In social studies we watched a segment done by Anderson Cooper on how children look, and see, skin color. I was mesmerized with the entire segment. I have felt that I am one of those parents that has talked a great deal to my children about skin color but after watching this segment I was left to wonder if I really have. An African-American mother commented that because of the negative stereotyping that her children are exposed to she MUST talk about color. This made me think... if my children were in that position, would I talk differently about the subject? I think I would..
In tech class I have learned how to develop a website! This has been so much fun! I've begun to create different tabs with favorite books, favorite math sites, what's in the news, etc.. The only problem? I need a classroom of students and parents to show it to!
In math class I learned to solve 16X18 in my head! This may be easier to some of you, as it was to some of my peers at the table I sat at, but when I was given the problem I immediately whipped out a piece of paper and figured it out the long way (or old school way). Then I learned the half/double routine:
16 x 18
8 x 36
4 x 72
2 x 144
1 x 288
Basically, what this all means is that you have to take a problem and change it to make it easier for you!
Outside of my classes...
I have been writing things I am thankful for everyday on Facebook. When I started out I was thinking, "Oh boy... this is going to be hard." I am actually finding it to be the opposite. I haven't had any trouble thinking of things, which has made me realized that as often as I think I'm losing it, I truly am not. I have a very blessed life that I have worked hard at and enjoy where I am at and who I share it with.
I have also learned that I am not superwoman! This has been a very hard thing for me to admit... I have always been able to do it all... and I probably still do way too much... but I am learning to say "NO" to a lot and as hard as it was at first, it is getting easier....
Lastly, I have learned that I will make a great teacher because I still believe in the importance of it. I am not expected to know it all but to only help my students find and build that passion within them to learn.
I agree! The video clip we watched in our social studies class was shocking. I didn't think that the darker skinned children would want to be or see it as more attractive to be white. I assumed that the majority of them would choose the dark skinned cartoon characters as better/nicer/smarter, because they themselves are dark. Although we want our students to see everyone as equally capable, and beautiful in different ways, I was saddened by their choosing of the white characters, and not the dark ones, to indicate as the better color to have.
ReplyDeleteIt made me wonder what they are being exposed to that makes them feel like they are less than the lighter skinned children. Are we, as influential adults, implying in some way, whether discreetly or obviously, that white is better?
I hope, especially as teachers, that we never show preference toward whatever category it may be- skin color, gender, personality type- and making the other students feel like they're not good enough.
It was really good to see at least a couple students being comfortable in their own skin, and not letting that determine who they are, and what they can be. We need to allow students to accept themselves and others as they are and to see the strengths in everyone.
For fairly obvious reasons, during the whole video, I caught myself wondering about all those kids who aren’t “black” or “white”. I understand that they did that to help when making comparisons to the older study, but it still made me wonder. Is the media (and society) giving these kids the same message?
ReplyDeleteAs the mother of bi-racial children, the sister of a Samoan-American, and the wife of a Korean-American, race has come up in conversation from time to time. I try to lead by example, but honestly, how do we ever know if they are hearing and understanding what we think we are saying (or doing)? I have been making assumptions for too long that they are thinking the same way that I do! After watching this video I have begun to realize that I might not be doing everything that I can to make sure that my own children are walking through this life with the knowledge that they need to be fair and good people.
In a comment to one of Kristen’s blog entries (http://coho15.blogspot.com/2010/11/phonological-awareness.html#)I wrote about how I use positive literature to create mentally invasive positive examples of how society “should be”. I’m starting to realize that this might not be enough. It’s hard to talk about in plain English for many of us who were raised not to “look” at race. But maybe it’s important that we start.
Thank you for this post. I resonated with your section on "Outside of my classes." I needed that this week.
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