EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR HUMAN SERVICE WORKERS

ROME CONFERENCE 2001

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Workshop n. 4

 EDUCATION: DEALING WITH DIVERSITY

In multicultural and multiethnic societies the school system has (or should have) the goal of enhancing the value of diversities and look at them as a resource rather than a menace. In most western countries students are continuously pushed for higher performances and “competition” is the main value. The whole system is highly selective rather than inclusive. Many school system evaluate on the basis of “productivity”, “profitability” and “efficiency”. Education should not only be this. So the question is “which are the meaningful values to teach”?

 Apart from cultural differences, in all societies there is the certainty (but not always the awareness) that in our world nothing but diversity and individuality of people exist. The first aim of education can be the safeguard of personal identities, so that  school may become a real place of differences and not just a place where uniformity and regulations are imposed.  Another aspect to take into consideration is that diversity is not only due, as it may seem, to ethnic  or physical factors but mainly to cultural ones as well. All learning is culturally constructed. We are convinced that the school system should not only aim to teach the acceptance of linguistic, cultural, ethnic, physical, religious diversities, but how to educate through diversities. We may need to reconsider our current understanding of what is good practice and move towards more culturally relevant teaching. Students will benefit from a broad education that includes many diverse points of view and incorporates diverse cultural understanding.

 The following are just some issues that we would like to share with the group and discuss together in the workshop:

 How can the school system help their countries to overcome the inequalities and discriminations?

 How the school system can be a place of “inclusion” and enhance the value of all identities and diversities?

 According to the different experiences in each country, what is the reaction towards children or pupils coming from geographic, linguistic, religious cultural contexts that can avoid stereotypes,?

 What’s the reaction of children, kids, teachers towards an “individual” diversity (such as physical, mental, sexual, behavioural ones)?

 How are the different school systems facing the fact that very often the diversity (in its different meanings) is only accepted and tolerated rather than used as a resource?

 Which experiences can be particularly significant although we all are aware that each context is unique and it is very difficult or impossible to “export” models?

Can the goal of having multicultural and multiethnic societies be given exclusively to the school system?

How can teachers, educators, social and human services workers contribute to create a favourable “educational environment” where the respect for people and diversity prevail?

Speaker/facilitator:  Sandra Bradford De Costa (Sandy) has been Professor and Chair person at Indiana University and West Virginia University (USA). Her teaching and research activity included Elementary and early childhood Education, multicultural teaching, Children’s television, Education of Socially disadvantaged. Among her professional experiences, she has been Director of West Virginia Affiliate of CIP and On-site interviewer for CIP for Europe and Middle East. Many are her writings and presentations in many workshops in USA and abroad. Now she is retired and her main activity is hosting people form all over the world coming to see her in Maryland.