Teaching a Multicultural History of America by Alicia

Teaching a Multicultural History of America by Alicia - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

The date of graduation is drawing near and I am confronted with a period of reflection and excitement for the future. As I reflect on the last four years, I am stuck with the question of what I would have wanted to know as I graduated from high school and started college. As I think of this question, one of the most influential classes I have taken about multicultural America consumes my mind. The knowledge and insight I was able to gain of the history of America was told by the lives of the minorities that lived it. The book, “A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America” by Ronald Takaki, is a compilation of the hardships, challenges, and triumphs of the many minorities that make up the United States of America today. After reading this book, I was struck with the realization that the history of America that I had learned in school was a mainstream narrative that left out many people’s stories and perspectives. At first I was outraged, how could it have taken this long for me to learn the truth? But soon that outrage turned into understanding and I knew the only way to create an America that was equal and true was to confront these stereotypes that I had learned. It was not my job to continue to operate as colorblind, but to understand and value each person’s personal background and experience.

As I begin a post graduate program to gain my certification as an elementary school teacher, it is these qualities that I want to be a part of making up the classroom environment I will teach in. Without the close reading of Ronald Takaki’s book it may have taken longer to understand the history of America that is often not told in school history textbooks. This book will not only give students alternate perspectives of American history, but it will teach them that everyone has a different story and lived experiences. Including this book in history classes will help to create a multicultural education that matches the lives of many students. It is then after the students gain a multicultural education, that they can go out into the world as compassionate and understanding citizens. It is our job as members of society to teach students before they graduate about the multicultural world they are a part of and Ronald Takaki’s book can achieve this goal.