ffective value. In this way we canarrive at the stage of working and living together without the obstacles ofscapegoating, stereotyping, discrimination, and prejudice that prevent effective human interrelationships (Gollnick & Klassen, 1976: 84).Multicultural teacher education not only should provide teachers with the competence to recognize, accept, and value the cultural and ethnic differences of students, but also provide an antidote to subtle racist communications and monocultural distortions of subject matter and curriculum materials. Approaches to Multicultural Education:Since the Civil Rights years, major controversies have ensued regarding the multicultural content of textbooks and curriculum materials. Many school districts have devised screening procedures in order to ensure that such materials are free of racist/sexist content: “Twenty-four states have a statewide process for screening textbooks, while twenty-six have a procedure for subjecting curriculum materials to screening for racist/sexist content” (Mitchell, 1996:339). Several states have taken strong stands, which require teachers to acquire high levels of understanding regarding American pluralism as a prerequisite for helping their own students develop better multicultural attitudes.A number of special programs have been in evidence, including special tutoring and counseling, strong parent-involvement activities, and bilingual education programs for students who have a mother tongue other than English. Other features include “Writing to Read” programs, improved library services, cooperative learning efforts, multicultural education curriculum components, and committed teachers who truly care about improving the educational fortunes of poor children. Some American schools have attempted to provide basic instruction in the native language of the child in order to increase the probability that each child will experience early success in the Amer...
