Respect for all people

Lessons and activities designed to meet this purpose should help students understand their own biases and view others with respect regardless of race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, national origin, or citizenship status. Also include lessons in this category that teach students about language and behaviors that may be offensive to people of other cultures.

Benefits of difference

When people with different perspectives all focus on the same interest, the result is likely to be more creative. For example, the differences in cultural background of Americans have led to a variety of musical and artistic forms that have changed the outlook of the entire world. The English language itself has been enriched for a thousand years by the contributions of various cultures and people. Lessons that illustrate these kinds of benefits will meet this purpose.

Management of cultural conflict

Students need to learn how to recognize and manage situations where conflict is caused by cultural difference. Lessons to help students recognize and resolve conflict of this kind will meet this purpose.

History of minority group

Lessons designed to teach historical events and their impact on minority groups or women will meet this purpose. The rationale for doing this is to allow students to trace the experience and success of their forbearers and to provide better insight into their own cultural development and that of others.

Critical reading and viewing

Lessons that meet this purpose will help students identify bias, omission and error in the media and written materials.

Personal identity and self-esteem

Students need to recognize that each person has a cultural heritage, and though it may be different from others it is to be respected and appreciated as an endowment that benefits all of us.

Similarities and differences

Lessons that focus on the similarities and differences in cultural traditions and perspectives meet this purpose. The differences in culture are often surface issues. Recognition of similarities in perspectives from culture to culture may be a more important issue than identifying the differences.

Contributions of minority people

People of both genders and all cultural perspectives have made contributions to the benefit of humankind. Some of these contributions are not well known because the information has not been available earlier or has been excluded from materials. Lessons that focus on these contributions will meet this purpose.

Strategies for resolving inequities

Students need to learn specific problem-solving methods for dealing with inequities. Historically, various means have been used to change the way minorities and women have been treated. Students should know and use those that are constructive. For example, they should know how to raise an issue to bring about change in their school in an orderly and constructive process.

Communication and work with others

When people have different perspectives and traditions, they may find communication and cooperation are difficult. What methods can people use to break down these barriers and communicate more openly? Lessons that focus on these issues will meet this purpose.

Accepting social responsibility

Knowing is not enough. Lessons will meet this purpose when they encourage students to be active in applying their skills to increase cooperation and communication and to foster change where cultural and gender difference is an issue.

Other

There may be other purposes that are consistent with the goals of the Multicultural Nonsexist Education Program. When the purpose of a lesson is different from those listed, it may be indicated here.