Everything was explained in great detail

FOR LIBRARIANS, EDUCATORS & HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

Multiculturalism In The Primary School

Multicultural education acknowledges that primary schools are essential to helping transform society and eliminate injustice - even though there is always a conflict between ideal and reality.

In the words of the US Kaleidoscope project (primary schools) ‘help prepare children to be knowledgeable citizens of the world by having them learn through their own cultures and those of others to be critical, reflective thinkers and doers.’

The focus of the primary school is on the growth and development of the learner. Teachers take on a pastoral role with their pupils. The curriculum is designed to develop fundamental knowledge, skills, and values. Teaching is hands-on and minds-on. Inquiry is encouraged. Learning is meaningful.

The present school curriculum aims to help pupils understand the totality of the experiences of ethnic and cultural groups in Scotland. Ethnic and cultural diversity - race, religion, gender, economic - should permeate the total school environment. Curriculum practice, procedure and assessment should also reflect the cultural learning styles and characteristics of the students within the school community.

Objectives

At the conclusion, participants should be able to:

• Identify strategies, approaches and activities to implement in teaching
• Describe examples of cultural proficiency, destructiveness, incapability, blindness, and competence
• Identify strengths and weaknesses in current curriculum provision
• Outline the characteristics of an effective culturally responsive curriculum
• Identify ways to raise achievement in the multicultural classroom

Outline of Workshop

Participants are introduced to a variety of issues including

• What has been the impact of multicultural education in the primary school?
• The curriculum: is there enough balance and breadth? is it 'culturally responsive'?
• Developing partnerships with parents: Family involvement in multicultural learning in the primary school
• Education for citizenship in multicultural Scotland
• Core elements of multicultural curriculum at the primary level: including ICT, PSHE, mathematics, art and design, cooking, drama, history, music, science, geography,RE. PE, English, languages, D&T
• Beyond 'heroes and holidays': Ideas for organising multicultural programmes
• How an understanding of culture helps teachers examine their own cultures as a foundation for their work.
• The pupil’s neighbourhood
• Child development from a cross cultural perspective
• The classroom environment from multicultural perspective

Participants will use readings, teaching/learning experiences and discussion activities to collectively develop ideas about creating, sustaining and improving multicultural and multilingual classroom environments.