Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: De-emphasize Differences. I was recently assigned to the middle school in the Warren School District. The district serves a community that had once been an all-white middle-class enclave, but has recently become more diverse in its ethnic makeup. I am very interested in multicultural education. I instituted the use of dialog journals in my adviser group, telling the students that they can write anything they want. Some journal entries cause me concern. Warren Jackson, an African American, complains that my emphasis on African American culture embarrasses him. Gail Smith, a white girl, writes that her parents object strongly to her affection for Warren Jackson and that she is considering suicide. My problems come to a head in my first meeting with the principal. The principal suggests that I decrease his use of small groups, that I abandon my dialogue journals, and that I de-emphasize the multicultural aspects of my classes. He suggests that I emphasize similarities, not differences. I don't know what to do. I do think that my methods have some value but I cannot go against my principal. Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) The fact that your principal isn't advocating for a multicultural curriculum concerns me. I would start by typing up a letter or putting together some type of portfolio that demonstrates (with research) the value of a multicultural curriculum. I would then schedule a meeting with your principal to discuss these things. Also, look at your district's standards- surely there is something in the standards that addresses multicultural education, and you can use this to support your research. If he agrees, I would continue your students' dialogue journals. Use this as place to have conversation with your students as opposed to them using them as a one-way outlet. Discuss what Gail and Warren what they're going through. You don't address what content area you teach, but you can supplement your curriculum with texts that deal with the same issues your students are dealing with and use this as an impetus for discussion on these issues.