Blog #4 Multiculturalism/Centrist Curriculum

Hello friends,
In my last post, I believe I advocated for a "centrist curriculum" without knowing what the heck I was doing. It just fit; it felt right. As stated in my Blog #3, I believe that although we are one nation, we are a multiculutral nation. This is a country that was shaped by many people; therefore, it belongs to all of them, to every race and creed imaginable. And, we should not only acknowledge contributions to American society other than European contributions, we should celebrate them, along with the heritage that Europe has given this nation. Including one does not negate the other! How absurd and funny a thought, in my opinion.

The readings that go along with this blog did not change my attitude about multicultural education one bit; I just learned the name forwhat I believe is the best approach: "centrist curriculum." It is not only the subjects of history and literature that need to include the contributions and works of non European cultures; it is every subject matter taught in public schools from math to music and everything in between the two.

I believe strongly in clearly delineated common standards, scope, and sequence for each grade level in elementary school and in clearly delineated common standards, scope, and sequence for leveled subject areas in secondary education. Certain concepts and skills need to be mastered at every educational level no mater what the student's ethnic or cultural origins. In my district, we are spending many professional development days working on just that.

Acceptance and tolerance of others with bliefs and traditions different than one's own need to be taught at every step along the way as a natural part of the education process. However, I love the idea from the readings about being sure to let students form their beliefs and opinions, and I love the idea of having students present contributions of cultures different than what they conceive as their own familiar ethnic culture to the subject matter being studied.

For example, in French, when we study food, music, politics, or holidays, students can research and present francophone contributions to the world from all over the world, not just Europe, but the Carribean, Africa, Vietnam, etc. When we study linguistics, students can research the Germanic, Greek, and Roman influences on French. There are strong German roots in the community where I teach. I have many students whose grandmothers have very thick German accents. I have students taking French whose first language is Spanish and whose ancesors come from Cuba but migrated from the Basque region between Spain and France to Cuba. Even in studying what appears to be one culture, one language, many cultures may be brought into study and celebration for their contributions to both francophone and American cultures because, in my opinion, there is a centrist culture.

We all live and work together in one big cosmopolitan nation. As to social control, I work in a district that is very diligent in trying to serve all of its students equally without giving "control" to one social or economic group. Our school board works hard at serving all of our students a "heapin' helpin'" of quality education without undue control except to make sure national, state, and district standards and scope and sequence are well organized and followed in all schools.

The link below outlines steps to a very centrist approach, although I don't think they knew that's what they were doing anymore than I did!

http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/curriculum/steps.html


Signing off for now,
GC