Practicing Awareness

Early this week was the last day of classes at my elementary school. One of my duties was to help place children in their classes for next year. These children were placed based on good and bad combinations and great matches with teachers and etc. Then the next year teacher got the chance to view their new classes. One of the 4^th grade teachers viewed her class and automatically said why do I have to have so many of them in my class. I was so upset with this statement. First and foremost the school’s main demographic is African Americans. So when this teacher was speaking of “them” she was speaking of African Americans and it was rude and ignorant. If she doesn’t want to teach them she should probably choose to teach at a different school. I thought it was very unprofessional of her.

I was angry with her. I felt as though she was assaulting me as well. Her comment made me think twice of her abilities to care and educate children. If she was having a hard time looking past their color I can only imagine what other things she discriminates against.

This week’s observation affected my perception of the fellow professionals I hang out with in a contradiction manner. Although all of the teachers were sad to see their children leave for the summer and for their next classes, they were still very mean when it came to discussing these kids and how much of a chance they have to succeed. It makes me nervous about my own future in education. Will I eventually be in their shoes, loving the children while discriminating and categorizing them? Furthermore is that a normal thing, based on the teachers prior knowledge about these particular students are they merely examining their cultures and just preparing themselves?

Valuing Culture

My first coworker defined culture as beliefs and shared attitudes of a certain group of people and defined diversity as different interests.

My other coworker who I would consider from a different culture than me has spent 20 years in prison and is male and in his late 30s. He answered the difference between people for both questions.

I asked my mother what her definition for culture was and she responded beliefs, values and your particular group or set of rituals and her definition for diversity was being able to step out of the box and being aware of other peoples opinions, views and beliefs.

The aspects of culture and diversity that can be compared with between what I have learned and what I asked was that culture is related to a belief system. Their examples were shared attitudes relating to religion, rituals and groups of people with social forms. Their definition of diversity all had the word different in it. One example of a definition was having the ability to step out of the box and being aware of other opinions, views and beliefs.

It seems as though the things that were omitted was when it came to culture. None of the people I talked to mentioned the different types of culture besides religious beliefs. For example culture can also be gender, age, interests and so forth. It wasn’t until after I asked the definition did I explain to them the other types of culture and all of my participants shook their heads and were like of course.

Thinking about other people’s definition of culture and diversity help me to realize that before taking these courses I am sure that I was thinking about these subjects in a vague way as well. I am glad that I now have a better understanding of what being part of a culture is like.

My Family Culture

The three items I would take with me to my “host country” would be the Bible, our family picture, and a picture of President Obama and his family.

I would carry the Bible, to show that we have faith and know that as long as we continue to believe everything will be alright, He will make a way.

Our family picture is important because it shows how different we are on the outside, yet how we are still one heart. We may fight and argue but at the end of the day we are family and nothing can tear us down.

The picture of President Obama and his family represents the struggle we as a family has gone through and that there is still hope for a brighter day. Everything may not be perfect but if we continue to pray and hope, anything is possible.

If we were told upon arrival we had to give up two of the three things, the one thing I would keep would be my Bible. Even if the country has a different belief system, my believes in my God are very important to me and I would want to keep my faith strong by always reading and having my Bible nearby.

I realized that my family has its faults and we may always fight with each other, but when it comes down to us becoming whole for a greater cause, we don’t hesitate. I love my family and the many different things each person represents. I love my family even more the wholeness we always maintain.