Developing Children's Morals and Values in our Education System: Required Multicultural Class 

We have seen the United States drastically change over the past 20+ years, from the devasting incident on September 11th, 2001, to the long-awaited approval of gay marriage on June 26th, 2015. We can all agree there has been some type of change, even in our personal lives. There has been a feeling, keeping America steady even at its lowest moments; The desire to hope for peace, between both our political ideologies to peace amongst our fellow American citizens. We have never been able to reach this euphoric state of peace, so the cycle continues, and older generations pass the problem down to newer generations. What older generations don't understand is that the way we present our problems affects the development of newer generations' morals and values. How can we fix that? How can we break the cycle?

Recently there has been a concurrent awareness of the increase in diversity in the United States. We are starting to recognize and address issues such as racism, unlawful contact, etc while also seeing a rise in hate speech and the revoking of basic human rights. These are heavy topics that may be difficult to thoroughly explain to a child, but in the end, are necessary. I believe that multicultural education classes should be implemented as a required course in our school system because they help the development of children. Having this be a required class in our nation allows us to help children "develop a positive self-concept by providing knowledge about the histories, cultures, and contributions of diverse groups,” according to the nonprofit National Association for Multicultural Education (2022). In this paper, I will be discussing the theory of multicultural education's positive impact on children, as well as answering opposing questions to this theory. 

Many may be asking "What even is Multicultural Education?"According to the American Psychology Association (2022), multicultural education is defined as, 

"a progressive approach to education that emphasizes social justice, equality in education, and understanding and awareness of the traditions and language of other cultures and nationalities. Multicultural programs involve two or more ethnic or cultural groups and are designed to help participants define their own ethnic or cultural identity and to appreciate that of others. The purpose is to promote inclusiveness and cultural pluralism in society."  

This definition gives us a better understanding of what multicultural education is. By using this definition we build a foundation for the way we can present multicultural. 

The Department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Arkansas recently released a report that outlined the importance of teaching students how to live in a culture different from their own. The researchers explained that more and more children have parents who come from different cultural backgrounds which can lead them to experiences, beliefs, and language unfamiliar to them. This can create an environment where one child will develop their feelings, thoughts, or actions as if they are normal while another feels like something is wrong with them because they are not accepted. It is important, therefore, to teach them about differences early on in order for them to have a better understanding of the world around them and for them to be able to appreciate or understand cultural differences

Are they too young/innocent to understand the complexities of multiculturalism? 

I can understand the fear of feeling like your child will grow up "too fast" or will not be able to enjoy their childhood, but children's development starts immediately. This means our actions reflect the upbringing of our children from day one.  Looking back on Kohlberg's 6 Stages of Moral Development (W.C. Crain. 1985, Theories of Development, 118-136.) We can see his method found that kids during stages 1, 2, and 3 soak adult actions/words more often. We see in stage 2 that "children start to recognize that there is not just one right view that is handed down by the authorities." Children are developing their own views on morality at such an early age. In Kohlberg's study, we see a mix of responses from a hypothetical story. We see kids empathizing with the main character, Heinz, while also seeing kids wanting Heinz in prison.  With the right resources such as educated teachers, classes, and lessons, teaching kids about different cultures can have significant positive outcomes. If a teacher takes time to teach students about where they grew up, other cultures, and the general world besides their own, will be much more meaningful. Children can develop a deeper affinity for their own lifestyle and culture and share it with others.

How will you accommodate children who have different religious backgrounds? 

The first step in teaching children about morals and values is to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment. This means creating an atmosphere of acceptance and respect for all students regardless of their background or beliefs. It is important to ensure that all students feel comfortable and accepted in a multicultural classroom. Teachers can do this by creating a space where students have the freedom to express themselves without fear of judgment or ridicule. Additionally, teachers should ensure that all students are given equal opportunities to participate in activities, regardless of their background.

The second step in the development of children’s morals and values is to create lessons that reflect the diversity of the classroom. This can be done by incorporating the different backgrounds of students into the lessons. For example, if a student is from a different religious or cultural background, teachers can incorporate stories or activities that reflect that student’s beliefs. Teachers should avoid making assumptions about any student’s beliefs or values and instead use lessons to encourage students to explore new ideas and perspectives.

We have slowly started inserting multiculturalism into our education already, what is the difference between a class versus mentioning it in the lessons?

We have already implemented some multicultural lessons into our classroom, just like 

the history of Asian Americans. In the state of Illinois, schools are mandated to teach about Asian American history because of the Teaching Equitable Asian American History Act, (New Illinois Law To Require Asian-American History In Public Schools, 2021). Although the idea in itself is a wonderful step in progress toward multicultural education. We see that this law would have never been passed if not for the Asian American advocacy groups fighting for their right in the education system. Multicultural education strives for the mission of learning and getting perspective on the history of various cultures. When we are granted the opportunity to learn about the sweat and struggle other cultured groups went through, it helps us understand how we can achieve our ideal dream. Progression towards a required Multicultural class not only helps American citizens, but it also gives immigrants a safe way to feature their culture into our own and create a bigger and unified culture. 

Multicultural classes can play an important role in our students' lives as well as change the way they think. "...Children to develop their understanding of fairness and justice and become active participants in shaping the conditions of their world in the classroom and beyond."(Aren't they too young?, The National Association for Multicultural Education Advancing and Advocating for Social Justice & Equity) In school, we do many projects that teach us more about what we are studying. For example, when we were learning about Anne Frank and her family who hid from the Nazis during World War II in an attic, we were able to recreate scenes from the documentary. We could feel as if we were actually there because of the way it was presented and done. We felt what they must have felt while they were hiding and not knowing if they would live or die. Some lessons in history may be a bit dry, but with multicultural classes added, it can become easier to learn and a better experience overall.

Why does this need to be taught as a required class?

Referring back to the last question, the sporadic lessons aren't enough. We need to create a curriculum that allows students to focus solely on multicultural understanding. We can also combine this class with SEL-based learning. If we teach children how to understand their emotions and help them understand the world besides their own. Then there is hope that those children will grow up with healthy coping mechanisms, healthy habits, self-awareness, and open-mindedness. Following the module on page seven: This shows how the multicultural class would develop from K-12.

                                                    Learning Model for Multicultural Education

Note: This Module shows how the required multicultural class would develop as a student gets older. 

All this information has given you a foundation to lay your thoughts on a required multicultural education. Having a multicultural class as a part of our core curriculum does not only helps the development of children, but it allows there to be a safe and inclusive environment for each of our students. I have shown you how multicultural education helps the development of children. Also, the questions to the opposing point of views. I strongly believe this should be a class in the US because this would help us build a future with a stronger and more accepting unity. Would you rather have a divided country with individual mindsets? Or, a united country filled with different ideas, with one connected goal?