While we all can agree that education is vital nowadays, it is not that clear which way we should choose for proper learning. Everybody wants to spend his or her precious time productively, so it is important to figure out the most appropriate way to gain knowledge. 

There is a marked difference between multicultural and classical education. Multicultural education is a relatively new phenomenon. It surfaced in the ’70s, as an aftermath of the civil rights initiative to change the educational system. This is a fresh approach which aims to incorporate various cultural perspectives, to combat exclusion and promote equity for everything. Diversity is interpreted as a positive trait which should be furtherly strengthened.

The main differences

As we have witnessed, there are different approaches to learning. Let’s consider some examples from history. Classical education emphasises being good at the key events that happened throughout the world. You may say that it gives you objective knowledge. Multicultural education, on the other hand, takes another route. It is student-centred, so most of the things that you would learn there are based on students culture and identity. This way of learning is considered more successful, as people tend to gravitate to things that are personal and relatable.

So, if you are an African-American, you will learn more about the civil rights movement and its impact on the world, rather than what was happening in the Middle East 2000 years ago. Multicultural education aims to make you a productive member of your community, whereas classical education focuses on society in general.

Although topics may differ greatly, the main mechanisms of learning are still the same. Writing is a really important aspect of both types of education. It teaches you how to formulate your thoughts and makes you think big. To create a perfect essay, you need to devote a lot of time to research, and you might appear in a big rush. You even will keep asking yourself ‘can somebody help me write my paper for cheap‘ because sometimes it seems pretty hard.

Pros and Cons

As with all things, multicultural education has its advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, we can mention raised social awareness. This type of classroom will welcome students of all different backgrounds, which can make everybody grow in a way they weren’t able before. Multicultural education destroys various stereotypes and makes all the people work together, despite their differences. This will prepare students for a diverse marketplace they will soon become a part of. Since the material isn’t dominated by a single paradigm, students will be aware of various perspectives, which is always beneficial.

On the other hand, if this type of education is not properly grounded, students may become alienated and feel the pressure to just ‘blend in’. Also, the need for various perspectives may mean that teachers don’t have enough time to go in-depth about a specific topic. Therefore, students may develop breadth but not depth on various important topics.

Conclusion

So, is multicultural education better or not?

Undoubtedly, it has great potential, but there are also some pitfalls to be aware of. The main thing is that there should be a balance between both types of education so that the students may learn how to live and thrive in both environments: their community and the whole world.