Implementation of Education That Is Multicultural in Early Childhood Settings: A Case Study of Two Day Care Programs

An ethnographic study of two mainstreamed, multicultural day care centers was conducted over a school year. Children's responses to formal and informal curricula dealing with aspects of human diversity such as race, ethnicity, gender, and exceptionality, were analyzed, as were children's interaction patterns. The data revealed that although both programs emphasized acceptance of individual differences, few planned activities dealt with race or cultural diversity. Activities were more appropriate for "human relations" education than "multicultural" education. The use of nonsexist language and materials and teachers' attempts to prevent gender stereotyping were found to have positive, though limited, effects. Children at both centers appeared to accept their mainstreamed peers, with cross-ability interactions improving over the year. (Author/HOD)