I. Culture and Ethnicity

• Culture
  Culture refers to the behaviors, beliefs, values, and other characteristics of a particular group of people. Cultures have been classified as individualistic (having values that give priority to personal goals) or collectivistic (having values that support the group).
  
  
• Socioeconomic Status (SES)
  Socioeconomic status refers to the categorization of people according to their economic, educational, and occupational place in society. Due to the extent of poverty in America, educating students from low-SES backgrounds has become a real challenge.
  
  
• Ethnicity and Language Issues
  Ethnicity refers to people who share a common heritage, nationality, race, religion, and/or language. Due to variations in ethnic background, schools are faced with special challenges such as prejudice and language barriers.

II. Multicultural Education

• Empowering Students
  Multicultural education values diversity and incorporates the perspectives of diverse cultural groups. Multicultural education seeks to empower students by providing them with the intellectual and coping skills necessary to succeed in a diverse world.
  
  
• Culturally Relevant Teaching
  Culturally relevant teaching attempts to link the learner's cultural background with the subject he or she is studying.
  
  
• Issues-Centered Education
  Students are taught to analyze issues of equity and social justice.
  
  
• Improving Relationships
  This section discusses ways to improve relationships among children from different ethnic groups. Strategies include Jigsaw, perspective taking, and a community team approach.
  
  
• Issue over Core White Values
  Educators debate whether or not they should teach "white" values. Such values include mutual respect, individual rights, and tolerance for diversity.

III. Gender

• Gender Development
  Some experts stress biological factors when explaining the behavior of males and females, while others stress social and cognitive factors.
  
  
• Stereotyping
  Gender stereotypes are external impressions and beliefs about the behavior considered appropriate for males and females. There are some gender similarities and differences in academically relevant domains.
  
  
• Classification
  Gender-role classification involves evaluating children based on the personality traits deemed appropriate for their gender.
  
  
• Gender in Context
  It is helpful to consider the situation when observing an individual's personality.
  
  
• Gender Bias
  Issues of gender bias should be addressed in teacher-student interactions, curriculum and athletics content, and instances of sexual harassment.