An+Effective+Approach

I believe that the best way for students to progress in multicultural education is through the idea of positive interaction among people "different from me." The goals of this approach are
 * 1) To help students communicate with, accept, and get along with people who are different from them
 * 2) To reduce or eliminate stereotypes that students have (or might have) about people
 * 3) To help students feel good about themselves as individuals and as members of the group they belong to
 * 4) To prevent situations in which children offend others by putting them down because of their affiliations of characteristics



Teaching methods should be involving and employ real-life, relevant experiences. Curriculum topics should focus on the aspects of diversity as the characteristics that make an individual who they are, and that everyone's individual cultural identity is important to them, and to the community as a whole. Like the anti-bias approach, an attempt should be made to eliminate stereotyping and biased perspectives. Not only should students be taught about the culture, history, and characteristics of others, but also given the opportunity for self-discovery. Children learn that no one person or group is more important or "better" than any other. Every person and every group is a necessary, valuable component of an effective community.