I’m a 22 year old, African American woman who actually looks like all of her students…except for one. I’m not too keen of the title Bonnie Davis chose for this text, mainly because looking like my students has not always made my job any easier or less confusing. In fact, while reading the text, I noted that much of what Davis recommends can be applied to the teaching experience of a an educator who actually does look like her students.
According to the text, culture is the total of everything an individual learns by growing up in a particular context and results in a set of expectations for appropriate behavior. In other words, culture is everything your do that allows you to identify with people who are like you and distinguishes you from people who differ from you. It is often perceived that people of the same race share the same culture. While this is sometimes true, there are many more factors that contribute to one’s cultural makeup. Nonetheless, I must contest that being able to understand some of the struggles that my students have faced as an African American and continue to face in and outside of school has helped me in a lot of areas of my first year teaching experience.
Davis says “diverse learners enter in our classroom with a diversity experiences.” Even as a Black woman and someone who looks like most of my students, I found myself often being frustrated with my children in the beginning because of their learned practices. I often had to charge myself to check my own biases, after failing to acknowledge the idea that although my students were brown like me, their experiences in Baltimore were completely different from mine growing up in New Jersey. Just as their educational, family, and community experiences had shaped each of them into someone different, so had mine. I had to learn how to “reach and teach them all.” (Davis 13) instead of putting up walls in front of the students who required a little more work to reach.
One of the most important points that Davis makes is the fact that we as educators have to learn the communication styles and preferences amongst our students. Moreover, the more you know about the cultures of your diverse learners, the better equipped you will be to teach them. For me, this expands beyond skin tone. While communication styles differ amongst different races of people, from my experience it is clear that there is a regional difference in communication style as well. Another important point that Davis stresses is the fact that misreading cultural communication cues can result in behavior issues and incorrect feedback about learning (Davis 15) Just like in any other relationship, the teacher/student relationship can experience growth or failure because of communication. It is up to us to look deeper into our students’ lives. We can’t always look at surface. We must get to know them on a slightly more personal level. Where do they live? With whom do they live? What schools did they attend before? Do they go to church or to mosque? Are they living with their parents or a guardian? Is he or she one of six or an only child? All of these factors and more are things that can alter the communication style of a student and can determine how culturally comfortable a child feels in our classroom.
Although many of the ideas in the text are relevant and applicable for many, I’d be curious to know the following:
- If I was actually teaching students who looked differently than I, do I have a right to stereotype them and teach based on their “obvious” culture? I.e.: is it safe to assume that all Vietnamese children appreciate structure in the classroom?
- How is it appropriate to judge your classroom on television shows, which typically over-exaggerate many stereotypes?
All in all, we as educators must always be inclusive, and must always find ways to reach each and every one of our students. Meeting our students where they are and guiding them in order to meet high expectations in our classroom is key. We cannot allow our own biases and/or cultural differences to negatively interfere, but instead use it as a tool to grow ourselves and our students
Jasmine
Jasmine,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing; it was interesting to get your perspective. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in the ideas and questions that a book raises, that we forget to challenge it, too. What if you do look like your students? Is the color of our skin really what it is all about? Culture is about so much more than skin color, and I think you're right in saying that our ability to relate to our students depends on so many factors outside of race and ethnicity, like beliefs, values, religion, class, political views, gender, age, sexual orientation, etc. It's a catchy title, but maybe not the best one.
When you started this job, did you think you'd be at an advantage, in terms of connecting with your students, because of your shared race? How has this thinking changed/remained the same?
Jasmine,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that your ability to relate to your students depends on so much more than you skin color, including your ethnicity, beliefs, values, religion, class, political views, gender, age, sexual orientation. All of the big demographic factors play a role, but I am forced to believe that the more human factors, like kindness, respect and shared decency play a much large role in who my students think I am and how I view them.
Jasmine,
ReplyDeleteI loved your post. Well done. While I have not read your book, I can understand where you are coming from when you said: "In fact, while reading the text, I noted that much of what Davis recommends can be applied to the teaching experience of a an educator who actually does look like her students."
Often times I think about the emphasis some people put on what one looks like, and I start to wonder, what if all of my students looked like me, but stayed the exact same otherwise. Their childhood experiences, their families, their communities, and their overall upbringings stayed the same. What would change? Would my teaching style change? Would I change? Would the school change? I don't know. I would hope that we are doing the best for our kids, regardless of what they look like, but maybe not.
Anyway, in my mind, I like to think that whether you look like your students or not, you are doing the best for them. You simply reaffirmed this in your post when you said that the strategies for teaching someone who looks different from you can also be used for teaching someone who looks like you.
Jasmine,
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing this topic to light. I have often found myself in the middle of this overly simplistic idea that when you look like your students, you automatically have fewer issues than other teachers who do not look like their students. My students are curious about my background and contrary to the idea that differences make it more difficult, I have found that my differences have created a connection with my students. Their immense curiosity about my Korean heritage has created some of the richest conversations that my students and I have had.
-Michelle
“Moreover, the more you know about the cultures of your diverse learners, the better equipped you will be to teach them. For me, this expands beyond skin tone. While communication styles differ amongst different races of people, from my experience it is clear that there is a regional difference in communication style as well.”
ReplyDeleteThe above portion of your post resonated with me, because I have had the distinct advantage of teaching students from the same socioeconomic backgrounds in different regions. In Charlotte, my students placed a strong emphasis on respect and the role of children and adults. I immediately formed relationship with them due to our similarities in race and regional backgrounds. My students didn’t share much about their cultures with me because we all assumed that our backgrounds were the same. At the end of the year, I applied to transfer to the Baltimore region.
I assumed that since my students in Baltimore would share similar mindsets and behaviors as my students in Charlotte. I tried to avoid the media’s portrayal of my future students simply because I knew that they would be sensationalized. I didn’t realize that my own mindsets would be a barrier between my students and I. I struggled to communicate with them without being perceived as overbearing. I knew very little about their neighborhoods or backgrounds. I had to find a new way to reach my students. My first year in the classroom didn’t teach me how to be culturally responsive. In contrast, it taught me how to use common traits to form relationships. My experience in Baltimore has shown me how multiculturalism goes beyond skin color and reaches into the culture that is shaped by the region itself. Although starkly different from my previous experience, I appreciate my experiences in Baltimore more, because I am challenged to reflect on my own biases that are not related to race. The appearance of a teacher can be important initially, but the formation of meaningful relationships with students truly transforms the classroom.
Jasmine,
ReplyDeleteYour post was thoughtful and extremely poignant. In so many ways, skin color has not been the greatest of the differences that I feel from my students. I feel way more that the socioeconomic difference has been overwhelming. Luckily, as a first grade teacher,the differences that I have with my students don't seem to shape our personal relationship. My students don't affix labels too me, as they are fairly young to do so, and as a result, they don't seem me as any different than another teacher. While I strongly feel the cultural difference myself and struggle to understand as much as I can about my students home and culture, I don't think they see it which is comforting to me (except when they see me try to dance which they find hilarious!). In this way, should we all be taking advice from the openess of six year olds, even those who have been exposed to way more than many six year olds? Their welcoming nature and automatic trust seems to me as hope for the future.