Enhancing Multicultural Education in Teacher Preparation Programs.

Overview & Synopsis

This paper addresses the need for multicultural perspectives in teacher preparation programs and ways in which teacher education institutions can enhance multicultural education. Standards and criteria of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) with regard to multicultural education and the response of Northern Michigan University's (NMU) teacher education program to these standards are outlined. The teacher education program at NMU incorporates multicultural or global perspectives throughout the professional studies component of the teacher education program. The university engages in ongoing efforts to recruit, support, and retain students and faculty from among the Native American, African American, and Hispanic populations of the state. Attention is also given to arranging field placements in culturally diverse settings. Several recommendations featuring specific strategies are made for enhancing multicultural teacher education. The recommendations focus on four areas: a multicultural knowledge base as the centerpiece for the teacher education curriculum, field experiences, student recruitment and retention, and faculty teaching strategies. (IAH)