Antibias and Culturally Relevant Curriculum
Antibias and Culturally Relevant Curriculum
Children learn races, sexes and what is to be handicapped by observing the differences among people and by taking the spoken and unspoken messages about those differences. Because children are born to a diverse world, they interact with people whom are different from themselves almost daily.
Diversity defined as the richness and uniqueness among humans. “Young children are aware of diversity; hence, you need to be prepared to address it in your work with them.” (Rasmussen, 2004). Infants and toddlers also acquire attitudes and values from their parents and the environment which they live in about which differences are positive and which are negative.
Curriculum means the way of education. “It is crucial to academic performance and essential to culturally responsive pedagogy.” (Teaching Tolerance). Even a standard curriculum decides whose history to study, which books to read, text selections that can help students to find and value their own histories and cultures.
Anti-bias curriculum is a positive method to reduce prejudice among children. “By using anti-bias approach, children can develop and strengthen their self and group identities, while interacting respectfully with others in a multicultural environment.” (Rasmussen, 2004).
In Turkey, some private schools try to apply these anti-bias approaches and some of them can be considered as succesfull, but in general we fail as a country. Because, in our country, racism, sexism and handicappism is not suppressed. In almost every section of daily life in our country, we can see examples of violation of differences. In this situation, we cannot expect schools to apply anti-bias or culturally relevant curriculums.
In my practicum site, the school management at least try to make a difference. For example, we have an African teacher in our school and she has a good interaction with all students. Students have opportunities to satisfy their curiosity about people from
Children learn races, sexes and what is to be handicapped by observing the differences among people and by taking the spoken and unspoken messages about those differences. Because children are born to a diverse world, they interact with people whom are different from themselves almost daily.
Diversity defined as the richness and uniqueness among humans. “Young children are aware of diversity; hence, you need to be prepared to address it in your work with them.” (Rasmussen, 2004). Infants and toddlers also acquire attitudes and values from their parents and the environment which they live in about which differences are positive and which are negative.
Curriculum means the way of education. “It is crucial to academic performance and essential to culturally responsive pedagogy.” (Teaching Tolerance). Even a standard curriculum decides whose history to study, which books to read, text selections that can help students to find and value their own histories and cultures.
Anti-bias curriculum is a positive method to reduce prejudice among children. “By using anti-bias approach, children can develop and strengthen their self and group identities, while interacting respectfully with others in a multicultural environment.” (Rasmussen, 2004).
In Turkey, some private schools try to apply these anti-bias approaches and some of them can be considered as succesfull, but in general we fail as a country. Because, in our country, racism, sexism and handicappism is not suppressed. In almost every section of daily life in our country, we can see examples of violation of differences. In this situation, we cannot expect schools to apply anti-bias or culturally relevant curriculums.
In my practicum site, the school management at least try to make a difference. For example, we have an African teacher in our school and she has a good interaction with all students. Students have opportunities to satisfy their curiosity about people from
References: Rasmussen V., 2004, Anti-Bias Curriculum Teaching Tolerance, Culturally Relevant Curriculum