Culturally specific curriculum to help engage youth and give them a sense of their rich heritage

The African-American Baseline Essays are an historical document first produced in the late '80s followed by Portland Public Schools adding American Indian, Hispanic-American, and Asian-American which provided the impetus for transforming textbooks. Publishers began to use the model of presenting human history of geo-cultural groups from their earliest times to their experience in the United States of America. The Baseline Essays reflect the voice of people who are a part of the group in a holistic way rather than simply plugging other human groupings into a European historical time line.

Definition

Multicultural/Multiethnic Education is education that by virtue of specific content, inclusive perspective(s) and a structured process prepares students to live, learn and work in a pluralistic world, and fosters an appreciation, respect and tolerance for people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Purpose

To provide resources and assist juvenile services as well as other agencies working with juveniles in ensuring that all children, regardless of class, background (religion, race, ethnic group, culture or language), mental, physical or emotional status or learning style—have equal access and opportunities to learn about their culture and rich histories...

For example, in the African-American Baseline Essays crucial concepts and topics are identified:

  • African-Americans have a history that precedes slavery and the civil rights movement

The goal of the Baseline Essays series was and is to help people understand:

  • No geo-cultural group is innately superior or inferior to another if we look over human history.
  • Every geo-cultural group has made contributions to the world in which we live.
  • Human history must be viewed from different perspectives.

You are now invited to view all of the Baseline Essays which can be downloaded for free.