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Multicultural Education Application in the Modern Day Classroom

Caitlin Mabry

Liberal Studies Program, California State University, Chico

EDTE 490 W: Liberal Studies Capstone

Dr. Claudia Bertolone-Smith

May 18, 2021

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Abstract

Classrooms in the United States are becoming increasingly more diverse, and the

curriculum and school climate should reflect this diversity. This prompts one to ask the question,

what is being done to ensure all students are being adequately represented in what they are

learning? Through an extensive review of the available literature and firsthand accounts from an

elementary school teacher, I am able to narrow down the issues currently being addressed in the

field of education. Firstly, teachers are not being adequately prepared to teach in diverse

classrooms. For this reason, effective professional development in multicultural education is

urgent now more than ever. Lastly, the type of multicultural education content that is being taught

does not always adequately represent the fluid nature of culture. Due to this, students should be

able to have some input on what information about their culture they believe is important for

their classmates to know. Teachers, faculty, parents, and students should engage in open dialogue

on the issue. The inequalities in the American education system stem from a deeply rooted racist

society, and by acknowledging this we move closer toward a system that serves all.

Keywords: culture, multicultural education, culturally sustaining pedagogy

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Introduction

It comes to no surprise that the implementation of multicultural education has become a

topic of great importance in recent years. The United States, which is often referred to as a

‘melting pot,’ is composed of a myriad of different cultures, ethnicities, religions, etc. With that

being said, there is a general consensus that the education system should reflect this diversity.

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines explicitly state that information in the

classroom should be presented in a “culturally relevant and responsive” fashion. (UDL

Guidelines, 2018). The history of multicultural education integration can be traced back to the

Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. “An important outcome of the Civil Rights Movement was

that African Americans demanded that their histories, struggles, contributions, and possibilities

be reflected in textbooks and the school curriculum” (Banks, 2013). The reforms brought about

by African American citizens eventually expanded to include other marginalized groups. These

strides made by under-represented communities formed into the teaching practice that is

well-known today. While there have been strides made in the area of multicultural education,

there are issues of realistic implementation in order to represent all students equally.

Statement of Problem

Multicultural education implementation and professional development within this topic

has made great strides in recent decades. With that being said, the problem lies within equal

representation for students of all different backgrounds with limited time and resources.

According to the California Teachers Association, California ranks ‘well below’ the national

average in per-student funding (School Funding). This begs the question, ‘How are educators

expected to meet the needs of a diverse population of students when they aren’t supplied with

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adequate resources?’ Through my research I aim to better understand the realistic ways in which

teachers can effectively incorporate multicultural perspectives and how implementing these

perspectives change the school environment.

Justification of the Study

Similar to any teaching practice or philosophy, there will always be work that needs to be

done within the realm of multicultural education to reflect an ever-changing and evolving world.

This is why in my study I aim to better understand the obstacles that teachers face when it comes

to practical applications of multicultural education, along with how multicultural education

implementation has changed the overall climate of classroom and school environments. In this

day and age it is not enough for educators to implement change in their classrooms. There needs

to be school-wide training and conscious efforts made to reflect the diversity that is apparent in

our schools. According to the United States Census Bureau (2020), 39.4% of California’s

population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% identify as Asian, and 6.5% identify as Black

or African American. California classrooms and schools as a whole will reflect these statistics,

and it is important to dive into how to meet the needs of diverse students. Through analyzing the

literature and doing research of my own, I hope to find out how to do just that.

Positionality

As a future educator and a resident of California, I’ve recognized the topic of diversity

and inclusion in education brought up often in multiple different settings. Throughout my time as

a student at CSU, Chico, I have been able to think critically about this issue and the many

implications that come from not recognizing and celebrating diversity. It would be irresponsible

to separate myself from the issue just because I am a white, middle-class woman. I, along with

every other future educator, have a duty to create and foster inclusive classrooms, schools, and

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communities. I have witnessed bias and discrimination my whole life, all taking place in many

different forms. Unfortunately, this is the society that our children are being raised in, and we

must do better to ensure that every child is seen and heard as a unique individual in our

classrooms. This is why I chose to study the dialogue around this issue and find out what is

currently being done to serve students.

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

The History of Multicultural Education

The topic of multicultural education has existed in many different forms in the United

States for decades. What began as more representation for students of different ethnicities during

the civil rights movement eventually snowballed into reforming the entire school system and

ensuring representation for all. “Consequently, multiethnic education was expanded to include

gender, exceptionality, and social class” (Banks, 2013). When thinking of the term ‘multicultural

education,’ one might associate it with just the inclusion of perspectives of different ethnic

groups. However, the Merriam Webster Dictionary defines culture as “The customary beliefs,

social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group” (Merriam Webster

Dictionary). Therefore, multicultural education has expanded in recent years to include the

LGBTQ+ community, topics of racial and social injustices, those with disabilities, etc. “An

important development within multicultural education within the last decade is the importance

given to the intersection of variables such as race, class, and gender” (Banks, 2013). It is

apparent within the literature that there is an increasing emphasis on inclusion for all within

multicultural education.

The Role of Professional Development in Multicultural Education

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The basis of quality multicultural education begins with quality professional

development. Teachers must feel prepared when it comes to teaching about different cultures, or

they may feel unable to teach these topics effectively. “In order to better prepare teachers for

teaching in diverse classrooms, professional development in multicultural education (PDME) is a

useful and viable approach among educational leaders” (Choi & Lee, 2020). This study discusses

the role that PDME plays in teacher self-efficacy in multicultural classrooms (TSMC). The

researchers find that quality professional development is not only needed for the classroom

environment, but it also creates positive perceptions of the school climate as a whole (Choi &

Lee, 2020). Studies also show that professional development in multicultural education is

beneficial for students’ success. Of an analysis of 40 studies conducted on the effectiveness of

professional development in multicultural education, it was found that those who focused on

student outcomes proved beneficial for students’ performance (Parkhouse et al., 2019).

Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy

Multicultural education goes hand-in-hand with the concept of culturally sustaining

pedagogy. “Culturally sustaining pedagogy seeks to perpetuate and foster linguistic, literate, and

cultural pluralism as part of schooling for positive social transformation and revitalization” (Paris

& Alim, 2017). In an interview of the authors of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies, they dive

into the practical applications of this seemingly abstract concept. They explain that cultural

practices, languages, and ways of life should not be seen as something to be added on to the

curriculum, but rather as something to be embedded into the curriculum in a meaningful way

(Paris & Alim, 2017). Another important element of culturally sustaining pedagogies is the

ability and willingness of educators to address racism and prejudice within themselves and

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society. It is apparent that there is a need to address these issues due to the fact that the United

States has a history of not representing marginalized communities in the classroom. “This

climate, and the policies and teaching practices resulting from it, has the quite explicit goal of

creating a monocultural and monolingual society based on white, middle-class norms of

language and cultural being” (Paris, 2012. p. 95). While there has been education reform in

recent years to address these inequities, there is still work to be done.

Practical Applications of Multicultural Education

Throughout the literature on this topic, there are a lot of big picture concepts and ideas. It

can be difficult to picture how these ideas are actually implemented in the classroom setting. One

of the five dimensions of multicultural education is content integration. “Content integration

deals with the extent to which teachers use examples and content from a variety of cultures and

groups to illustrate key concepts, generalizations, and issues within their subject areas or

disciplines” (Multicultural Education: Goals and Dimensions, 2021). Teachers can use content

integration as a starting point in incorporating multicultural perspectives in their lesson plans.

Teachers have a limited amount of time to meet standards and prepare their students for success,

so incorporating multiple cultures in the content may appear to be a daunting task. Weinstein et

al. (2003) argue that teachers need to become knowledgeable about the cultures and communities

in which their students live. Using the cultures that are represented in one’s classroom is an

excellent way to start. By learning about the cultures of their peers, students can build deeper

relationships with one another and learn to be tolerant of those different from them.

Multicultural Education in Relation to Immigrant Students

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California teachers face a great amount of diversity in their classroom. In every teacher’s

career, they will likely encounter students born in different countries who came to the United

States. According to the California Department of Education, there were 88,423 immigrant

students enrolled in California’s public and private schools in 2018 (CDE, 2020). Educators must

take this into account when planning out their multicultural education integration. It may seem

intimidating to accurately represent the culture of an immigrant student in the classroom, so it is

very important to learn from the students and their families. Fruja-Amthor and Roxas are

prominent voices within this subject and discuss the great strides that multicultural education has

made in recent years. With that being said, they also address that the needs of immigrant and

refugee students are not being met completely. Educators must view and represent students’

cultures as fluid and modern in order to help immigrant and U.S. born students feel a

connectedness to each other. “Yet, best intentions among multicultural educators who see cultural

recognition as the center of their practice may still tend to highlight students’ cultures as static”

(Fruja-Amthor & Roxas, 2016, p.169). While teaching the history of cultures is important,

educators also have a duty to show students the whole picture. Cultural practices and viewpoints

change, and if teachers aren’t placing emphasis on this, they are ultimately placing immigrant

students at a disadvantage by further isolating them.

School Climate in Relation to Multicultural Education

One of the most important takeaways from the literature on this topic is that multicultural

education and culturally sustaining pedagogies extend beyond the classroom. The available

literature reflects a consensus that when multicultural perspectives are embedded in every part of

the school, the climate is better overall (Choi & Soobin, 2020). If there is a comprehensive,

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school-wide plan to incorporate multiple cultures, then students will feel seen as unique

individuals. Teachers play a large role in the classroom and school environment, and should

emphasize diversity and inclusion in order to foster a positive environment. “We found that

teachers’ attitudes and beliefs about the value of diversity were reflected in their students’

experiences with peer discrimination and ethnic identity” (Brown, 2019, p. 324). This article

discusses specifically the challenges and components of fostering a positive and inclusive school

environment. The authors emphasize positive cross-cultural interactions, established norms in

and out of the classroom, and teachers as change makers and facilitators.

METHODOLOGY

Within the next sections I will discuss the lens that I chose to look at this issue through. I

aimed to understand if the literature on the subject reflects the opinions and experiences of

someone in the field through an interview. I also utilized a theoretical framework that may help

explain the roots of the apparent inequities in the United States education system.

Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework that I have used to guide my research is the critical race

theory. This theoretical framework involves analyzing the racial inequities in different parts of

societal institutions. “Critical race theorists hold that the law and legal institutions in the United

States are inherently racist insofar as they function to create and maintain social, economic, and

political inequalities between whites and nonwhites…”(Blumberg & Curry, 2016, para.1).

Although this theory originally stems from the legal field, it has been applied to other institutions

like the education system to address the disadvantages and inequalities that people of

marginalized communities face. Through the lens of this framework I am better able to

understand the deep roots of the dominant culture having the final say as to what is being taught

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in schools. I feel as though this framework fits this specific problem of practice well because

when analyzing the school system and the ways in which different cultures have been historically

oppressed in schools, I can find out how racism and discrimination has played a role.

Community Partner Interview

The community partner that I interviewed helped to broaden my knowledge of this topic

because she is a teacher at a dual immersion bilingual elementary school and has years of

experience in the field of education. I will refer to my community partner as Mrs. Green, a

pseudonym to ensure privacy. Mrs. Green is a 5th grade teacher at a local elementary school. She

has been an educator for years and has experience working with students of all different cultural

backgrounds. She is BCLAD certified and regularly attends training surrounding the subjects of

bilingual education and multicultural education. She herself is bilingual and her family is

Argentine, so she has both personal and professional experience within the topic of

multiculturalism. Her personal teaching philosophy culminates into one word: fun. Mrs. Green

stated that she wants her students to view learning as something that adds value to their lives and

as a fun way in which they can express themselves. Her vision for education is to create an

environment in which differences are celebrated. She works with immigrant ELL students along

with English speaking students, which creates an environment where multiple different

perspectives are incorporated and students are able to learn from one another.

My community partner offered insight into my problem of practice by explaining her

personal practices in the classroom when it comes to multicultural education implementation. I

was not surprised by her responses to the questions that I asked, due to the fact that her views

reflect a lot of what I read in the prevalent literature. She explained that by supporting immigrant

families, you in turn are increasing the chance for their children to thrive in school. Supporting

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students in this way is something that comes up often in the literature, but I felt as though my

community partner offered a different perspective that I failed to recognize before the interview.

She states that schools should feel like a place that “provides solutions, not problems.” By

supporting parents of bilingual, immigrant, or ELL students, you are helping to not only create a

successful school environment, but you are fostering school/home connections that will only

benefit your students.

Personally, I am interested in practical applications of multicultural education so when

my community partner offered an example of how to do so, I took note of it. Mrs. Green

suggested asking students about their families and cultures at the beginning of the school year

and making note of important holidays or events in the students’ lives. By doing so, you can find

out what cultures are represented in your classroom and plan lessons around these topics. This is

another way in which parents can get involved. She communicated with me that parents have

come in and taught students about their culture and even offered clothing, photos, and food to

enrich the lesson. This is the type of information that I was hoping to gain from this interview,

because some of the more heavy, big picture literature doesn’t offer these kinds of practical

applications.

The last big takeaway that I got from interviewing Mrs. Green was that teaching in both

Spanish and English has created an environment where students have to persevere and

experience some level of discomfort when learning a second language. Her mention of

discomfort made me realize that educators may feel the same way when faced with teaching

about a culture that they have little prior knowledge on. Attempting to respectfully represent a

culture in the classroom may seem like a daunting task, but that is why the involvement of

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students, other faculty members, and parents can be so helpful. The United States is an incredibly

diverse country, so educators should take advantage of the diversity all around them. Just how it

is okay for students to feel a small amount of discomfort when learning a new language, it is

okay for educators to feel uncomfortable when faced with doing a culture justice while teaching

about it.

Through interviewing a community partner who is well-versed in the issues I am

researching, I was able to grasp some of the practical problems and solutions that educators of

diverse classrooms face daily. She was an excellent resource to help bring clarification and

reinforce the ideas that are prominent within the literature.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

In the next section I will be analyzing the research I conducted regarding my problem of

practice and how the previously published literature along with the interview with an educator

has aided in a better understanding of the current state of this topic.

Discussion of Findings

Through conducting research and interviewing a professional in the field, I was able to

distinguish similarities between the two methods of data collection. A lot of the literature

focused on the role of professional development in multicultural education and how quality

training within the area is crucial for diverse classrooms to thrive. With that being said, a lot of

educators leave training programs and feel underprepared to take on the task of effectively

managing diverse classrooms (Parkhouse et al., 2019). This makes quality professional

development crucial in the field. If teachers have low self-efficacy in relation to effectively

implementing multicultural education, they will more likely find it difficult to meet the needs of

their students (Choi & Lee, 2020). This idea is reflected in the interview conducted with my

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community partner. She states that her school’s administrator is always advocating for more

professional development in bilingual education and multicultural education, and Mrs. Green

herself is of the opinion that the school district should offer more. Ensuring quality professional

development and training is an apparent urgent matter within the topic of multicultural

education.

Additionally, I have found that in both the literature and through my interview that one of

the main challenges in multicultural education implementation is ensuring equal representation

of all students. While this comes to no surprise, the literature takes it a step further and I was

surprised at what I found. It is easy to fall into the mindset that all multicultural education is

good multicultural education, but this viewpoint was challenged while conducting my own

research. The concept of culturally sustaining pedagogy is mentioned often, and it is described as

pedagogy that “allows students to exist not only in the culture of their school, but also in the

culture of their home” (Chajed, 2020). This concept is challenged to include culturally relevant

pedagogy, which forces teachers to ask themselves what information accurately represents

students and the current state of their cultures. “Focusing on culture alone is problematic- even

when it is used to promote academic interest and success- because it tends to calcify culture”

(Fruja Amthor & Roxas, 2016). This directly relates to the experiences of immigrant and ELL

students whose cultures have historically not been represented adequately and equally in the

classroom.

CONCLUSION

This section will bring all of the concepts discussed to a close through reflection upon the

previous sections. I will also offer recommendations in regards to what I believe would best

serve diverse classrooms and communities.

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Conclusion

Throughout my research on the topic of multicultural education and realistic implications

in the modern day classroom, I am able to better grasp the issues at hand. I began my research

with a broad question, and by combing through the literature and interviewing a teacher in the

field, I began to see trends emerge. The Critical Race Theory assisted in guiding my research

from the stance that institutions in the United States are inherently deeply rooted in racism.

Systemic change of school systems has been in motion for decades, and through my research I

am able to pinpoint what is currently being done in the field regarding multicultural education.

Firstly, professional development is an urgent issue that is currently being addressed. If teachers

do not feel confident in themselves to teach from multiple cultural perspectives, they will not be

successful in meeting the needs of diverse students. Additionally, students from diverse

backgrounds must have their cultures represented accurately. It is not enough to present

surface-level, static information about a student’s culture. Information should be culturally

relevant and sustaining.

Implications and Recommendations

These findings will certainly influence my career and what I choose to prioritize in the

classroom. I will always keep in mind that critical phrase that was developed through my

research, “Not all multicultural education is good multicultural education.” While accepting this

will require more thoughtful consideration as to what information I present to my students, I

truly believe it to be worthwhile.

My recommendation for teachers would be to allow students to get involved when

discussing their culture. Ask them questions, learn from them. Get their families involved, and

do the work to ensure that they feel seen and heard in the curriculum. I also recommend

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receiving as much professional development as possible on the subject of multicultural

education. Understand that as an educator you are going to be teaching immigrant students, ELL

students, those who come from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and those with unconventional

families. Be prepared to meet the needs of your students, no matter their situation.

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References

Banks, James A. (2013). The Construction and Historical Development of Multicultural

Education, 1962-2012. Theory into Practice, 52(sup1), 73–82.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2013.795444

Blumberg, N., & Curry, T. (2016, June 9). Critical race theory.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/critical-race-theory.

Brown, Christia Spears. (2019). The Importance, and the Challenges, to Ensuring an

Inclusive School Climate. Educational Psychologist, 54(4), 322–330.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2019.1655646

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from

http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Chajed, A. (2020, February 12). Culturally sustaining pedagogy: An introduction.

https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/culturally-sustaining-pedagogy-an-introd

uction.

Choi, Soobin, & Lee, Se Woong. (2020). Enhancing Teacher Self-Efficacy in

Multicultural Classrooms and School Climate: The Role of Professional

Development in Multicultural Education in the United States and South Korea.

AERA Open, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858420973574

Ferlazzo, L. (2021, March 5). Author Interview: “Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies”

(Opinion). Education Week.

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https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-author-interview-culturally-su

staining-pedagogies/2017/07

Fruja Amthor, Ramona, & Roxas, Kevin. (2016). Multicultural Education and Newcomer

Youth: Re-Imagining a More Inclusive Vision for Immigrant and Refugee

Students. Educational Studies (Ames), 52(2), 155–176.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00131946.2016.1142992

Multicultural Education: Goals and Dimensions. Multicultural Education: Goals and

Dimensions | UW College of Education. (n.d.).

https://education.uw.edu/cme/view.

Paris, D. (2012). Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy: A Needed Change in Stance,

Terminology, and Practice. Educational Researcher, 41(3), 93–97.

https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X12441244

Parkhouse, Hillary, Lu, Chu Yi, & Massaro, Virginia R. (2019). Multicultural Education

Professional Development: A Review of the Literature. Review of Educational

Research, 89(3), 416–458. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654319840359

School funding. (2020, December 18). https://www.cta.org/our-advocacy/school-funding.

Title III Immigrant Student Demographics. Title III Immigrant Student Demographics -

Title III (CA Dept of Education). (n.d.).

https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/t3/imdemographics.asp.

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Weinstein, Carol, Curran, Mary, & Tomlinson-Clarke, Saundra. (2003). Culturally

Responsive Classroom Management: Awareness Into Action. Theory into

Practice, 42(4), 269–276. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4204_2

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APPENDICES

Appendix A.

Community Partner Interview Questions

Q: What is your educational/professional background and what inspired you to teach at a two-way immersion school?

A: I am BCLAD certified and have masters in bilingual education. Since I myself am bilingual (my family is Argentine), I have always been interested in dual immersion education. Unfortunately, I did not go to an immersion school when I was a kid and had to learn English without the amazing resources available at dual immersion schools. I have a special appreciation for these programs as I now get to experience the value provided to students and their families by this teaching style.

Q: What is your personal teaching philosophy?

A: My philosophy is FUN! Or at least for students to see learning as fun… as something that brings value to their lives - not just stress. I feel education should be experienced through all the senses; via as many teaching methods as possible. In order to achieve this, I have found that visual and performing arts can really help bring content to life. Hands-on science experiments, theatrical plays to help explore the judicial system, poetry to remember the order of mathematical operations, and art as a way to express one’s understanding of a topic (like drawing the definition of a word).

Q: What kind of professional training have you received on the subject of multicultural education, if any?

A: The bulk of my time in the bilingual masters program was focused on multicultural education in the form of classes. Seminars, assigned readings and assignments, guest speakers, etc. I have also attended CABE (california association of bilingual education) twice - once as a credential student at Chico State and again a couple years later through Rosedale.

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Q: Do you receive ongoing training on this subject?

A: Our school’s admin tries her best to advocate for more training on this topic and is always inviting staff to attend anything offered. There have been a couple professional development opportunities regarding bilingual education but the district should definitely offer more.

Q: In what ways do you include multicultural perspectives in the content you teach?

A: The whole community and goal of my school is to create a multicultural learning environment. As stated by our school’s mission statement: The School Community is committed to providing a culture of lifelong learning for all students through dual immersion, by developing bilingualism and academic excellence in a multicultural environment. Therefore, all of our lessons and school events are expected to reflect this ideology by incorporating multiple cultures, countries and ethinic backgrounds.

Q:In your opinion, what is the best way to support immigrant students and English Language Learners?

A:Help to support their families! Families need to feel supported and like school is a place that provides solutions, not problems. Helping families to translate paperwork, showing them how to access online materials and how to transition between schools (elementary to middle school to high school). These are all essential to creating home connections with immigrant students and their families. Supported families will in turn support their children better, giving students a better chance to thrive.

Q: What challenges do you face when trying to include multicultural education in the classroom?

A: Making sure to include ALL cultures present in the classroom can be tough as my students change each year. But the trick is to get to know your students well. Ask LOTS of questions about their families, cultures, etc. early in the year. Make sure to look up important dates regarding different holidays/cultural beliefs, track them in your calendar and lesson plan around those dates. Also, finding relevant, school appropriate and age relevant information can be tough too. I have found success in asking my students and their parents for help when teaching about their culture. They have provided me with costumes, photos, recipes, food and even in person presentations. :)

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Q: How has teaching in both Spanish and English helped to foster a more inclusive classroom and school environment?

A: Teaching in both languages just levels the playing field a bit. Usually EL’s can’t express their understanding in monolingual classrooms and are deemed “less than” or “slower”, etc. - but in our learning environment, both groups can express their ideas. Also, I think the fact that both groups get to experience some discomfort in achieving fluency in their target language is an important step to developing character and learning perseverance.

Q:How do you ensure positive relationships/interactions between students of differing cultural backgrounds?

A: Our classroom community is consistently celebrating our differences. “If everyone was the same, life would be boring.” We say that a lot. I try to remind my students that just because we do not live life a certain way, or understand something else, we should not fear it. We should learn about it, respect it’s existence, tolerate a different perspective and celebrate the amazing ability we have to choose our own version of life. There is no one recipe to success or happiness, we just need to make sure that respect and love are part of our philosophies.

Q: Lastly, what advice would you give future teachers that want to create inclusive classrooms?

A: Be fearless. Ask LOTS of questions - of your students, their families, your colleagues, etc. Don’t be afraid to try something new or out of your comfort zone. Expect a lot from your students - they are MORE than capable.