Multicultural Responses in an Irish

Multicultural Responses in an Irish School

Today's classrooms are characterized by multicultural diversity in which individuals represent many customs and systems of belief including political and religious beliefs. The teacher has a special role to play in the creation of classroom harmony and diversity in which all individuals are valued first as human beings and their cultural characteristics and differences accepted and while respected are not emphasized so as to create division.

Definition Required

The work of Clarke and Drudy (2006) entitled: "Teaching for Diversity, Social Justice and Global Awareness" states that the classroom teacher must define what is precisely meant by 'diversity' and 'diversity education. Diversity education can be defined in both local and global terms. It connotes an awareness and understanding of global relationships..." Ethnic diversity in the Republic of Ireland has evolved in many ways, and this is stated to include "...intermarriage, international commerce, migrant workers, and their families on employment permits and work visas, international students, refugees and asylum seekers." (Clarke and Drudy, 2006)

II. Teachers Need to Possess a Clear Sense of Their Own Ethnic and Cultural Identifies

Teachers must have a "clear sense of their own ethnic and cultural identities in order to be able to understand those of their students and their families." (Clarke and Drudy, 2006) It is stated that the prior beliefs of individuals "represent interpretive lenses through which student teachers attempt to focus, see, visualize, perceive, characterize, understand and ultimately resolve their teaching concerns." (Clarke and Drudy, 2006) Three distinct matters have become entangled where Muslims and their interactions with others in society are concerned according to Lappin (2007) and those are stated to include: (1) religiously based on cultural difference; (2) immigration; and (3) the response of democracy to the threat posed by political extremism. This is stated to be exacerbated by emphasis being placed on cultural differences.

III. Emphasis of Cultural Difference and Today's Press Impact on Society

Emphasis of cultural difference serves as a wedge between those interacting in the classroom and society-at-large. What should it matter to education that young women wear headscarves instead of ponytails and bows? However, as noted in the work of Leiderman (2002) analysis of the coverage press gives to the subject of the Islamic headscarf and state funding of Islamic schools in Britain and France reports that the authority for the press is an exercise in public vigilance by those who hold the reins of power: (1) government; and (2) big business. (Liederman, 2002) Acceptance of culture difference, according to Lapin (2007) "...is more than an enriching feature of immigration-friendly societies. It is a basic commitment of liberal democracy." It is critical that today's teacher realize the impact that such as the press play on creating societal division and that teachers mitigate these harmful effects on those in the classroom through providing potential integration in the learning environment.

IV. Education System of Israel

Classroom diversity is completely opposite of that which characterizes the educational system in Israel which is specifically the segregation of Palestinian students from other students. (Abu-Saad, 2004) However, education has no place in emphasizing differences of culture because true education and real knowledge sets aside such simplistic thinking avoiding divisions among individuals who seek to learn. The greatest minds in history are represented by individuals from the entire spectrum of the world's cultures.

V. Implementation of Multicultural Diversity and Classroom Harmony Creation

Classroom harmony should be relatively easy for the teacher of geography to create since the entire focus of the study of geography are places and locations throughout the world and certainly this is a study subject endlessly graced by potential subjects that have the potential to create understanding and harmony in the classroom.

II. Key Example of How Teaching Subject May be Facilitated

A key example of how teaching geography can be used in facilitation of cultural diversity is the study of world cultures in combination with world locations. For instance, teaching geography on the Western world and specifically on the United States can involve the sharing of knowledge of the many and diverse cultures that together represent the demographics of the United State. Included are African-Americans, native Indians and of many various tribal lineage, as well as the European Caucasian and other immigrants such as the German, Irish, French, and the list which goes on and on relating the many cultures mixed into what is known as the United States of America. Emphasis on the sameness of the beliefs of those who call themselves Americans and through the study of geography is one method that can serve in bringing together knowledge and cultural diversity in the classroom.

The work of Deyhle (nd) entitled: 'Navajo Youth and Anglo Racism' states that integration should not be mistaken for assimilation as the desire for learning and knowledge should not require forsaking one's own culture. Oftentimes a culture holds closely to its cultural beliefs and does so in a defensive manner because they, just as the Navajos belong to a "...conquered and colonized people who" and who have "survived over four hundred years of Anglo subjugation and exploitation" therefore their remaining committed to a culture with distinct "values, beliefs and practices" has become a source of pride and accomplishment. One of the primary points is that the Anglos are the immigrants rather than the Navajos therefore, the negativity shown immigrants in the United States is rather ironic is it not?