Statement of purpose

As I graduate with my Masters in Education-Equity & Social Justice this weekend, I find myself reminiscent of the reasons I entered the program to begin with. Here is part of a statement of purpose I created along the way. I hope that just because the M.A. is officially in place, I do not lose sight of the reasons I worked to attain it:

"From the time I was in kindergarten up until my last year of college, I was certain that I would one day be an elementary school teacher. Then, the summer before I began my credentialing program, something happened: I went to Europe and I fell in love. I fell in love with the adventure of the unexpected, the hazy line between exploring the new and getting utterly lost, the happy anticipation of the next town, the interesting people and the many conversations & stories that accompany them, the varied foods, the different cultures, and the unique history & traditions home to every place that I visited. I was hooked.

A year later, I had my teaching credential and another overseas adventure under my belt (this time to the South Pacific), but I lacked a clear understanding of how I could merge my two passions: education and, quite literally, the world around me. In the years the followed, I continued to pursue ways to fuse these passions. While working for a faith-based non-profit, I took trips of high school students to South America and Africa, hoping to expose them to a world beyond their own fortunate comfort zone. Meanwhile, I continued to wander outside of my own sphere of safety as well. I took trips back to Europe, Africa, South & Central America, and the Middle East in an effort to uncover more about the world around me. I have visited school sites, spoken at assemblies, talked with students, met with administrators. I have seen injustice. I have witnessed inequity. I have been asked tough questions. And, I have come to formulate some of my own. Take these, for example: Is universal education possible? If so, how can we implement educational structure, training, and curriculum amidst a world of such varied cultures, vastly different backgrounds, and diverse needs? And, is it even our prerogative to do so?

I believe that it is more than our prerogative; I believe that it is our responsibility.

As I continue to explore the seemingly impossible terrain of these questions and answers, I am constantly reminding myself that universal education does not mean uniform education. Thus, I recognize that it is imperative to understand the culture, context, and purpose of education within a society while identifying the unique needs of individuals within a community..."

Though I'm not directly working in the field of education at the moment (and though I have some thoughts, ideas, and life experience that I'd add to this statement), I do hold these values and beliefs dear to my heart. So, what about you? What's your statement of purpose?