Multicultural Educational Philosophy, Personal Statement Example

We live in an increasingly multicultural society. The United States has often been described as a cultural “melting pot,” but this terminology is misleading. The implications of the “melting pot” analogy are that the cultural components and elements that individuals and groups bring together are somehow blended into a single dish. In practical terms this is simply not accurate, and it reflects a perspective that there is an overarching culture into which other cultures should be subsumed. As most teachers are aware, the real-world classroom setting is not a place of cultural homogeny; it is a place where elements of a variety of cultures are present, and a place where these elements often bump against each other. It may appear, at first glance, that it would be best to try to eliminate the differences among groups of students and unite them under a singular classroom culture. In taking a closer look, however, it becomes clear that the disparate elements of various cultures that each student brings to the classroom provide opportunities to make education a vibrant, vital, and dynamic experience.

It is this notion of education as an ongoing experience that underpins my educational philosophy. As is often the case, important ideas and concepts can be lost in the haze of terminology, and the term “multiculturalism” is no exception to this notion. Multiculturalism is not simply something that is taught in the classroom, although students should be given every opportunity to learn about different cultures. Multiculturalism is more than just a set of lessons; it is a context, a framework in which the educations experience takes place. In an era where students of different socioeconomic, cultural, and even developmental backgrounds are learning side by side in the same classrooms, issues of multiculturalism provide educational opportunities for students to learn not just from teachers, but from each other.  By contextualizing education in a multicultural framework, students can learn about virtually any subject, from language and social sciences to physical science and mathematics in ways that spark critical thinking and real-world problem-solving skills.

The framework of multiculturalism also provided challenges and opportunities for educators. Multiculturalism is not just a set of skills to be mastered or a set of information to be memorized, though there are skills and information that support a multicultural educational philosophy. It will remain my responsibility to keep abreast of developments in technology and the application of educational tools and materials that will enrich the classroom; while school systems provide some support in these areas, I will also work to promote my own ongoing professional and educational development. In the broadest sense this will include cultivating my own understanding of educational theories, classroom skills, and other applicable skills, In more specific terms this will include my efforts to connect with my students in ways that allow me to provide en enriching classroom environment and educational experience that is tailored to each of them.

At the core of an authentically multicultural educational environment is cultural competence. Just like “multiculturalism,” the term “cultural competence” can be easily dismissed as mere jargon; it is, however, fundamental for teachers of diverse student populations to develop cultural competence. In a broad sense, cultural competence is the combined set of skills and information that make it possible for teachers to provide a multicultural experience; it is also something that can and should be shared with students in order to help wipe away the barriers of stereotyping and misunderstandings that can divide individuals and groups. By embracing the concept of multiculturalism, I intend to cultivate an educational environment that allows each of my students to thrive and develop to their fullest potential.