SEPTEMBER 2016 (29)e - P U B L I C A T I O N

S E R I E S

Also published by ACEL • e-Shortcuts – Wisdom for successful school leadership and management• e-Teaching – Management strategies for the classroom • e-Technology – Technology in the classroom• e-Early Learning – Thinking on early learning

e-Leading September 2016 (29) – researched and prepared for ACEL by Marion Piper, Deputy Head of Junior School, Shelford Girls’ Grammar, Melbourne, Australia

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Multicultural education promoted within the context of a school’s community whose educational practices are largely representative of only the dominant

culture, will marginalise or socially exclude groups of students considered to be at risk. This is especially so when the resultant practices of a school’s vision, values, policies and procedures provide little or no support to the diverse group of students within that community. Nieto (1994) presents a model identifying different levels of multicultural education support for students identified as being at risk in their learning. Characterised within this model is tolerance, acceptance and respect (p. 3–5). Each of these need to be explored further if we are to consider necessary changes to schools in order for them to adopt inclusive practices more appropriate for the teaching and learning needs of a diverse group of students.

I am in agreement with Nieto’s assertion that “tolerance is a low level of support for education” (p. 3) as ‘to tolerate’ in an educational context means to endure, allow or put up with, current procedures and practices. The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (2008) values an education within schools that “promote[s] equity and excellence” where others stand in solidarity with marginalised groups, enabling students to become “successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens” (p. 7–8). To promote a higher level of support in education requires a school to meet the diverse needs of all its students. The steps needed to necessitate a shift in attitude beyond tolerance, acceptance of and welcome for difference includes reflection of current practice, a willingness for change, and an approach to promote and execute change.

Changing a culture within a school is not easy, as it challenges others to consider the complexities of

current professional practice, proposing that what is in place is not acceptable, nor perhaps ethical or legal. For change in educational practice beyond tolerance to become reality, goals must be set to determine a shift in attitude and approach within the school community itself. In order to achieve change, Nieto (1994) suggests professional development opportunities and regular meetings to encourage ongoing dialogue between staff (p. 5). For example, for staff to move beyond tolerance, acceptance and respect, there must be “a commitment to action”. This includes supporting quality teaching alongside school leadership promoting “equality of opportunity” through diversity of multicultural education with the intention of enabling “equitable outcomes” for all students (p. 10). Acknowledging that students have different levels and abilities due to diversity of culture and educational ability may mean that some students require more resources, teacher time and attention than others.

In order to promote equity and excellence

Moving beyond tolerance: addressing diversity in

schoolsThe steps needed to necessitate a shift in attitude beyond tolerance, acceptance of and welcome for difference includes reflection of current practice, a willingness for change, and an approach to promote and execute change

in education and develop effective means of challenging existing practice, I am in agreement with the research conducted by De Palma and Atkinson (2009) who suggest collective consultation between appropriate stakeholders, with action to include the provision of adequate resources for schools as a way of achieving desired outcomes. Such an approach has significant educational implications, and would see the beginning foundations of a move to building a more inclusive education within a diverse school community.

Research undertaken by Konza (2008) revealed that the practice of inclusion of student diversity provides “opportunities for the development of appropriate attitudes” towards others (p. 40). When considering the positive improvements and implications for multicultural education within a community, Nieto’s description of affirmation, solidarity and critique promotes a catalyst for change in attitude and approach, suggesting that conflict will be an “inevitable part of learning” due to the consideration of basic values, equity and social justice between diverse cultural groups (p. 5). The podcast by Nieto and Turner (2012) also suggests that, when a community is prepared to reflect upon current practice, procedures and policies with genuine goals and intentions for change, developing and promoting respectful attitudes is possible. To promote this, the schools, communities, parents and caregivers need to be collaborative in their approach. For example, teachers need to be prepared to confront their own values, attitudes, prejudices and bias, and for change to be effective, support within and beyond the classroom needs to be genuine. This can be achieved through the school identifying areas of need and providing professional learning opportunities for staff to reflect this. To make a move beyond tolerance takes time and a sustained effort by all within the community.

When improving upon a curriculum in order to provide equitable opportunities for all, Riggs and Due (2010) suggest how ongoing reflection and assessment of current practice can be a measure of what a school implements. In Australia, the commitment by governments to work with all school sectors to “attract, develop, support and retain a high-quality teaching and school leadership” in Australian schools (MCEECDYA 2008) helps to promote an expectation of supporting and fostering such reflection. Teachers who are provided with encouragement and advice, together with appropriate coaching and mentoring, are able to find the best ways to facilitate and shape learning. The need to keep abreast of changes through reflection facilitates the modification of programs. It is a way of ensuring effective engagement and promotion of worthwhile change.

For multicultural education to be effective, students, families, teachers, and administrators need to understand and relate to the histories, cultures and languages of people different from themselves. As Sleeter and Grant (1994) suggest, there needs to be a shift in attitude and approach of a school’s vision, values, policies and procedures. Ongoing

reflection and assessment of current practice will identify the changes and modifications required within the curriculum. It is impossible for change to occur without strong, creative and dialogic leadership: this must encourage collaboration amongst staff in regard to what goals need to be set in order for equitable opportunities for diverse learners to be achieved. Appropriate and relevant training needs to be provided in order for change to be instigated and ethical behaviour to be recognised. As a result of appropriate actions and measures in place, the diverse range of students within a community are supported in order to meet the educational goals for all young people, regardless of their race, religion, gender, language or other differences.

Schools need to move beyond tolerance when considering how best to support the diversity of learners in their community. Encouraging staff to reflect on current practice whilst being provided with appropriate support and professional learning opportunities, will build the foundations for them to improve current practice, creating positive changes within a school community. The intention of consistently striving for excellence in order to provide all students the opportunity to engage and participate in a curriculum that they genuinely feel connected to needs to drive change. Ongoing reflection, setting goals and implementing action through a collaborative approach amongst the whole school community is a starting point when considering how to best guide and shape an effective multicultural education amongst diverse learners.

ReferencesDePalma, R, Atkinson, E 2009, ‘‘No Outsiders’: moving beyond a discourse of tolerance to challenge heteronormativity in primary schools’, British Educational Research Journal, vol. 35, no. 6, pp. 837–855. Konza, D 2008, ‘Inclusion of students with disabilities in new times: Responding to the challenge’, in P Kell, D Vialle, G Konza, G Vogl (Eds.), Learning and the learner: Exploring learning for new times. University of Wollongong, pp. 39–64 available at http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1036&context=edupapers Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs 2008, Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians, available at http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pNieto, S 1994, ‘Affirmation, solidarity, and critique: Moving beyond tolerance in multicultural education’, Multicultural Education, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 9–12, 35–38, available at http://www.sonianieto.com/OLD/PDF/Moving%20beyond%20tolerance%20Mult%20Ed%201994.pdfNieto, S, Turner, K 2012, Learning local and global literacies from students and families [Podcast], available at http://www.ncte.org/journals/la/podcasts/september-2012Riggs, D, Due, C 2010, ‘Friendship, exclusion and power: A study of two South Australian schools with new arrivals programs’, Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, vol. 35, no. 4, pp.73-80Sleeter, CE, Grant, C 1994, Making Choices for Multicultural Education: Five Approaches to Race, Class and Gender, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, JJ.

Encouraging staff to reflect on current practice whilst being provided with appropriate support and professional learning opportunities, will build the foundations for them to improve current practice, creating positive changes within a school community