Multicultural aspects in education

Résumé du document

With globalization, the number of people who are displaced from their original countries is increasing. The notion of the melting-pot refers to a phenomenon of assimilation of immigrants from diverse backgrounds in a homogeneous society. All initial differences (culture, religion, etc.) fade to form a single whole. The Melting Pot is now considered as the limit of political correctness because it carries the connotation of a population of immigrants in the United States who comply with the same mould. Now, the more commonly used term is separate salad bowls. Most of the ethnic groups in the United States retain their cultural identity, while, at the same time fitting into the social mosaic. Their purpose is not to assimilate into the Anglo-Saxon standard. Today the same metaphor could be seen in most European countries. Thus teachers are more than ever responsible for the social development of students in an environment where traditional values and culture are challenged. We can thus ask to what extent teachers should be prepared to teach to this new diversity of students. For that, we are going to expound in the first part, what has already been accomplished. These are the established facts which help teachers to be completely neutral towards diversity. We will then see what could be done so that every child receives the best possible education.

Extraits

[...] Then we will see what could be done so that every child receives the best possible education. I - Established facts Rosenthal's theory Examining the results of the study regarding attitudes towards the immigrant student's background revealed that 70% of the teachers perceived aspects of the student's background or ethnic classification as negative for schoolwork. Well it has been shown that the expectations of a teacher are constructed from what he knows about the student, meaning that before meeting the students, the teacher is already expecting a report according to what (s)he knows of the child, the social environment of the parents, perhaps even his attitudes and throughout all that (s)he has heard. [...]

[...] So some schools in different countries try to integrate these children in the classroom and also in society but it remain difficult because an adequate training to deal with diversity is quite rarely given. The most important thing to integrate each pupil is to understand each of them and for that the teachers have to know themselves. Indeed from a philosopher's point of view we must discover our own otherness, because the fears we suffer result from the projection of our own “demons”. We want to reject all that is imperfect, improper and unacceptable from our self. [...]

[...] All initial differences (culture, religion, etc.) fade to form a single whole. The Melting Pot is now considered at the limits of political correctness because it carries the connotation of a population of immigrants in the United States who comply with the same mould. Now, we more easily use the term separate salad bowls : most of the ethnic groups in the United States retain their cultural identity at the same time that they fit into the social mosaic. Their purpose is not to assimilate to the Anglo-Saxon standard. [...]

[...] In reality this is much easier said than done. We can begin by giving an example of a Greek school which gives citizenship lessons to improve understanding and so equality. Citizenship lesson in Greece Schools in Greece are becoming increasingly multicultural. One in four students attending school in the municipality of Athens is foreign- born. Immigrant children face significant challenges, and also pose significant tests for schools in their effort to help these children become part of their new society. [...]

[...] So if immigrant children are always seen as bad pupils by the teacher, it is normal that they manage less in school than the other native student. Another author notes the same established fact present for native people and certainly reinforced for immigrant children. Bourdieu According to Bourdieu, the school system, by treating evenly all students, reproduced inequality: inequality of opportunity is linked to the cultural level of the family group. The school culture (content of the lessons, teaching ) is close to the family culture of the children of the dominant classes. [...]