Practiciing Awareness of Microaggressions

I was on the lookout for situations that involved microaggressions this week, but since I didn’t get out of the house much I was unable to view any type of situation. I decided to inform you all about an incident that occurred at the end of this past school year. My principal came in to observe my teaching methods and techniques. After the observation, I stopped in his office to discuss what he saw. The discussion went well. He praised my teaching ability and stated that I was a role model for African American students in the school because I “made it” in becoming a teacher. I know he meant this as a compliment, but as he elaborated I got the feeling that he was assuming that I went through the “typical” struggles in life as an African American female. I left his office wondering what it was in life that I had to overcome to succeed in being an educator. I graduated 7^th in my high school and received my bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. Even though my parents divorced when I was 1, both parents were still majorly involved in my life and I didn’t have to go without the necessities in life in order to survive. So, what was it in my life where I “overcame the odds”?

This was a perfect example of microinvalidations (Laureate Education, 2011). He didn’t intentionally try to hurt my feelings, but the discussion took place in such a way that I left wondering if I was over thinking the situation. Because of this, I didn’t want to say anything. Plus, I knew he didn’t mean any harm. The effects of discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes can be everlasting. I will always remember this situation, but will never truly know what was meant by his words unless I ask him.

 Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Webcast].
Baltimore, MD: Author.

Perspectives on Diversity and Cultures

I asked my friends, colleagues, and family members what their definitions are of culture and diversity. Throughout this course, I have learned that culture is how people live in a society and what they believe in. This is a term that covers too many aspects to cover. It involves the way people talk, react to situations, different religions, their type of style, etc. Diversity involves the differences between people. When I asked others what culture means, all three of them responded with a definition similar to the ones studied throughout this course. They said it involves how people live, how they are raised, how they act, and how they communicate with others. When questioned about diversity, their answers differed more. They responded with definitions such as a mixture of cultures, differences within cultures, and overcoming things in life. Their meanings about culture were pretty much spot on, but their meanings of diversity weren’t as clear. However, they did link both culture and diversity together. Learning other people’s definitions of these two terms made me realize that more people know about these terms than I expected. So in other words, within every culture is diversity and diversity involves cultures within the world.

My Family Culture

Trying to figure out what three items I would take with me to another country was a rather difficult decision. I guess the three items would be my photo album, my cell phone, and my laptop. These three things are very meaningful to me because they contain my life stories and evidence of my work throughout my life. My photo album has many pictures in it, stemming back to my childhood and before I was born. My cell phone has many more pictures, mainly of my friends, and videos of my everyday life and the ones I cherish most in life. Finally, I’d take my laptop because it has almost too much information on it. It has coursework from my undergraduate and graduate years, lesson plans, pictures, journals, interactive activities, and much more! If, upon arrival to this other country, they told me that I could only keep one of these three items, I would choose my photo album but would feel devastated. I would feel like a part of me was being left behind. However, my album is the only evidence that I have of my past family members. It contains memories that even I can’t recall or recreate.

In completing this blog, I realized how much technology is important to me, not just for the convenience, but for the storage of memories and work. However, when it comes down to it, technology can’t take the place of my experiences and culture.