Review of Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education.

Abstract

Reviewed by Darcy Mitchell, M.A. Boston CollegeMulticultural education is a concept enjoying wide popularity in educational circles, but its definition is elusive. To some, incorporating units on holidays around the world constitutes a multicultural curriculum, whereas others think in terms of correcting for deficits or educating inner-city children. In AffirmingDiversity, Sonia Nieto suggests a conceptualization of multicultural education that requires broadbased school reform and addresses four potential stumbling blocks to school success: racism and discrimination, ways in which schools are structured, cultural impacts on learning, and language diversity.Laid out in textbook format, this book is intended to be used in classes for teachers in training, experienced teachers, and administrators who are or will be in positions to make changes in the ways schools serve the needs of students who increasingly represent a variety of cultural backgrounds. In her introduction, Nieto tells us that "only by listening to students can we learn how they experience school, how social and educational structures affect their learning, and what we can do to provide high-quality education for all students" (p. 4). Her text supports this premise. In addition to summarizing the current research base, giving the reader general understandings as to how students are affected by school practices, Affirming Diversity adds to the literature with 12 case studies of individual high school students, underlining and making concrete the issues discussed.The themes arising from the interviews make up the text's core chapters: racism, discrimination, and expectations of students' achievements; structural factors in schools; cultural issues and their impact on learning; and linguistic diversity in multicultural classrooms. Student interviews are included at the ends of the chapters whose themes they best represent. The voices of these students are direct and revealing in their assessments of how schools, families, and communities support or undermine their efforts at achievement. Each of these segments cries out for reflection and discussion, both of which Nieto supports through the inclusion of questions "to think about" at the end of each interview and literature review. Through careful reading and serious reflection, readers can expect to come to deeper understandings of both the current state of the research on cultural diversity as it is

Using a Self-Advocacy Intervention on African American College Students’ Ability to Request Academic Accommodations

“…For example, the increased focus on this achievement gap has led to the increase of standardized test scores (Haycock, 2001). However, the increase of standardized test scores has been deemed by Nieto (2004) as an oppressive practice in the educational system to segretate minority children causing a barrier to academic success. Additionally, Russo and Talbert-Johnson (1997), reported low expecations of African American students can cause a barrier making it difficult for students to build a rapport with the teacher and system which is believed to be one of the reasons for students low academic achievement resulting in an overrepresentation in special education.…”

The Complexity of Building Bridges of Books Across Global Cultures

“…O ur inquiry as teachers focused on how to develop a curriculum to engage children in thoughtful explorations of a global community. As children, Dorea and Kathy copied facts into country reports, which we now realize was a surface focus on culture, the 5f's-fashion, folklore, festivals, famous people, and food (Nieto, 2017). This emphasis provides a tourist view, remaining on the surface of easily visible activities and information, without providing insights into how and why people actually think and live within that cultural community.…”

“…Language as Integral to Culture. Language is essential to culture, completely intertwined with ways of thinking within a cultural community, not a top layer that can be peeled away (Nieto, 2017). Language was carefully integrated across our sessions.…”