After reading the first chapter, it really opened my eyes to how racism really is. Gary discussed in the first chapter about his experiences with diversity starting from high school. My favorite part of the chapter was after Gary had experienced as a volunteer position when he was attending Yale. He participated as the only white staff member at the Black Identity and Leadership summer camp. He also moved into the Hill, when he got married. Although, this was all good and brought diversity straight into his life, the real challenge was when he was asked to go back into his own towns and educate them on diversity. He had entered into a time where he rejected his own racial identity. His early attempts were a struggle with the White community when his approach was "What you need to know is that you're a racist." It wasn't until he began his teaching career, that he realized what kind of approach he needed. In the effort to reeducate White America, it has to be more than appreciating other cultures, and beyond our own racism. It is is provide more than that, but to show we are more than what history has defined us.
I was surprised by reading Gary Howard's thoughts. I, however, strongly agree with him. Diversity is not all about just educating White America about the past and what has happen; but looking at cultures now and appreciating them and experiencing them. It is showing through our actions and words that we are not the same people as history may say we are. This goes both ways with the way minorities may see whites as well as how whites see certain minorities. There are stereotypes with all groups of people and this book is discussing how to break those barriers.
Last semester I had an experience similar to this. I was in Educ 201 for Fine Arts in the Classroom. I was in the drama group and we were sent to Hertzl Elementary School at 14th and Ridgeway in Chicago. It was a Chicago Public School in a neighborhood of all blacks. I was skeptical on how this project would go. However, meeting those students change my outlook. I was given a group of four 1st grade boys who were considered the lowest reading level. I had prepared scripts and all these plans; however, we struggled with just reading through the script. I left a little distraught and annoyed that I didn't get more done. When we went back the next week, the light in their eyes when they saw me walk in was amazing. They were so excited to work on the play. My eyes were opened to no matter what these boys skin color, making an impact is more important. Some of these boys had rough home lives, most not living with both parents, or their parents at all. Those students saw me just as a teacher there to help them. It didn't matter to them that I was a white girl. All that matter was the play and that was a great experience for me in a situation I had never experienced.
The book I am reading is called "Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom" by Lisa Delpit. Delpit would definitely agree with what Howard discusses in his book about the importance of appreciating the cultures of other people. I have read Howard's book before and almost everything that he says throughout every chapter can be linked with what Delpit has said so far in the parts of her book that I have read. A person's culture means a lot to them and when people do not appreciate each other's cultures and rather disregards them, then they are trying to say that one of the most important parts of that person does not matter at all. In classrooms, teachers have to be very careful with this because as soon as you let a student feel like this, you will probably have trouble gaining their interest in almost anything that you do in the class. You will lost their respect because tehy see that you do not respect them or their culture. This is why what Howard and Delpit both say is so important: that students' cultures should be seen not only as important enough to be acknowledged, but important enough to be shared in the classroom. By affirming students' culture, background, and experiences, a teacher will gain their respect and learn more valuable things about that student than they could have ever imagined.
ReplyDeleteI want to say that I found your first post interesting. The book I am reading is "The trouble with Black Boys..." by Pedro Noguera. I find it rather interesting that the author of the book you are reading found that it was that much of a struggle to both maintain his identity and respect the identities of his Black co-workers. I also find that there are often many reasons that communities are not diverse than simply racism. There are many cultural differences that simply leave people feeling there is not much common ground. Norguera addresses the issue of a growing awareness of racial differences in adolescent children. As these children get older they begin to see differences, and at times are pressured by their peers to behave the way they are supposed to according to racial divides. He argues that many times it is the Black students peers that pressure them away from taking AP classes or things of this nature. It is not then a matter of racism or discrimination, but the persons peers telling them the activity or class is not something their culture is supposed to do. I do, however, believe that many times there is a combination of many factors at work in limiting diversity. To be sure I also believe we as teachers and more importantly as Christians need to be intentional about honoring and encouraging diversity.
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