I grew up in a pretty mono-cultural middle class environment. But I don’t believe that defines me. I know that the vast and varied experiences in my life have had a much greater impact on me than my neighborhood. After undergrad I moved to Rochester and have been here around 6-7 years. I currently live on the edge of the city and I work in the city for a company which does much of its business with minority groups with whom I interact with daily. In my six year career in insurance I worked in a diverse office with many African American co-workers as well as other minorities such as Asian and Indian. I became what I felt was “well-off” and felt comfortable in a middle-class setting. I ended my career to begin a new one where I felt that I was making a difference instead of just making money. My assessment results label me as a mono-cultural person moving into a multi-cultural direction. I call myself a work in progress because I haven’t stopped learning about myself and the larger world that we all live in.
I want to do the best I can as a teacher for all of my students, no matter the gender, race or range of disabilities. I used to worry for my niece who is a three year old with a physical disability. Children already point out to her' the way in which she is different.' But so far in her pre-k experience the young children are able to see past that and see her for who she is.
_Beth
_Beth
Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that you mention your niece, how she is different and how that makes your worry for her, that it will hurt her rather than help her. I think this is often the reason why people do not want to be different, because they do not want to be hurt. To avoid feeling different, we band together with those who are alike us. When we do that, we not only feel safely included in a group but we dangerously exclude others who are not in the group. In addition to safety, there are other benefits to “grouping” that lead me to believe that it is not an entirely detrimental aspect of society. Sometimes it feels good to be a part of something, to know the dimensions of it. However, it is imperative that a “grouping” does not become an impermeable entity. As much as people want to feel a part of something, they should make other people aware that they are welcome to be a part of it too. A group should never specify distinctly, or in other words, define.
-Karen
I think so often, being in the United States, that when we think of diversity, we think of African-Americans vs. whites (atleast I do). Does anyone else ever notice this? I am not sure if this is because of the fact that when I grew up African-Americans and whites were the most discussed racial groups or because they are the two groups I have had the most interactions with. I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteDominick, I think you are right, that as our age group grew up there was mostly black people and white people and discussion in classes had dealt with history of slavery, the civil war and abolition...even today most schools ELA programs still have students read the very powerful book "To Kill a Mockingbird"
ReplyDeleteNow our country has either shed more light on other cultures or there is simply greater diversity within our country as more people have imigrated here.
At any rate I think the book we are reading has a clear focus on recent immigrants trying to balance being a young child in a very bi-cultural way of life
_Beth
"Work in Progess" reflects all of us-including myself. With this mindset, one reflects and grows professionally! Each day a teacher has to be purposeful in creating socially just classroom environments that support diverse students as identified in our course.
ReplyDelete