Teaching children diversity

Teaching children diversity

Ahmad Bukhori, Boston, Massachusetts

To reduce prejudiced behavior in society, children must be
taught to embrace multiculturalism. Studies in multicultural
development claim that bias is learned in childhood. An emerging
democratic country, Indonesia has often experienced conflicts
between ethnic and religious groups, such as in Aceh, Ambon, and
Papua. This is inconsistent with Unity in Diversity (Bhineka
Tunggal Ika) as cited in the Pancasila.

With education a means to a harmonious intercultural society,
as Paul Gorski of Hamline University claims, multicultural
education can shield people from the negative effects of
globalization. The implementation of multicultural education in
the U.S. could be a good reference point for a diverse country
like Indonesia as, population-wise, the two countries are
similar.

Promoting multiculturalism is one of many ways to unite our
diverse nation. However, it may take a while for society to learn
to appreciate its diversity. The ideal of unity may be defended,
for instance, but diversity ignored. This practice is deeply
rooted in some groups. To change this, our children must learn to
accept multiculturalism at a young age, a process that should
involve families, schools and society at large.

The family, as a child's first environment, plays a
significant role in developing multiculturalism. As Robert Munroe
of California Pitzer College proposes, children who grow up
valuing diverse cultures can cooperate easily. Childhood is
arguably the most important component of the human life cycle, as
that is when most physical and psychological development occurs.
Reducing bias and stereotypical thinking during childhood may
greatly contribute to a young adult's understanding of diversity.

At an early age, many children observe bias in their own
homes. By the age of three, children are aware of racial
differences. Thus, parents should start broadening their
children's perspectives by creating opportunities for them to
interact with different people. Children between the ages of
three and four should be more frequently exposed to people of
nationalities other than their own. It would also be appropriate
for the dolls and toys they are offered to be multicultural, i.e
not all of one skin color.

In Indonesia, a Javanese parent could buy their children the
typical toys of Kalimantan or Papua and vice versa. Bataknese
parents might invite their five-year-old child to visit their
Balinese or Madurese neighbors. They could read their children
stories or legends from different parts of the country, or
observe different worship places.

In short, parents should be honest about differences. Never
tell children that we are all the same -- we are not. We
experience the world in different ways, and these experiences
matter. We should help our children understand the viewpoints of
others.

Besides family, pre-school curriculum should incorporate
multiculturalism as a core subject. Kindergarten teachers should
provide multicultural teaching materials. Like parents at home,
teachers can read aloud story books about children of different
ethnic groups, or ask them to read these materials independently.
Teachers can also involve children of different ethnic groups in
group work.

The Leadership Conference on Education says that by 12 or
younger, children can hold stereotypes about people of particular
ethnic groups or religions. These stereotypes often lead to
hatred. In the case of Indonesia, Sundanese children -- supported
by parents and the environment -- might, for instance, consider
children of other ethnicities as bad. They, therefore, do not
want to interact with them. Children of Christian families --
based on what they have seen and heard from their parents --
might consider Muslim or Buddhist children as having gone astray
and, therefore, to be socially avoided.

James Hoot of the State University of New York at Buffalo says
that schools should prepare children with culturally responsive
programs. Teachers should respond to all children's needs based
on their cultural backgrounds and accommodate them in classroom
interaction. Through reading multicultural books, teachers and
students can discuss and understand cross-cultural values.

They can also do research on the importance of
multiculturalism. Teachers can assure students that diversity is
inevitable in their lives. They can learn to respect and
understand, rather than hate and avoid, people of other ethnic
groups. Therefore, school is an ideal environment in which to
counter bias. It is a place that mixes youths of different
backgrounds on equal footing and allows one-on-one interaction.

To support multiculturalism, the Ministry of National
Education should issue supporting policies. It should revise the
present less culturally responsive curricula of schools and fund
the publishing of multicultural books on different ethnic groups
and religions. These books should be made affordable to all pre-
school to high school aged children.

Sufficient funds from the national budget should also be
allocated for education. Moreover, it must be realized that
multicultural education is a valuable future investment.

Last but not least, societal values should support the notion
of pluralism. Children frequently find that the values they are
taught in school are not those held by society at large.

Public figures should also promote multiculturalism to
children, and religious leaders assure their followers that
plurality is inevitable. If God wished, He could make all human
beings hold one belief. This would not be with the intention of
telling children how to direct those with different beliefs to be
in their group, but how to accept difference and appreciate it.
Religious programs for children should support this goal.

Children's programs run by mosques, churches, shrines, and
other worship houses should emphasize the importance of harmony
in diversity. This would not mean telling children that all
religions are right, thus allowing them to change their beliefs
at anytime. Rather, it would assure them that all religions are
right for their own followers. And that our beliefs should not
prevent us from socially interacting with those of other beliefs.
The social interaction of people of different religions could
also serve to strengthen our children's national identity.

In the future, it would be pleasing to see our young
generations appreciate diversity. This cannot be realized,
however, unless we -- parents and community leaders -- are
consistent in our treatment of others. Like fighting a bad
wizard, developing multiculturalism requires our hearts, brains,
and courage. If we treat people according to their ethnicity,
race, or religion, then our children will likely follow our bad
example.

The writer is a Fulbright student of the School of Education
at Boston University and a member of the teaching staff of
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung. He can be reached at
bukhoribandung@yahoo.com