MULTICULTURAL EDU. TEACHER AS MEDIATOR IF A CULTURAL CLASH

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There is a trend of diversity in organizations, education and different aspects of life. People of diverse backgrounds, cultures and norms can be seen everywhere. Diversity of culture has infused diverse mindsets and perceptions about different things. A multicultural environment is now broadly seen in education. Students from different countries belonging to different languages can be seen in educational institutes. There are not only students from diverse cultures, but teachers can be seen from diverse backgrounds.

Multicultural education is all about the education system where there are students from diverse cultural backgrounds. For instance, teachers sometimes deliver lectures that can cooperate with students of all cultures. Culture includes language, nationality, religion, norms, values, and gender, but when culture is aligned with the students, it comes to their individual needs and abilities. The basic principle of multicultural education is to set all the students at equity, regardless of all cultural clashes.

Multicultural education’s main criteria are equal opportunities and offerings to students of all cultural backgrounds. Teachers, while giving lectures to multicultural students, keep in mind that they are not discussing the lessons that might include discrimination based on race, caste, ethnicity, etc. In the environment of cultural diversity, educators also assume that students have different perceptions of the topic being discussed, so they don’t mark wrong to any student if he is presenting his idea on a particular topic. Their cultural beliefs and heritage influence students, so they must be addressed and managed accordingly.

The multicultural education system has been in progress for so many years. Many innovations and interventions have been done in this regard to satisfy all types of students. The main objective of diverse cultural education is to bring up all those students who might not get equity in other sectors. The potentiality of a good student is not recognized, and he is left behind just because of his cultural identity. The lessons and lectures are designed to be understood by all students, and they have the flexibility to do discussions on them.

Multicultural education is most probably experienced in online education. Although there are certain merits of online education, like you can pay someone to take my online exam, it becomes challenging when it comes to diverse cultures.

Mediating the role of teachers in cultural clashes of multicultural education

Multicultural education has numerous pros, and educators are intellectually managing this system. There are certain issues highlighted when talking about the multicultural educational system. Once a sensitive topic hits in the class, and when the diversity of perceptions combines, the clash occurs. The clash is not just a cold war, but it comes to physical abuse. The fight comes from words to death. The clashes were quite severe that they needed to be handled by someone.

It often happens when clashes occur among students, and educators also come in between the negativity. Instead of educating students positively, there are misconceptions, clashes and fights among the students. Teachers stood in the first place to control all these conspiracies among students. It is quite challenging for the teacher to fill the gap between cultural differences with social and moral teaching.

The educator plays a significant role in overcoming the clashes and removing all the cultural misconceptions and conspiracies from the students’ minds. The teacher is a mediator between the two parties of different cultural groups. It depends on the controlling capacity of the teacher. If the teacher has more power to stop the malfunctioning in the institute, there will be no clash or vice versa. The teacher must take the following suggestions when any clash occurs in the educational institute;

  1. Appreciate all students

Despite considering their cultural background, teachers must appreciate all the students. Teachers must appreciate students based on their skills and learning forgetting about all the cultural similarities and differences.

  1. Communicate with students

Communicating with students and listening to them will help in overcoming clashes. When teachers listen to their students’ aggressiveness, they might guide them according to their social teachings.

  1. Accept students’ way of learning.

A teacher must not give negative reviews to any student about his way of learning. It might cause the difference that the teacher supports one student’s idea while rejecting the others. Teachers must be neutral and accept how students adopt their learning. A teacher might guide them to enhance or modify their ways but avoid rejecting someone’s idea.

  1. Teach students how to analyze their behaviour

Students must be taught how to analyze their behaviour when they are alone. When students know how to explore themselves and analyze their negative behaviour, they must consider that it might reduce the chances of clashes.

  1. Open discussion

Open discussions will allow students to trust each other and the teacher also. When they find everyone cooperative, they rely on each other to discuss the issues they have in their minds. They can talk to them and resolve their issues accordingly.

  1. Group activities

The teacher must often go for group activities where students of different cultural backgrounds must be held together. When they start doing work together with the consent of each other, their mutual understanding will increase, ultimately reducing the risk of clashes.

  1. Cultural day

A teacher must organize a one-dish party in the name of a cultural day where students will bring different food items related to their culture and start swapping their food among the whole class. The sharing of food will increase a sense of brotherhood among them. The cultural day can be organized once a month or every week.

  1. Cultural storytelling

Teachers must secure the time in the classroom when all students will share their cultural history and the hardship of their forefathers for the prevalence and terminology of their culture. When listening to the hardships borne by all cultural identities, students will make soft corners in their hearts.

BOTTOM LINE

The mediating role of teachers in the high-low clashes of students in the name of cultural diversities is crucial for the educational systems. Although it is the great responsibility of the teacher to stay active in this regard, parents must also influence their kids to understand every culture rather than being rigid or aggressive when they see different norms and values spreading around them. The equal efforts of teachers and guardians may help students to stay focused on their studies and resolve the issue of the multicultural educational environment.

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