Chapter One An Introduction to the Topic of Cultural Diversity - NAGC

effective practices, motivation to learn these effective practices, a resistance to learning
practices, and the responsibility to use effective practices in multicultural education.
Teachers in this study who had received their college degrees more than 10 years ago
were not required to take courses relating to multicultural education, and had a limited
understanding of multicultural education and its practices.
However, it is not only experienced teachers who have limited understandings in
this area, as it is a false assumption that new teachers will automatically acquire the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to teach CLED students. CLED students may
underachieve in public schools and teachers may encounter difficult and frustrating
situations in trying to help them succeed (Menchaca, 1996) without any training for this
endeavor. To address this situation, a proactive approach is needed that would require
additional pre-service and in-service instruction to provide all teachers with the necessary
skills to meet the needs of students from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
These skills include more field-based programs with opportunities to interact with CLED
students and learn about other types of diversity (Menchaca, 1996).
Education courses at the university level should incorporate cross-cultural field
experiences and culturally responsive pedagogy courses for undergraduate students to
improve the understanding that culture is a normal part of development and not a
"minority thing." Courses in curriculum could promote the development of lessons and
units that integrate multicultural components and sensitivity and opportunities for future
teachers to examine their own cultural histories. An increased awareness and time to
analyze their own personal experiences and emotions would help future teachers to better
understand themselves and others (Ford & Harris, 1999; Menchaca, 1996). This process
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