A multicultural education is a curriculum based on the various cultures, nationalities and ethnicities represented in a school system. It doesn't mean handpicking a few cultures to highlight throughout the school year. According to Keith Wilson, an associate professor at Pennsylvania State University, a multicultural education "is based upon consensus building, respect, and fostering cultural pluralism within racial societies. Multicultural education acknowledges and incorporates positive racial idiosyncrasies into classroom atmospheres."
Students exposed to a multicultural curriculum are better able to understand the viewpoint of groups of people they may not culturally identify with. Teachers must present a multicultural curriculum in a way that does not suggest one culture is superior or dominant. Multicultural education encourages accepting all cultures -- no matter the beliefs and practices -- and celebrating the differences.
Because a multicultural curriculum strives to be inclusive of all cultures represented within the school system, instruction then becomes culturally relevant to all students not just those within the majority. Students who see themselves represented in the curriculum are then engaged and willing to take ownership of their learning. Such students play a more active role in their education and their school, because they feel as if they have a voice that teachers and administrators view as relevant.
Educating students on oppression and discrimination arms them with knowledge necessary to bring about change in their own community. When students realize that they have a voice and, therefore, power to bring about change, many step into leadership roles that allow them opportunities to make a difference. They recognize instances of alienation and exclusion and can genuinely empathize with victims. They gain larger perspectives and viewpoints and apply critical thinking skills when attempting to solve cultural issues on a larger scale. In fact, multicultural education prompts students to see the world globally and themselves as responsible advocates for change.