Defining ‘Multicultural Education’ and the Need for It in Singapore

Increasingly insensitive, crude and discriminatory racial remarks about ethnic groups other than their own have been heard to get by the lips of our young preschoolers at an alarming frequency and with a degree of nonchalance that is disconcerting. A good number of young children in the local childcare slam reveal a warped impression of other break aways, especially those of darker skin t 1s, as they pass comments such as, Eee Indians are so smelly, or create verses to recent games like, A, E, I, O, U Mangkali (referring to Indians) love you Dr. Darlene Powell Hopson, co-author of Different and Wonderful Raising Black Children in a Race-Conscious Society explains that be bring of their advancing perceptual skills, children are increasingly open to recognize the apparent outward differences in people- varying skin tones, facial and bodily features, hair textures, and eye colors. With this enhancing perceptual ability follows the development of childrens private character.As each childs sense of identity and interpersonal skills begin to mature, his individual preferences, likes and dislikes, as well as his own opinions begin to form and cash in ones chips established in him. A sense of autonomy naturally unfolds along with the urge to exercise and assert this newfound personal right to make ones own views heard and known. This implies that the child provide begin to form opinions and judgments of a person based firstly on the most obvious facet of the other party- the outward appearance.The child will decide if what he sees appears pleasing to his eyes. Because preschoolers also develop a desire for social acceptance, peer pressure will majorly influence his final decision of whether he will open his arms in approval, acceptance and favor of that individual. Retaining a discriminatory attitude toward someone because of his/her race causes serious obstacles to young childrens healthy development. They end up with a warped perception of the realities and demands of everyday life. (Veel, E. capital of Singapores Child Celebrating Diversity (July 2008), pg. 29. ) If Feng Kai, a child with a bias against other races, is given the opportunity to make a choice between partnering with Govindasamy and Mei Ling, thinks to himself, I dont essential to hold hands with Govinda. I dont want my hands to become dirty, and ends up choosing Mei Ling instead, Feng Kai deprives himself of the chance to become better introduce with Govindasamy and to benefit from his association.In judging Govindasamy by a baseless biasness, Feng Kai chooses to stop himself from making a friend. If this misconception is not corrected, Feng Kai will learn to allow the superficial aspects of things to influence his free-and-easy decision-making significantly. In teaching Feng Kai to look beyond the obvious outward differences of skin color, and into Govindasamys values and personality instead, we help Feng Kai to develop the ability to recognize and assess actuality beyond superficiality an ability that will help him function effectively as a person.Dr. Roy Kaplan, executive director of the Tampa Bay chapter of the National Conference for Communities and Justice, comments, goose eggs born a bigot. Evidence shows that prejudices which exist within the young are nurtured primarily by the influences that children are exposed to most often and most extensively. Principally, these include their home environment, the behavior of family members and close friends (including the peer pressure they are subject to in school), as well as the childcare setting.While the moral knowledge children receive from home and the examples that family members and friends set that influence children most profoundly are factors beyond our power to control, the childcare setting is the only aspect in this, our cause to foster racial awareness, which lies within our ability to manage and steer in the direction of our objectives. It is essential for children to learn t hat they must overcome racism and all forms of credulity for if not, our societys rising generation will grow up o sow racial discord which could reap very adverse repercussions for Singapore a breakdown of societal unity and a rise of internal contention and dissensions could very possibly ensue. But in order to achieve this majority rule in the childcare sector, children must first understand why they ought to overcome racial biasness and look beyond the differences that exist within them. This is where our action research authorize Multicultural Education through Creative Drama comes into play in the picture, to facilitate the conversion of racial disharmony to racial unity among young children in Singapore.