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Self reflection on cultural competence for educators
Self reflection on cultural competence for educators
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Self reflection on cultural competence for educators
Self reflection on cultural competence for educators
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
During the time of the Great Depression, African Americans struggled the most already being the poorest people in America, but this changed with The Second World War which brought jobs and more rights to African Americans. In Chapters 10 and 11 of the book Creating Black Americans: African-American History and its meanings, 1619 to the present by Nell Irvin Painter, the author outlines the struggle for African Americans during the Great Depression, and even after during the New Deal era, then shows how they came out of it and became more successful and powerful during The Second World War. The Great Depression started with the crash of the stock market, and led to 25% of all American workers losing their jobs, most of which were African Americans.
Within the context of African American literature, there is a common portrayal of a self-conscious narrator who takes on a quest for his or her own self-definition. This portrayal is frequently led by the so-called mulatto, a character of mixed background who is passing and has this ability to be able to cross over the coloured line to the white side. However, this white passing comes with a heavy internal conflict and this struggle for self-identity is captured in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. James Weldon Johnson epitomizes the struggles that a mixed-race protagonist would experience as he crosses the social boundary from the coloured side to the white side. Through this portrayal of a mixed race coloured man, Johnson is able to portray two well established literary troupes within African American literature: the tragic mulatto and the ex-slave narrative.
Prejudices and, more specifically, racial prejudices have been a plague on society for an extensive amount of time. Most believe that the worst of racial prejudices are in the past and that society has moved past them; however, Brent Staples argues that society is nowhere near past these prejudices. Staples argues this through his great use of rhetorical strategies to implement credibility and emotion into his essay. The first strategy that Staples uses to convey his message is his use of credibility to appeal to his audience.
Black history month is a yearly commemoration dedicated to the accomplishments made by African Americans. As an African American female, I am persistently faced with discrimination, stereotyping and sexism. I am aware that the racism and discrimination we face today is not nearly as atrocious as what my ancestors experienced, but it is still exceedingly difficult being black in America. I give thanks to the great deal of African Americans before my time who fought for our freedom. There are countless blacks who inspire and motivate me everyday.
I Am African American I am an African American female. My whole life I’ve been told this and let this one fact become my identity; but this may not be the best way to approach my race, and who I am as a person. As a child, the media and the people around me acted as if my race described my likes/dislikes, my level of intelligence, or even who I am as a person. This idea society has of African Americans is wrong for a majority of reasons, and I challenged it a long time ago.
In the past I have struggled with my biracial identity. As a child I was confused about which community I belonged in because I am a mix of Navajo and Caucasian. As I got older, I began to question myself and who I was. I felt like I did not belong to either the Native or Caucasian community because in both groups I felt like someone else. I felt as if I had to live two lives that were completely separated.
Delgado and Stefancic (2011) stated that Critical Race Theory explores how “race, racism, and power intersect to create different circumstances for people of color within society [...] and in postsecondary institutions” (as cited in Quaye, 2013, p. 172). Within the field of higher education, it is important for student affairs professionals to recognize how race permeates all aspects of an individual’s life to fully understand their students’ experiences. Unlike other student development theories, such as Baxter-Magolda’s (2008) self-authorship and Abes, Jones, and McEwen’s (2007) Model of Multiple Identities, CRT places race at the “center of the analysis and assumes that race is omnipresent” in an individual’s life (Quaye, 2013, p. 167).
It was my first day at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ). I entered the building and silence rippled through the hall and hung in the air like heavy fog until a sharp whisper cut through. “It’s a black guy.” Those were the first four words I heard in high school and those four words have stuck with me for the past three and a half years. TJ is no stranger to the issue of race; race has been a dark stain on the history of my high school, most notably when it came under investigation by the NAACP in 2012 for disparities in admissions.
The educational system in America contains numerous racial disparities that affects the very core of the children who is suppose to benefit from education. This disparity comes in many forms in primary schools, a teacher’s attitude being one of them (Epps, 1995). A teacher’s attitude in a classroom consisting of a racially diverse children is a large contributing factor to the academic success of their students, more specifically, the minority African American students. It is a given that all schools should employ qualified teacher who are passionate about their students and the quality of education they provide to these students. Unfortunately, that is not the case for many urban schools that house a large proportion of African American students
Heaved I ever experience racism? How did it make me feel? Yes, I have experience racism. It was not the best feeling ever it made me feel like crap. It’s funny how people make you feel if you’re a different race.
(pg.80) Acknowledging and embracing a student’s racial or ethnic background is important, but it is just a piece of the educational puzzle. Effective teachers must be culturally responsive, with fine-tuned classroom management skills, and high expectations for all their students. It is crucial for an effective
To resolve these relating to segregation and educational inequity, educators must face racism upfront. Educators have to confront their own, sometimes unmindful, racism, and then move toward integration that will lead to a better cure of racism or at least a prejudice reduction. Important aspects of a multicultural curriculum include critical thinking, emotional intelligence instruction, character, moral education, peace education, service learning, antiviolence education, and the comprehensive of education etc. Sandra Parks, a successful educator, believes that by adapting the curriculum and by addressing expressions of racism, schools can help students improve to by understanding and dealing with other people, of peoples color and cultural differences. She believes that teachers have to show respect towards their students, their families, and their students' cultural backgrounds.
The nonfiction novel, Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell is a fascinating journey of students in an urban city. When she, the new teacher enters a high school with underprivileged students and unsuccessful teachers, everyone underestimates her ability to stick to the job. However, they are all dumbfounded as they watch and experience the journey Ms. Gruwell takes her students on. First, in the beginning of the novel, Gruwell explains to readers how she began as a student teacher, (a very naive one) and had a rude awakening when she realized how much one’s culture and area can impact their lives. From there, the story keeps coming back to that one point.
Racism: Why It Should Be Taught To Children Racism has, and always has had, a great effect on American society. Still to this day, even after the civil war over slavery in the 19th century and the anti-segregation movements of the 20th century, countless peoples still face ridicule over the color of their skin or the shape of their face. If it were to be taught in schools that judging someone based on their appearance is bad, then perhaps there wouldn’t be such an integration of racism in modern American society. Not simply learning ‘don’t be a racist’ in a high school social studies course while half asleep or thinking of what’s for lunch, but the concept of just how much it can affect someone’s life in such a negative way should be taught to children throughout their whole school careers. Without outwardly influence, children are proven to be unbiased.
Without a doubt racism still has an influence in the education system. Students in school today are still harmed by prejudice in the system and this interview is verification for those instances. My interviewee and I attended the same elementary and high school together. We shared