racism no way, and prejudice no way. School intercultural approaches allow schools make contact with other different cultural compositions. Through this approach, schools organize visits, where students interact and appreciate other cultures. This initiative would enable the students to learn and reflect on their diversity, through their own direct interaction with other cultures from students of similar age (Aguado et al., 2003). On the other hand, cooling conflicts programs assist students to examine various intercultural conflicts and learn how to manage and intervene in those conflicts more efficiently.
Diversified Structure of Classroom Teaching
Conclusion
Basing from our discussions, it is clear that aspects multicultural diversity are efficient way to achieve equality of racial groups in the school set up. By accommodating values of ethnocultural diversity, students and teachers would be able to acknowledge and appreciate different cultures. Through multiculturalism, students learn how to relate in diverse cultures and encourage peaceful coexistence among the majority and minority groups, especially those that represent a crucial part of the school community. Though it is sometimes challenging to accommodate diverse cultural ideas and values, cultural identity rises slowly and also rapidly depending on the situational demands and nature of policies put in place by the school management and the wider society. Ideally, adopting suitable programs and policies such as language provision, community relations, students and leadership programs, projects and events, as well as a diversified structure of classroom teaching would go a long a way in promoting multicultural environment not only in a school setting but also in the workplace and society at large.
References
Aguado, T., Ballesteros, B., & Malik, B. (2003). Cultural diversity and school equity. A model to evaluate and develop educational practices in multicultural education contexts. Equity &Excellence in Education, 36(1), 50-63
Daenzer, P., & Dei, G. J. S. (1994). Issues of school completion/dropout: A focus on Black youth in Ontario schools and other relevant studies. In N. Watson, J. Scane, & G. Bedard (Comp.), For the love of learning: Background papers for the Royal Commission on Learning, 2, 363-391.
Dewing, M., & Leman, M. (2006). Canadian multiculturalism. Library of Parliament: Canada.
Phinney, J. S. (1990). Ethnic identity in adolescents and adults: Review of research. Psychological Bulletin, 108(3), 499–514.
Staff, G. (1999). How important is cultural diversity at your school? | GreatKids. Retrieved June 11, 2016, from http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/cultural-diversity-at-school/
Quintana, S. M., & Mahgoub, L. (2016). Ethnic and racial disparities in education: Psychology’s role in understanding and reducing disparities. Theory Into Practice, 55(2), 94–103
