Thursday, August 27
Tuesday, August 25
Multicultural Education
What is a multicultural education?
Multicultural education is defined by the National Association for Multicultural Education as a “philosophical concept built on the ideals of freedom, justice, equality, equity, and human dignity as acknowledged in various documents, such as the U.S. Declaration of Independence, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations. It affirms our need to prepare student for their responsibilities in an interdependent world. It recognizes the role schools can play in developing the attitudes and values necessary for a democratic society. It values cultural differences and affirms the pluralism that students, their communities, and teachers reflect. It challenges all forms of discrimination in schools and society through the promotion of democratic principles of social justice.”
It is obvious that in a school like ours multicultural education is necessary as it includes both students and teachers coming from cultures like the Armenian, the Maronite and the Latin. So, the school has to make sure that it follows the policy of multicultural education, and offers an inclusive education for all students of the school regardless of their nation, race, or religious group.
How will multicultural education work?
The role of the students
A school that promotes multicultural education will certainly have to review its fundamental goals, structure, basic assumptions and perspectives of the curriculum. Firstly, the school will have to be a safe, shared, and managed place for all students. In classroom, students must learn to view issues from multiple perspectives, and to understand the principles of multiple identity. Students also need to learn the skills of critical thinking and active democratic citizenship.
These skills will certainly promote students into becoming intercultural citizens: that is having the ability to participate in controversial discussions, feeling comfortable and seeking interaction with people from other backgrounds, and having the ability to challenge racism and bigotry.
The role of the teachers
The role of the teachers is of high importance in a multicultural school. First of all, the teachers need to be trained in the pedagogical methods that foster integration so as to give the correct messages in the class regarding respect for diversity, equity and social justice issues. Secondly, the teachers should encourage interaction within the class by using a variety of methods that will encourage group interaction (e.g. debates, group projects etc). Teachers should also be prepared to discuss controversial issues in class when it is needed to do so, and always be ready to challenge any kind of bigotry and discrimination by students.
This of course does not mean indoctrination. This is a policy that comes completely in contrast with the ideals of a multicultural school. It is inevitable that political discussions will arise in the classrooms, and as students are allowed to express their opinion, teachers should also be allowed to do so, as long as they do not indoctrinate students (freedom of speech is a basic human right). Otherwise, critical thinking and active democratic citizenship will give their place to a ‘culture of silence’ where nothing is challenged and debated, and students are unable to fit in the real world when they leave school.
Why should we adopt multicultural education in our school?
The most fundamental reason for adopting multicultural education is that it promotes peaceful co-existence and respect both in the school, and in the society as students are the future citizens; this society is becoming more and more multicultural in all places of the world, including Cyprus, so this education will help students prepare for a better life. There are many more benefits arising from multicultural education. Students will acquire citizenship skills, they will learn to respect diversity, and they will become autonomous critical thinkers. The students will also gain from the interactions and friendships that develop from this education, as they will learn more about different cultures of the world. Lastly, multicultural education can really help in exterminating bigotry, racism, fanaticism, and extreme nationalism with no respect to diversity, something that will certainly help in the struggle of building peace and love in our society and across the whole world.
“Education shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups and shall further the activities of the UN for the maintenance of Peace” says Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations). It is now up to the school to proceed in the workings for adopting a fully multicultural education, leaving behind the old, conservative way of educating students that exists until today in Cyprus. It is the time to make a huge step forward for the good of all of us, and for strengthening the values of activism, of respect, of coexistence and peace in our school and in our society.
Multicultural education is defined by the National Association for Multicultural Education as a “philosophical concept built on the ideals of freedom, justice, equality, equity, and human dignity as acknowledged in various documents, such as the U.S. Declaration of Independence, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations. It affirms our need to prepare student for their responsibilities in an interdependent world. It recognizes the role schools can play in developing the attitudes and values necessary for a democratic society. It values cultural differences and affirms the pluralism that students, their communities, and teachers reflect. It challenges all forms of discrimination in schools and society through the promotion of democratic principles of social justice.”
It is obvious that in a school like ours multicultural education is necessary as it includes both students and teachers coming from cultures like the Armenian, the Maronite and the Latin. So, the school has to make sure that it follows the policy of multicultural education, and offers an inclusive education for all students of the school regardless of their nation, race, or religious group.
How will multicultural education work?
The role of the students
A school that promotes multicultural education will certainly have to review its fundamental goals, structure, basic assumptions and perspectives of the curriculum. Firstly, the school will have to be a safe, shared, and managed place for all students. In classroom, students must learn to view issues from multiple perspectives, and to understand the principles of multiple identity. Students also need to learn the skills of critical thinking and active democratic citizenship.
These skills will certainly promote students into becoming intercultural citizens: that is having the ability to participate in controversial discussions, feeling comfortable and seeking interaction with people from other backgrounds, and having the ability to challenge racism and bigotry.
The role of the teachers
The role of the teachers is of high importance in a multicultural school. First of all, the teachers need to be trained in the pedagogical methods that foster integration so as to give the correct messages in the class regarding respect for diversity, equity and social justice issues. Secondly, the teachers should encourage interaction within the class by using a variety of methods that will encourage group interaction (e.g. debates, group projects etc). Teachers should also be prepared to discuss controversial issues in class when it is needed to do so, and always be ready to challenge any kind of bigotry and discrimination by students.
This of course does not mean indoctrination. This is a policy that comes completely in contrast with the ideals of a multicultural school. It is inevitable that political discussions will arise in the classrooms, and as students are allowed to express their opinion, teachers should also be allowed to do so, as long as they do not indoctrinate students (freedom of speech is a basic human right). Otherwise, critical thinking and active democratic citizenship will give their place to a ‘culture of silence’ where nothing is challenged and debated, and students are unable to fit in the real world when they leave school.
Why should we adopt multicultural education in our school?
The most fundamental reason for adopting multicultural education is that it promotes peaceful co-existence and respect both in the school, and in the society as students are the future citizens; this society is becoming more and more multicultural in all places of the world, including Cyprus, so this education will help students prepare for a better life. There are many more benefits arising from multicultural education. Students will acquire citizenship skills, they will learn to respect diversity, and they will become autonomous critical thinkers. The students will also gain from the interactions and friendships that develop from this education, as they will learn more about different cultures of the world. Lastly, multicultural education can really help in exterminating bigotry, racism, fanaticism, and extreme nationalism with no respect to diversity, something that will certainly help in the struggle of building peace and love in our society and across the whole world.
“Education shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups and shall further the activities of the UN for the maintenance of Peace” says Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations). It is now up to the school to proceed in the workings for adopting a fully multicultural education, leaving behind the old, conservative way of educating students that exists until today in Cyprus. It is the time to make a huge step forward for the good of all of us, and for strengthening the values of activism, of respect, of coexistence and peace in our school and in our society.
Active Citizenship Society
The Active Citizenship Society(English School)
The Active Citizenship club began in September 2007 as a result of a student initiative. Initially it brought together pupils from a diverse range of backgrounds from year 4-7 to discuss and debate issues of concern in a friendly, safe, environment and to develop citizenship skills and action. As a result of the success of this society we will be introducing an Active Citizenship Society for years 1-3 from September 2009.
Our Aims
We believe that nowadays passiveness and apathy are common characteristics of many students. This was the basic motive that encouraged the us to request the formation of such a club. The idea of this club is to try and make students become more aware of social issues and become actively involved on improving society. An important aim is to help students acquire the skills and the competencies to become active democratic citizens. Another aim of this group is to bring students closer by organising different activities such as parties, writing articles to publish in school and screening of films and documentaries. A major aim is to learn how to debate and to respect different views on a variety of issues and to have fun between students in an alternative environment. Last but not least, we are targeting on fighting racism and extreme nationalism amongst the school and anywhere we can.
Topics of interest
Some of the topics we are interested in are current affairs, alternate music, commercialization of sports, different cultures, environment, school issues, racism, nationalism, immigration, anti-war organisations, social problems, religion and military issues, and of course, school uniform.
What we have done so far
What we have done so far
The most important issue our club worked on last academic year (2007-8) was abolishing the school uniform. After much research, discussion and debate we prepared a document supporting the case for abolishing school uniform which we distributed to students within the school. Next we prepared a petition, collecting signatures from students who supported our cause. Needless to say many signatures were collected. We hope to resume discussions in September and take the issue to the school Council in the hope that changes can be made to the school uniform in the very near future.
We have met with young Italian people from the Youth Organization who visited Cyprus in November 2007. We had a joint workshop where we discussed various issues, including the Cyprus problem, and had a lot of fun at the same time. We have screened some documentaries and have had a lot of discussions in our weekly meetings. These discussions have varied from the Cyprus problem, the meaning of democracy, nationalism and communism/capitalism, the Olympic Games, graffiti, hooliganism, human rights, history teaching in schools, and school commemorations.
This year we published two issues of our own magazine called “The Active Citizenship Society” which we sold to students and staff in the school. The magazine gave us the chance to voice our views on a variety of burning issues and be heard.
We initiated the first ever Multicultural Week at the school, and screened two films during that week that focused on anti-racism and respect for diversity. With the occasion of the Multicultural Week we have also made and screened our own short documentary film on multiple identities in our school.
We have also had guest speakers, specialists in their fields, giving us presentations on pressing issues e.g. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, multicultural education.
Our meetings take place every Thursday at 2 o’clock and they are open for students of years 3-7. We look forward to meeting new members and getting active together for the good of the school and society.
We have met with young Italian people from the Youth Organization who visited Cyprus in November 2007. We had a joint workshop where we discussed various issues, including the Cyprus problem, and had a lot of fun at the same time. We have screened some documentaries and have had a lot of discussions in our weekly meetings. These discussions have varied from the Cyprus problem, the meaning of democracy, nationalism and communism/capitalism, the Olympic Games, graffiti, hooliganism, human rights, history teaching in schools, and school commemorations.
This year we published two issues of our own magazine called “The Active Citizenship Society” which we sold to students and staff in the school. The magazine gave us the chance to voice our views on a variety of burning issues and be heard.
We initiated the first ever Multicultural Week at the school, and screened two films during that week that focused on anti-racism and respect for diversity. With the occasion of the Multicultural Week we have also made and screened our own short documentary film on multiple identities in our school.
We have also had guest speakers, specialists in their fields, giving us presentations on pressing issues e.g. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, multicultural education.
Our meetings take place every Thursday at 2 o’clock and they are open for students of years 3-7. We look forward to meeting new members and getting active together for the good of the school and society.
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