How Two School Faculties Look at "Multicultural Education."

Overview & Synopsis

This paper examines how teachers, teachers' assistants, and principals in two schools define multicultural education and how their ideas are translated into practice. The study identifies the problems associated with a definition of the term "multicultural education." Possible barriers to implementing multicultural education and educators' attitudes about the relative importance of multicultural education in the curriculum were also investigated. Surveys were distributed to principals, teachers, and teachers' assistants in two public elementary schools in central Virginia. It was concluded that staff members are generally willing to incorporate multicultural education into their curriculum. However, educators' ideologies and implementation of multicultural education vary greatly from school to school and from classroom to classroom. If study participants are to progress, it is suggested they must begin to communicate with each other about the concepts of multicultural education using a common language. Appended are: the survey questions used in this study; data from the survey; and a selection of culturally diverse children's literature. Contains 22 references. (EH)