Reflection Paper 3

My elementary and secondary education was multicultural to the extent of having different races in the classroom. We were all mixed together as one large group not as whether we were White, Black, Asian, etc. Our education, however, was not as multicultural. We were taught under the additive approach, only learning about certain cultures or races if there was a holiday or month dedicated to the culture, sometimes not even. We never learned anything about Cinco de Mayo; we didn’t even know it existed. The teachers at my elementary only taught us about American culture as their main objective. If Thanksgiving were approaching we would learn about how friendly the White people were to the Native Americans and how everything worked out between. They never told us that we killed them and took over their lands forcing them to leave; we were told that it was a happy ending for both Native Americans and the White people. During Christmas we learned only about how the Christians celebrated. We were never told that some people didn’t celebrate it or celebrated something different such as Hanukah. Even with Black History Month we weren’t taught to the full extent, we were taught that Martin Luther King Jr gave his “I Have a Dream” speech and after that segregation was over. Out of the entire month, only a week was spent on learning about what happened back then and it was nothing like what I know now. If I could go back to my elementary and secondary school I would want my teachers to take the transformation approach. I think that learning from all different points of view is extremely important because instead of getting to know only one side you can have many sides and make a decision from there. If we’re only hearing one side of a story then there isn’t much of a decision we can make based on what we know and nothing would change. With multiple views we can see how it was like for those who experienced different things and we can take a stance on what side we think is right and from there make a difference. I think that in elementary and secondary school it is important to know all of the facts, that way you can choose a side knowingly instead of blindly.