Multicultural Education: A Guide on How to Raise Your Kids in Several Cultures.

 

Multicultural Education: A Guide on How to Raise Your Kids in Several Cultures.

 

 

This guide will help parents navigate the different cultures

they are raising their children in, while also teaching them how to raise their

children in different cultures. It will also discussment to improve and develop

new generations of students who are able to adapt to a changing world. The need

for multicultural education in schools has been recognized by different

countries and international organizations such as UNESCO (United Nations

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) that promotes it through

activities like General Conference on Education and International Forum on

Education organized every year since 2001 in different countries around the

world.

               I am particularly interested to know this because a large part of my family comes from Singaporean immigrant families in America. My grandmother was originally Chinese, and my grandfather had a relatively high-level degree in engineering. I have studied at university in Singapore for over three decades, and I know that multilingual education is important for students of all ages. Having said that, I want to make a change.

                  A year ago, I started studying English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes. As you would expect, there were some challenges. One of these was lack of understanding the language to which I speak. I did spend quite a bit of time trying to understand certain words, and it would sometimes take me days to get over to reading or write them. However, my classmates have been doing an amazing job of teaching me. They are able to explain a word and help me out on basic sentences.

                My classmates and myself are learning to learn new subjects like Mathematics, Science, Technology, etc. We would have thought that after six months, there would be enough knowledge and skills to pass ourselves off to any employer or even students who need to speak English as a second language. However, with the advent of COVID-19, there has been a dramatic drop off in interest in language and cultural learning beyond what students at higher institutions used to do.

                        There is no denying the fact that our young generation needs a lot more than just passing themselves down through the educational system. With the pandemic affecting many families, there need to be many more resources available to help kids continue to learn about their culture, religion and language heritage while growing up in contemporary times. I think that more resources should include teaching parents how they can support their kids’ academic ability and development. That’s why I have found myself wanting to look into ways that will enable more people to achieve their dream lives.

                  I’ve tried my best to educate myself because after working so hard to teach myself and bring back our national identity and pride, how else could this change?

                 I’m excited about where we are going in terms of technology and digital transformation, especially in terms of providing a safe space for racial minority and women. It’s great to see that progress being made – with both companies and individuals taking steps to create fairer workplaces and contribute towards social equality. At least one firm being considered to offer diversity initiatives in their workforce to ensure they build a diverse and equitable society.

                   Education is becoming increasingly more culturally sensitive in today’s world. There is every reason to believe that the future of this field will be bright and prosperous.

What will the response be to the changes happening within education today?

From having to live and work outside of Singapore for some time to now;

            I feel as though we are very fortunate to have had such wonderful resources and opportunities such as Singaporeans, Malaysians and Chinese students. Today that makes us feel very lucky indeed!

From sharing memories with each other and speaking to each other;

            This means connecting at a deeper level – from bringing back national pride and a sense of belonging to making a difference in their community by being able to provide food and shelter – because, as mentioned earlier, Singaporeans, Malaysians and Chinese students share history, and it’s hard to let go of that. And we really shouldn’t want to let go of those connections.

               I hope that as educators, we can help promote cultural sensitivity so that as Singaporeans we don’t lose sight of our own unique culture.

If there is anything else I wanted to say to you, please tell me. Let me know what your experiences were and what tips had helped you or brought you closer to achieving something in life or career.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on school, teaching English as a secondary or tertiary language or multicultural education. Do you have any comments on this post? Share them below!