Follow up: Indigenous/Multicultural Education

 Books on indigenous populations in a library in Bogota

At the Ministry with Prof. Velez

After reflecting upon indigenous education in a blog post earlier this week, I was given multiple opportunities continue reflecting on this topic. First, I presented my impressions to the Harvard-MIT Club in Bogota, and then asked related questions at the Ministry of Education on Wednesday. Additionally, I spoke to several Colombian university students who accompanied us to meetings. 

I approached the topic of indigenous education from two angles: how indigenous populations were being taught, and how other populations in Colombia were educated on indigenous populations.  This latter question is of particular interest to me because I believe that education should not only provide disadvantaged students with an opportunity to learn and use their own cultural capital, histories, perspectives etc., but also provide a space for more dominant groups in society to learn from these populations and gain a multicultural and global outlook that will help foster intercultural understanding and improved relations.  If dominant groups in society do not learn about marginalized groups, within or outside their borders, I fear that stereotypes and prejudices remain pervasive. This is harmful for both groups. 

At the Ministry of Education on Wednesday, I asked a group of approximately 50 educators from the Schools of Education about their perspectives on how teachers do or should incorporate these perspectives, address diversity, and promote intercultural and inclusive environments in their classrooms.  To my surprise, a large amount of the guests wanted to answer and showcase how their schools were addressing these issues.  They provided examples that addressed indigenous populations, citing field trips/pen pal exchanges, issues concerning disabled children, such as education for blind and deaf students, and training programs for teachers that taught them how to deal with diversity and different types of learners.  Their answers made me hopeful at first, but I soon became disheartened when after 7 or 8 responses, not one educator in the room stated that a change in the curriculum had to be made that included different perspectives and represented marginalized groups equally.  This was reinforced by discussions with university students from Bogota, who stated that they had learned nothing about indigenous populations in school, and all they knew they had learned at their university, which some indigenous students attended. 

I find it difficult to articulate an ideal multicultural model for any society because every classroom and teacher is unique, every situation and environment is different, and no matter how good a curriculum or policy may be, there are many levels and steps along the way that could alter, misguide or misinform the purpose or group it is addressing.  At the same time, I do not think it is impossible.  In the case of Colombia, I think it is absolutely imperative that students in urban settings learn about the indigenous peoples of their country.  In the same vein, I think Americans could do better in teaching students about Native Americans, and immigrant and racial/ethnic minority groups in a way that does not reduce them to food, holidays, or stereotypes.  A multicultural education model should be inclusive in a way that puts all cultures on an equal footing.  At the very least, each classroom should provide an environment that gives all students a chance to share and learn from one another.  

Sophia Burton