Abstract

In the United States and around the globe, faculty in institutions of higher learning, whose job it is to prepare future teachers, are concerned about inadequate multicultural preparation and insufficient student-teaching experiences with children from diverse communities. Research indicates many teachers are not prepared to meet the requirements of students from varied backgrounds with diverse learning needs. Studies further confirm disparities exist in the quality of educational experiences that currently exist between majority and minority students in schools, not only in the US, but around the world; this results, in part, from poor teacher preparation. There is pressing call for appropriate policy and continued focus on educational equity. Each country throughout the world has attempted and continues to attempt, with varying degrees of success, to institute policies that guarantee educational equity to meet the needs of individual minority groups. Schools around the world are attempting to address the complexities of such educational issues and meet the needs of all students by revamping schools in ways that facilitate educational equity. This article will explore the importance of multiculturalism as a focus and practice in teacher preparation programs; the importance of incorporating multiculturalism across all disciplines and throughout all educational experiences, not only teacher preparation; and its effect on educational equity world-wide. Dr. White-Clark and Dr. Lappin are co-principal authors equally responsible for the material presented here.