Student Centered Learning

Multicultural education is ultimately the idea of putting the student at the center of the teaching process. As an educator, we must make the information relevant to all of the students in our classrooms. Throughout Northeast Ohio, there are hundreds of culturally different schools in the area. Because of the differences, teachers need to put their particular students first when creating lessons in order to engage them. As our text suggests, "multicultural curriculum supports and celebrates our diversity in the broadest sense" (pg. 380). In order to by a multicultural classroom, teachers must draw upon the "histories, experiences, traditions and cultures of the students in the classroom" (pg. 380). Many teachers may not live in the area in which they teach. This means they may not be familiar with the daily lives of their students. As the opening story of the text talked about Natisha, many of the teachers may not have even known that she is taking care of her family at home (pg. 376). We cannot be blind to the fact that these situations are taking place in the schools in Northeast Ohio. I think it is also important for students in every school to understand the differences that are taking place in other schools in the area. For example, as an elementary Catholic school pupil, I was very unaware of the happenings of the public school in my city. Being so sheltered made adulthood transitions difficult. Now as an educator, I like to take the time to call upon the differences in my classroom as well as differences that my students are seeing throughout their world. I draw upon these differences when creating lessons.