Diversity

Genres of Research in Multicultural Education

The article, "Genres of Research in Multicultural Education" by Christine Bennett covers the roots and "framework" of multicultural education, incorporating the author's own research and thoughts on the subject. The author discusses the beginning of multicultural education in our country, and some of the educational mistakes that helped lead the country to multicultural education for our youth. The author also cites some of the perspectives underlying education during the past century, and how they evolved into more opportunities for minorities in education. She also identifies four "clusters" of research into multicultural education, including curriculum, pedagogy, competence, and reform. The author cites research that has created these clusters, and also discusses in detail the makeup of each cluster, and how it affects the whole of multicultural education.

This article shows that despite multicultural educational opportunities, there are still many biases and prejudices that minorities must face in order to get a quality education. The author notes, "disproportionately high numbers of the nation's African-American, Native-American, and Latino children and youth were placed in special education for the handicapped or culturally disadvantaged" (Bennett 171). This is unconscionable, and points to educators not knowing what to do or how to deal with certain children, and so they simply shunted them off to another department to deal with. This not only reflects on the educators, but ultimately could affect the children's outlook on themselves and their hopes for the future. Many of these occurrences helped lead to more multicultural education, but that they happened at all is both disturbing and points to the need for better educational understanding by administrators and faculty. It is clear the author is an expert in her subject, and is quite immersed in creating more understanding and awareness of multicultural education and the obstacles that multicultural students still face.

References

Valencia, Richard R., et al. "Segregation, Desegregation, and Integration of Chicano Students: Old and New Realities."