Philosophy of Multicultural Education

Philosophy of Multicultural Education

Alyssa Eichele

Tarrant County College

EDUC-2301-21003

Spring Semester

Professor Sikes

7 April 2024
Philosophy of Multicultural Education

Philosophy Statement

Creating an inclusive environment in the classroom is extremely important. For

example, an inclusive classroom can result in students understanding their unique identity

and culture. The students can have a sense of belonging which can help the students feel

respected. The intended goal would be for the students to feel like their classroom is a

part of their community. Also, having exposure to diverse perspectives at younger ages

can help the growth of empathy and understanding amongst their peers. I would like to be

a teacher who creates a caring environment that prepares them for the real world by

helping my students gain better confidence and motivation to reach their personal goals.

Multicultural education has a role in promoting equal educational opportunities by

recognizing the diversity of the backgrounds and experiences of all students. For

example, making sure that all students receive educational opportunities regardless of

their background, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Considering the background of my

students I can make a more engaging curriculum and make it more accessible.

Role of Teacher & Building Relationships with Families

To facilitate multicultural education in the classroom, my role as a teacher is to

create an inclusive environment I need to weave multicultural content into my

curriculum, adapt my teaching strategies when needed, have cultural awareness, and

model respect in my classroom. Some of the strategies I will use will be incorporating

content that involves various cultural traditions while providing historical context. I

would also like to help the students gain stronger critical thinking skills to help combat

stereotypes and any misconceptions they or I may have. Providing accommodations for

the students who may need it and having an inclusive classroom with peer support.
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Something that I will do to foster relationships with students from diverse backgrounds

would be to get to know my students on an individual basis instead of a collective. I

would do this by asking meaningful questions and having a genuine interest in my

student's lives outside of the classroom. I will use inclusive language that affirms my

student's different identities and backgrounds. One of my largest goals is to gain the trust

of my students by being approachable, funny, and supportive.

There are many strategies that I will use to build relationships with parents and

families of students who come from diverse backgrounds. For example, I will take the

time to learn and become aware of my individual students' backgrounds, cultural

practices, customs, and different communication styles and approach interactions with

openness and respect. I will also have a welcoming environment that respectfully

celebrates diversity acknowledging my student's unique backgrounds. I will also set up

different ways for families to communicate with me whether it is over the phone, email,

or newsletters. I also plan on having folders for the students to bring home every day that

have upcoming events, lunch menu, class activities, and student's calendar.

Multicultural Activities

Some activities that I would love to provide for my students are multicultural parades

and events. I would like to have it with guest speakers and performances that go along

with the traditions and customs of the students. I would also like to talk about the

holidays or practices that my students engage in and acknowledge them; allowing the

student who participates to talk and share their experiences. As a person who loves

music, I would like to incorporate music from around the world, this can be done through

parental support and videos online. Something that I think would work well for students
Philosophy of Multicultural Education

in gifted and talented and students in dual language programs would be to create a pen

pal exchange for students to gain different perspectives and build friendships

internationally. Another thing that I think could be scaled based on abilities would be

multicultural art projects. Students can create artwork using different mediums to express

their unique cultural backgrounds. Another thing that I think would work well for an

inclusive classroom is a community service project. Students can create proposals and

vote on what they would like to provide services to. The students can participate in a

variety of ways, and they can become empowered to create a positive impact on their

communities. Overall, I would love for my classroom to be the least restrictive

environment possible and provide a variety of options for my students to participate.

Multicultural Classroom Environment & Multicultural Literature

I plan on being an elementary school teacher, first or second grade preferably, so the

literature that I will use to foster an environment that embraces diversity, social justice,

and equality will be focused on that age group. Boston University has a wonderful article

that focuses on multicultural literature and how to select an appropriate curriculum with

truthful representation. (A Guide to Selecting Multicultural Literature | African Studies

Center, n.d.) The article includes multiple websites from different regions that suggest

books that can help expand the student's perspectives of Africa, the Middle East, Latin

America, and South Asia. Some great books that I thought would be helpful are African

Proverbs for All Ages written by Johnnetta Betsch Cole and Nelda LaTeef, A Sky-blue

Bench by Bahram Rahman, Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna by Alda P. Dobbs, and

Mama's Saris by Pooja Makhijani. There’s a lesson plan that would be a great tool

Beyond Wildlife: Teaching about Africa and Stereotypes by Barbara B. Brown and Alicia
Philosophy of Multicultural Education

Carroll. (Beyond Wildlife: Teaching About Africa and Stereotypes, 2008) A few ways

my classroom learning environment will celebrate diversity and promote inclusion would

be the theme of my room which would be nature themed. Nature can be used to

demonstrate how as individuals we are unique and beautiful, and combined we make a

global community. I would like to have a reading tree where we will sit and discuss

books. The leaves will be handprints of my students allowing them to leave their mark. I

would also like to have bulletin boards that I can use to display all their creations. When

purchasing charts and bulletin themes I will make sure that it reflects my diverse

classroom. In addition to this, I will make English word helpers on objects around the

class to help with recognition for my English Language Learners.

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References

AlHathloul, L., Rahman, B., & Suneby, E. (n.d.). Picture Book Honorees | Middle East

Book Award. Middle East Outreach Council. Retrieved April 7, 2024, from

http://www.meoc.us/picture-book.html

Beyond Wildlife: Teaching about Africa and Stereotypes. (2008). Boston University.

Retrieved April 7, 2024, from

https://www.bu.edu/africa/files/pdf/BrownArticle1.pdf

A Guide to Selecting Multicultural Literature | African Studies Center. (n.d.). Boston

University. Retrieved April 7, 2024, from

https://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/teachingresources/literature-language-arts/

selection_guide/

Recommended Picture Books. (n.d.). Africa Access. Retrieved April 7, 2024, from

https://africaaccessreview.org/recommendedreads/

Teaching Resources: Américas Award Curriculum. (n.d.). CLASP. Retrieved April 7,

2024, from https://claspprograms.org/americas-award/teaching-resources/