Multiculturalism education stresses the promotion of understanding, respect, and acceptance of cultural diversity within our society.

Multiculturalism education involves:

• recognizing that everyone belongs to a cultural group
• accepting and appreciating cultural diversity as a positive feature of our society
• affirming that all ethnocultural groups have equality of status within our society
• understanding multiculturalism education is for all students
• recognizing that most cultures have much in common and similarities across cultures are much greater than differences, and recognizing cultural pluralism as a positive aspect in our society
• affirming and enhancing self-esteem through pride in heritage, and providing opportunities for individuals to appreciate the cultural heritages of others
• promoting cross-cultural understanding, citizenship, and racial harmony
• students examine the influence of the media on body concepts and healthy lifestyle choices

Anti-racism education promotes the elimination of racism through identifying and changing institutional policies and practices, as well as identifying individual attitudes and behaviours that contribute to racism.

Anti-racism education involves:

• proposing the need to reflect about one's own attitudes on race and anti-racism
• understanding what causes racism in order to achieve equality
• identifying and addressing racism at both the personal and institutional level
• acknowledging the need to take individual responsibility for eliminating racism
• working towards removing systemic barriers that marginalize groups of people
• providing opportunities for individuals to take action in eliminating all forms of racism, including stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination

Multiculturalism and anti-racism education will contribute to quality education through learning experiences that promote strength through diversity, and social, economic, political, and cultural equity. Multiculturalism and anti-racism education will also provide students with learning experiences that are intended to enhance their social, emotional, aesthetic, artistic, physical, and intellectual development. It will also provide learners with the tools of social literacy and skills for effective cross-cultural interaction with diverse cultures. It also recognizes the importance of collaboration among students, parents, educators, and communities working towards social justice in the education system.

The key concepts for multiculturalism and anti-racism education are:

• enhance understanding of and respect for cultural diversity
• increase creative intercultural communication in a pluralistic society
• provide equal access to quality programs for educational achievement for all learners regardless of culture, national origin, religion, or social class
• develop self-worth, respect for oneself and others, and social responsibility
• combat and eliminate stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and other forms of racism
• include the experiences of all students in school curricula

Fine Arts-students identify ways in which the Fine Arts portray cultural experiences

Humanities-students identify similarities and differences within cultural groups' lifestyles, histories, values, and beliefs

Mathematics/Science-students recognize that individuals and cultural groups have used both diverse and common methods to compute, to record numerical facts, and to measure

Physical Education-students can develop an appreciation for games and dances from diverse cultural groups

This summary is derived from Multicultural and Anti-Racism Education - Planning Guide (Draft), developed in the Social Equity Branch in 1994.

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