Diversity within Unity
Essential Principles for Teaching and Learning in Multicultural Society

By James A. Banks

Summarized By
Suhail Naaman


Introduction:
A group was formed from a political scientist, a sociologist, four multicultural education specialists and two psychologists. There were other members from other universities. This panel was modeled to write reports for the national Academy of Sciences and to solve problems through the most effective actions that can be taken to solve it. These panels are called essential principles, which lead to the improvement of the educational policy and its practices, eventually help to improve the intergroup skills.
The 12 essential principles are summarized below.

Principle 1: Professional development programs for teachers to know more about
Ethnic groups in the American society.
Principle 2: All students should have equitable opportunities to learn.
Principle 3: Curriculum should cover all social, political, and economic contexts.
Principle 4: Supplementary material to develop knowledge.
Principle 5: Developing intergroup relations.
Principle 6: Stereotyping that has effect on racial and ethnic relations.
Principle 7: Learning about values.
Principle 8: Teacher should create the right environment to interact with students.
Principle 9: Students from different racial groups should interact with each other.
Principle 10: Members of the school should learn collaborative skills and dispositions in order to create a caring environment for students.
Principle 11: Funds should be distributed equitably.
Principle 12: Teachers should use different cultural techniques for assessment.

Conclusion:
School must respect diversity groups for a unified nation-state.

Reference:
Banks, James A.(2001). Diversity within Unity: Essential Principles for Teaching and Learning in Multicultural Society.