Just as American culture has become more diverse, so has the need for schools to effectively teach and prepare all students for a productive place in society. The school is . . . expected to provide solutions for society's failures. In other words, the school is not only expected to help students adjust to a society undergoing rapid technological change but also deal with and manage the social, economic, and political changes that have occurred throughout the United States and the world. However, the sad fact is that schools have not done well in achieving the mission of effectively educating all students. As student populations have become more diverse, learning success has become predictable by race, socioeconomic background, or culture.
Teachers teach in much the same way as always.
Curriculums have undergone little substantive change. Classroom instruction is delivered in much the same way as it always has, with little thought given to the effect on student populations. The multicultural education movement has grown in reaction to this situation and the need to effectively teach all students, not just the privileged few. However, much confusion exists about the meaning of multiculturalism and its impact on classroom teaching and learning. The concepts of cultural diversity and inclusionary practices are generally well accepted in contemporary classrooms, but a clear definition of what is meant by multicultural education is more elusive.