Critical Reflection:
What I consider the central argumentof the paper is whether or not ‘Multicultural Education’ could really address the need to respond to issues of social justice and equity in education; whether it really was based on principles of cultural pluralism and elimination of prejudice and discrimination in the education system.
The idea that I found to be particularly challenging from the paper is that “Colour-blind policies which endeavor to treat all students the same may end up contributing to the perpetuation of injustices” (Ghosh&Abdi, 2004). – Having read about this ‘Colour-blind policies’ has given me the opportunity to look back to my own practice as a teacher; how I consider my students as learners in my class and realize how often or perpetually I have been seeing or treating them as equals. As considerate as I am with my students who attend to ten (10) subjects every day, I have seen how they struggle to meet each day or week’s requirements so as to pass the subject. With this kind of routine, they need to breathe. What I do is that I simplify the lesson, make it interesting but simple enough to digest. As I have assigned reports to them, I see to it that the evaluation part comes next where the reporter themselves prepares. Within that one-hour class, the lesson is started, processed and evaluated with a certain quiz or reflection before the class ends. Everybody present in the class is able to get the quiz unless one or two of them who may be absent misses the said test. As I am after accumulating records from them, it has to be done within the one-hour period, so whatever they need to accomplish in other subjects outside the school, my own subject area would not have to clutter with those other nine (9) subjects. I remember one student who told me that my consideration to the majority of the class is unfair to her and others who are really making an effort when it comes to group activity work. I responded telling her the same thing, – that I see them as one. – This is where, perhapsthe notion ‘Colour-blind policy’ contributes to the perpetuation of injustices as what Ghosh and Abdi believes. In order to soften the so-called unfairness or injustice and also align my idea positively to the thought of treating students as one, my response to this female student of mine is “Let the ones who do not know or participate less be lifted up with the ones who know.” I don’t know if she gets my idea, but as I see her as a kind and mature individual and the way she continues to be interested in the class, I presume, she understands.
The points I didn’t agree with is how “Colour-blind policy may end up contributing to the perpetuation of injustices.” – This may be true if the ones given favor abuse their rights to equality and look down upon those who are less able or less knowledgeable than they are. But, looking into this article in “Nurturing Cultural Diversity…” whose models speak of ideal goals and directions to fight against injustice is so clear. Any reader whether he or she is a leader or a teacher could draw powerful, humane insights from this. Not to mention the ones who have been exercising this so-called ‘EQUALITY’ among learners. The selected models in this article could only confirm their belief and stir more the sense of justice in dealing with diverse learners in a class.
The implication of the argument to my area of expertise or context is: 1) When it comes to dealing with students with different cultural background, the article has made me realize facts I have been practicing whether desirable or undesirable which I might not have considered very significant had I not taken this lesson;2) However,little or meager the exercise of ‘Multicultural Education’ in my class, I have been an advocate of peace in my own little way which I manifest by not provoking my students to prejudice of their beliefs, practices, traditions, and the like; and 3) Looking at them as one and being all the more “Colour-blind in my approach to them, I only want everyone to achieve the best that ‘the best of the students in my class’ are able to achieve or accomplish.
What is desirable here is the introspection I have had after the discussion of this article. Having been a teacher of different schools with students of diverse background – economic, social, intellectual… I have become aware of the assumptions (on a deeper level) when students are failing – these are the questions; 1) What is wrong with them or the school structure? and 2) What is wrong with us teachers? This realization is so significant. It seems everything then for me, was a routine, but what is good is that my thought has been stuck with the idea on how I could help my students pass. Unconsciously, all the while, I have been an advocate of this ‘Multicultural Education’for, I have been a conduit of social justice and equity by eliminating prejudice and discrimination at least in my own classes.
By: Lilia S. Crisostomo | Senior High School Teacher atBataan National High School 03-28-2017 | BNHS – Balanga City, Bataan
