Promoting Diversity in Teacher Education.

Overview & Synopsis

The purposes of this paper were to understand the responses of veteran teachers to a series of inservice workshops designed to increase their knowledge of multicultural issues and to draw implications for the preservice training of teachers. A literature review provided a framework for discussing: (1) the background of multicultural education; (2) the need for multicultural education; (3) a staff development model for multicultural education; (4) theory to practice; (5) educators' enthusiasm for multicultural education; and (6) some implications for preservice teacher education. Nineteen teachers in a school known for its diverse student population signed up for the inservice program, but only three attended the first session. A questionnaire was sent to the other 16 to determine why they had chosen not to attend. Based on nine responses, it was concluded that it takes time to educate teachers to the true goals and philosophy of multicultural education; and additional time must be spent on orienting teachers as to why this kind of program is necessary. Implications for preservice teacher education suggest that the success of a multicultural awareness dimension depends on the commitment of faculty and students towards clearly understood goals. (Contains 21 references.) (LL)