Effective Multicultural Instruction

The reason why the Trayvon Martin murder trial and similar court cases create a philosophical rift in our nation is due in part to flaws in the delivery of multicultural education. Traditional multicultural instruction does not prepare citizens for the subtleties and complexities of race relations. This study investigates critical strategies and practices that address multicultural missing gaps. I also seek to fill a void in the literature created by a lack of student input regarding teaching strategies that encourage lifelong learning. Students (N = 337) enrolled at a Midwestern university were asked to rate the efficacy of selected instructional strategies. Utilizing a 9-point Likert-type scale, students gave themselves a personal growth rating of 7.15 (SD = 1.47). Variables important to predicting that growth (R2 = .56, p < .0005) were a six-factor variable known as a non-color-blind instructional approach (t = 10.509, p ≤ .0005), allowing students an opportunity to form their own opinions apart from the instructor (t = 4.797, p ≤ .0005), and a state law that mandated multicultural training (t = 3.234, p = .001). Results demonstrated that utilizing a 35% traditional and 65% critical pedagogy mixture when teaching multicultural education helped promote win/win scenarios for education candidates hoping to become difference makers