Looking at Multicultural Education from the "Wild West"

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 58 Sayı: 1, 337 - 380, 15.04.2025

Sebahat Yasemin Tezgiden Cakcak

Öz

This case study sought to find out the perceptions of eight educators living in Arizona, USA, which is known as “the wild West” in popular culture, regarding multicultural education. The study used eight-month-long classroom observations, document analysis and semi-structured interviews with eight educators. In this study, educators’ stories were described and situated in their historical, social, economic and cultural context. The findings of the study reveal the lifeworlds of multicultural students in Arizona, US as well as the basic principles of multicultural (teacher) education from the lens of participant educators. Multicultural students in the region were reported to be disadvantaged suffering from poverty, hunger, deprivation and domestic violence. Data analysis revealed the key principles of multicultural education as having dialogic relationships, being respectful of language and culture, community building, advocacy, moving beyond rage, and sharing power. Besides, this study demonstrated multicultural teacher education should be interdisciplinary and experiential benefiting from narratives of diverse populations. For the participant educators, teacher candidates should face the harsh realities of their students’ daily lives and teach them how to defend their rights. In doing so, teachers should also pay attention to self-care to protect their well-being.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Multicultural education, Multicultural teacher education, culturally responsive pedagogy, Critical multicultural education, Critical education

Etik Beyan

This study was reviewed and approved by IRB Chair of Northern Arizona University

Destekleyen Kurum

Middle East Technical University-Scientific Research Project (BAP)

Proje Numarası

2018-EGT-082

Çokkültürlü Eğitime "Vahşi Batı"dan Bir Bakış

Öz

Popüler kültürde “vahşi batı” olarak ifade edilen, ABD’nin güneybatı eyaletlerinden biri olan Arizona’da çalışan eğitimcilerin çokkültürlü eğitim anlayışlarını araştıran bu çalışma nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden durum çalışması olarak yapılandırılmıştır. Arizona’da çalışan sekiz eğitimcinin katıldığı bu çalışmada araştırmacı sekiz ay boyunca saha gözlemleri yaparak notlar tutmuş, ders gözlemleri ve doküman analizi yapmış, katılımcılarla derinlemesine mülakatlar gerçekleştirmiştir. Çalışmada eğitimcilerin bakış açıları eyaletin tarihsel, sosyal, ekonomik ve kültürel bağlamı içinde betimlenmiş, her bir katılımcının hikayesine yer verilmiştir. Farklı nitel veri toplama araçlarından elde edilen verilerin analizi sonucunda katılımcı eğitimcilerin bakış açısından çokkültürlü öğrencilerin yaşam evrenleri betimlenmiş, çokkültürlü eğitimin ve çokkültürlü öğretmen eğitiminin temel ilkeleri saptanmıştır. Eğitimciler çokkültürlü öğrencilerin dezavantajlı olduklarına, yoksulluk, açlık ve yoksunluk çektiklerine, aile içi şiddete maruz kaldıklarına işaret ederek çokkültürlü eğitimin temel ilkeleri arasında diyalog temelli ilişkiler kurmayı, dil ve kültüre saygıyı, topluluk ruhu inşa etmeyi, hak savunuculuğunu, öfkenin ötesine geçmeyi ve gücün paylaşılmasını vurgulamışlardır. Çokkültürlü öğretmen eğitiminin ise disiplinlerarası ve deneyim odaklı olması gerektiğinin altını çizmiş, öğretmen eğitiminde anlatılardan yararlanılmasını önermişlerdir. Öğretmen adaylarının dezavantajlı öğrencilerin acı gerçekleriyle yüzleşmesi gerektiğine değinmiş, bunu yaparken de kendilerini korumayı ve söz konusu öğrencilerin haklarını savunmayı öğrenmeleri gerektiğinden söz etmişlerdir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Çokkültürlü eğitim, Çokkültürlü öğretmen eğitimi, Kültürel değerlere duyarlı pedagoji, Eleştirel çokkültürlü eğitim, Eleştirel eğitim

Etik Beyan

Bu çalışma ODTÜ'den etik kurul izni alınarak yapılmıştır.

Destekleyen Kurum

Bu çalışma ODTÜ BAP projesi kapsamında yapılmıştır.

Proje Numarası

2018-EGT-082

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