The purpose of this study was to examine elementary school teachers' perception of multicultural family. For this, the investigator looked into the influence of elementary school teachers' demographic variables and multicultural family-related variabl...
The purpose of this study was to examine elementary school teachers' perception of multicultural family. For this, the investigator looked into the influence of elementary school teachers' demographic variables and multicultural family-related variables upon their perception of multicultural family. Multicultural family-related variables were to examine its influence upon the perception of single-race and multi-races and the perception of the acceptability of diverse families, cultural capability, integrative education.
Study subjects were 250 elementary school teachers in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas. A questionnaire of them was carried out and 215 responses were collected. The data of 208 responses were used in final analysis. In order to analyze data, the SPSS 18.0 program was used and frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, correlation and multiple regression were used.
The result were as follows:
First, as for multicultural family-related variables, elementary school teachers were positive in their perception of multicultural family and integrative education. They had no prejudice for multicultural families in general and perceived them in a relatively positive attitude. In addition, when their perception of integrative education was more positive, they accepted multicultural families more positively. As for cultural capability, the perception of single-race and multi-races and the acceptance of diverse families, elementary school teachers' perception was moderate.
Second, the influence of study subjects' demographic variables upon their perception of multicultural family was not significant statistically.
Third, elementary school teachers' perception of single-race and multi-races, acceptance of diverse families and perception of integrative education seemed to have significant influence upon their perception of multicultural family. When they had more preferable attitudes toward multi-races, had more acceptable attitudes toward diverse families, and perceived more positively the necessity of integrative education, their acceptance of multicultural family was more positive. As for the multicultural family-related education variables, when their school had children from multicultural families and the education for the multicultural family was carried out whenever it was necessary, teachers' perception of multicultural family was more positive. The finding that the effect of multicultural family-related education is more positive when it is carried out if necessary seems to present such educational implication that teachers do not feel the necessity of multicultural family-related knowledge.
Fourth, as for the correlation between elementary school teachers' demographic variables and multicultural family-related variables, the most significant correlation was presented in their perception of single-race and multi-races and it is followed by their acceptability of diverse families and perception of integrative education in order. When they had less prejudice for races, included more diverse familial patterns into the scope of family, and more preferred integrative education for a variety of families, their perception of multicultural family was higher. As for the relative influence of related variables upon the perception of multicultural family, the most influential variable was the perception of single-race and multiple-races. In other words, when their acceptance of multi-races was more positive and their preference of multi-races' co-existence was better, their perception of multicultural family was more positive.
In conclusion, study findings show that elementary school teachers' perception of single-race and multiple-races, acceptance of diverse families and perception of integrative education seem to be the base of positive influence upon their perception of multicultural family. If teachers, whose influence upon children is great, have no prejudice and accept diverse families with equality consciousness, they will provide help to children's development. Since teachers' unprejudiced minds and equality attitudes toward children can maintain the mutual cooperative relations between schools and families―children's two major life spaces, it will probably have positive influence upon children's adaptability to schools and their development of personality. Therefore, in order to improve the complementary relations between parents and teachers and prevent children's school maladjustment-oriented educational deviation phenomena, it is necessary for elementary school teachers to have unprejudiced perception of all the children.