Race & Ethnicity #3

When we have to take a hard look at ourselves we become very uncomfortable. Especially when it deals with how we view others. As I read through chapter 2 and pondered how I perceived race and ethnicity, I quickly came to realize that in education I MUST be colorblind. Although that is not a ‘handicap’ that many educators desire to possess. Through my experience as an educator in the USA I have seen more prejudice come from educators versus that that comes from students. As educators our target audience constantly changes and to deliver the information that we must hand across to our students we should understand in which the world they come from. In this I feel as though we are to be just as open as to share ourselves and our world. A connection must be achieved before education can begin.

What surprises me about some educators is how they are not willing to listen or even consider new information that is brought forth in updated textbooks. For example, in the subject of history or science, new information and documents are found constantly that change what we have been taught in the past. Are we not liable to present that information and accept it as progression? So many educators refuse to even entertain these changes due to the fact that is rocks their belief system of what is right or what they were taught. As educator we are constant learners and are required to be to give a proper education to our students.

Teaching a child based on your assumptions of their race is a grave injustice. If educators would begin to look at each child as their own and how they would want their children to be treated I feel as though this would change how they interact with their students. Are we human yes, but the same ethics we expect our law makers and enforcers to abide by so should we. Our students are too precious for us to hold their ethnicity or race against them and shame to any educator who does. For those who do if you ever wonder why your students disrespect and disobey you, look deep within yourself and see how you may be subliminally treating them and you may have the answer to your issue.