Please share with your classmates the diversity, or lack thereof, in your school experiences from kindergarten through high school. Include your feelings and attitudes towards those who were different from you (socially, financially, racially, etc.).
How do your experiences help/hinder how you will work with diverse students in your classroom?
Growing up in a small rural town in western Kansas did not allow me to experience diversity at an early age. I was not around others who were not like me in elementary, junior high, and not in high school either. My entire class, as well as those ten years older and younger than me, were all almost all Caucasian. Most came from descent families, in terms of financial upbringing, with some having more money at their disposal and some with less. It was the typical high school environment for western Kansas. My class did have one non-white student whose name was Adam. He was Asian and a very good person. The only thing I did not like was that he was picked on frequently, especially by the popular ‘jocks’ in high school. It was almost as if he was an outcast because he looked different than the rest of us. Looking back I wonder why they picked on him as much as they did. Was it because they themselves were intimidated by someone different? Most of these students, who graduated with us, from what I have learned, did not do well in college. Could it be that they did not fit in well with society outside of their small high school? I treated, or tried to treat, everyone with respect and kindness, no matter what their social or financial differences were. I am not saying that I was not without fault, but I really did and do believe that treating others how you want to be treated is extremely important. The only time I actually learned about diversity was in college at Kansas State. Even at a university such as K-State, with a student population of around 23,000, diversity is still an issue to this day. Ninety percent of the student body is Caucasian with the other ten percent being African American, Asian, or another nationality. This is not what one would expect out of such a large student body. As of two years ago, they were working on ways to increase their diversity throughout the student body. When I look back on my education, diversity was a non issue and one that I never really thought about until just the past couple of years.
I grew up in Wichita, Kansas. I lived in South Wichita growing up and still do. Growing up, my family and only about 2 others, were the only African American families in this area. The majority of our neighbors were White. I went to school down the street, William Allen White elementary school Kindergarten through 4th grade. They made it mandatory my 5th grade year that 3rd-5th grade went to Funston, which was about 1/4 mile away and Kindergarten through 2nd grade went to White Elementary. While at White, I was the only AFrican aAmerican students in my class every year. At Funston, my 5th grade year, I was the only African American studentt in my class too. there were only 5 African American students that went to White Elem, one for each grade. I am sure ther were a few, but I do not remember many Asian Americans, Indians American, Native Americans or Mexican Americans at White Elementary. Most of the students were White. All of my classmates each year were all white, I have the school photos to prove it. This did not have a negative affect on me. However, I can say that I did not have an African American friend until 6th grade. At Funston, there was pretty much the same thing; mostly White students. There were more African American students at Funston; however, there were more classes, so there was still only 1 African American student per class.
In middle schoo, there were a lot more African American students and other races as well. I do no thnk this had a negative effect on me. I was aware that there were other races, I was just not exposed to many of them unitl middle school.
I realluy can say that college has shaped me into accepting and appreciatign diversity. I went to Wichita State University and the population was very diverse. I was involved in a lot of clubs and held deveral leadership positioons, so I was always exposed to people of different cultures, races and financial and social statuses. I think this was great becuase I was able to gain tolerance for people who were different from me, but then again, I had been doing that most of my life already because of the lack of diversity at my elementary schools. I think that being around people that were different from me for most of my life was a good thing.
I think my experiences will help me cope with my classes when I start teaching because the students will be very diverse. Since I have been around pepoe that are different from me for the majority of my life, accepting studetns that are different from me will not be a problem. Insteaf of fearing someone who is different from me racially, financially and socially, I celebrate the opportunity to learn more about them and their culture. I think my past experiences with lack of diversity has allowed me to be intereted in culture and has made me very accepting of those different than me.
Mark V. To not be around people who are different from you for most of your education can be a bad thing. Perhaps you will use this as a way to want to learn more about people that are different than you. If you do this, you should have no problem with tolerating people from different cultures. They probably picked on Adam because he was different and his facial appearance only made that more of a fact. They might have been jealous of him too.
Today, White Elem is more diverse than it was when I was going to school there. My niece and nephew went there and I have gone back to observe students. This is good news. The area which I grew up in and still live today is also more diverse. Gone are the days when there was only 1 African American student in each class. The majority of students are still white, but there is a lot more diversity than when I was there. Funston Elementary was unfortunately torn down about 5 years ago when Wichita passed the bond issues because it was over 100 years old and in disrepair.
I grew up in a small town in northeast Kansas. Therefore, my school experiences were strongly lacking in diversity. All of my classmates were white from Kindergarten until 5th grade. At that time a new student moved to our town. She was African-American and was the first non white person that I remember living in our town. I feel as though for the most part she was accepted into our class. I think more than being a different race, it was the fact that she was a new person in the class period. People didn’t move into or out of town very often – with a few exceptions, I had the same people in my classes from Kindergarten through high school. I was exposed to some diversity during high school as our school would occasionally sponsor a foreign exchange student. Looking back now, that would have been a great opportunity to learn about a different country and culture. However, at the time, as a high school student that wasn’t something I thought about. Often the foreign exchange students kept mostly to themselves or with a few students they had become close with.
So in terms of race or ethnicity there were few variances in my school experience. In regards to finances, there were slight differences. Most students and their families were somewhere in the middle class. There were some families that would be considered upper middle class, while others lower. Poorer families were also present. I remember clothing being important during my school experience – having the right brand of jeans always comes to mind. There were girls that always had the best clothes and others that were made fun of for what they wore.
While my school experiences were lacking in diversity, I think it has actually made me want to work harder to get to know others who are different from me and to make sure that I promote diversity in my classroom. I know now that I will have a diverse classroom; and it is something I want to prepare for because I want my students to have a richer experience than I was able to have growing up. I think we can all learn so much from one another and I want to take advantage of that and give my students the same opportunity as well.
Mark - I had an experience similar to yours. My elementary and high school experiences were lacking in diversity. I got to see and experience differences once I got to college. I went to UNL, but like you, it was not as diverse as it probably could be. It was more diverse than my previous schooling - yet the majority of students were white. Also, I think your philosophy of treating others as you would like to be treated is a great idea to pass on to students.
I could not agree more with you in the fact that not being around other people who are different from you is a bad thing. Even going to Kansas State really did not change much of anything, although it was much more diverse than the small town I came from. I cant believe that you did not have an African American friend until the 6th grade, that is just crazy. I would imagine that you felt alone at times and for that I am sorry. My story is so much different than yours and I couldnt imagine being the only white person in a school or classroom. I am sure, however, that this made you a better person and a more well rounded person. Take care and I will visit with you soon!!
Sarah, Your experiences must be very similar to mine. I thought going to a large university would put me in a place where diversity was prevalent, I was wrong. Do not get me wrong, there is much more diversity where I am now, but not a huge change. I was glad to see that the girl who moved to your town was accepted better than Adam was in mine. I would imagine that your high school did have more diversity than mine, it was simply lacking. Like you too, it did make me want to meet others from different cultures, background, and ethnic groups. So yes, I too would say that we had similar circumstances.
I grew up in a small Western Kansas town. In my town there are many Hispanics and I am Caucasian. My best friend is Mexican(I always have used this term but for some reason it seems wrong) Hispanic. Her an I lived very different home lives. She lived with five other sibling and her single mother. I lived with my three other siblings and a mother and father are married. I had one really good friend that was African American but he was adopted by two white parents. I really do not feel that there was much diversity in my small town. When I went to college for my first degree I learned about people that were very different from me. I think that FHSU has done a really good job with the international students. I had roommates that were lesbians. This was very difficult at first because I really did not know how to handle the situation. The experience helped me understand people that have a sexual orientation that is not like mine. I still strongly feel that relationships should be between a man and woman but I also think that we all deserved to be loved. I think that for me I can be a good teacher that can handle diversity. I do no think it will be easy. There are so many different cultures and their are more cultures mixing. This will lead to different culture. I will need to educate myself as much as possible and remember that being a teacher is helping my students learn in many different ways about many different things.
Martecia I think going to college helped me understand and expect diversity in a good way. Growing up and still my best friend is of a different culture and SES status than me. I saw how difficult things were for her and her siblings. I think this has made me very sympathetic to people that are different to me. College opened my eyes up more to many other beliefs of people and cultures.
I grew up in a small town. I do not remember a lot of diversity. The thing I do remember in my school was that a black student entered our school. She was the only black student. I always wondered how she felt. I was always nice to her but felt a little awkward hanging out with her. I eased my way into getting to know her. I found that she was so cool and I really liked being friends with her. She did not seem to think of us as any different and to me that said a lot. Our school also participated in the foreign exchange programs that helped with diversity. My town did not seem to have diversity growing up except the ones I mentioned. The population was white and that was how it was. It wasn't until I moved to SW Kansas and began to see the different cultures within the school systems. The school that I went to growing up is full of Hispanic now. I feel no difference in who they are. I feel that the even though the diversity was low growing up that I am able to take diversity and grow from it. I learn something new about different cultures and to me it is interesting to know their personal views.
Martecia- I am glad that you did not seem to have any negative feelings growing up. I think that in today's world we are more accepting because there is so many more diverse students. I know in SW Kansas we have some of the German families in which I had never experienced before. I think it is neat to understand where they come from and their background. I also think they could teach other students about their heritage. Students could see where they come from. I know some students have brought favorite foods for different occasions and it is amazing to see the students not understand that even sometimes food is different. Mexican food has kind of been around but Asian food has not and to see the students face when Asian food is brought is so funny. I think students today don't feel insecure around someone with a different culture and that is great.
I grew up in what is considered a small town just outside of Los Angeles, California. I feel that the schools I went to had a fairly diverse group of students. The schools were predominately white but we had students of all backgrounds and not just one or two. I had friends that were of all backgrounds, color, religion, socio economic status, etc. I don't remember ever having any problems or seeing any problems with any specific race there was more of a rivalry between our school district and the neighboring school district because the other school district students had quite a bit more money and was a richer neighborhood.
Growing up outside of Los Angeles has given me the opportunity to have a better understanding of different cultures. Having the diversity in my life that I had I feel will give me a good foundation for understanding students that come from different backgrounds.
Sarah, I like how you stated that you work harder to get to know others. Even though I grew up in a diverse environment I still like to learn about others' cultures and get a better understanding of their lifestyles. My next door neighbor is from Thailand and I have learned so much from her and about her culture. I find different cultures interesting and at times exciting. As educators I think it would be good for us to learn from the students parents what their lifestyle or culture is so that we can better understand our students. Most people are more than happy to share information about their culture.
Mark, Yeah, Wichita is a big city and it is hard to believe my situation, but it is true. I can't believe it either, it's so weird in comparison to the diversity I see in elem schools today and even in the elem school I went to. Yes, I did feel lonely a lot of times because i didn't think my classmates could relate to me because I was a different race and the only African American in class. Also, there were no African American staff members that I could talk to and relate to either.
I agree with you about how college can allow you to better understand, expect and even appreciate diversity. I think my experiences have allowed me to be sensitive to those who are different than me because I remember how I felt sometimes being the only African American student in my class those many years. I felt lonely at times and I can relate to someone who may be different from the majority and could possibly feel the same way.
I grew up in a small town in western Kansas where the population is mostly caucasion. However, in my graduating class we had 33 students. One was hispanic, and two were african american. We were all together from the beginning in kindergarten, so it really wasn't anything new for us. We all grew up together, we accepted each other. Of course, there are a few bad apples in every class that like to pick on people, but they were never targeted as the kids to pick on. In my high school of about 130 kids there were proabably 3 Hispanic Americans, and 6 African Americans. Attending Fort Hays State University as been a change, even though the campus is predominately caucasion. The ethnic background is a lot more diverse here. There are several Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, and several other races. I have had the chance to interact with more with a diverse group of people. However, even growing up in a small town without much diversity, I don't think this will hinder my teaching abilities. My mom taught us from the time my siblings and I were young to treat everybody with respect and the kindness that they deserve. I would never treat a person or a student with any disrespect because of the race they are. Teaching students of different ethnic background my aid me in learning more them culturally. This would help me become a more well rounded individual.
Martecia I think you understand diversity very well. When you become a teacher, you will know how to make your students that may be a different race or of ethnic background than other students feel welcome since you grew up as one of the only African American student in your class. I think you have a good first hand experience on the issue. The statement "Treat others as you would want to be treated," is so true. Everybody wants to be treated with kindness, respect, and to fit in with the kids their age. You will be a great teacher!
I grew up in Woodland Park, CO where I thought I went to a small school. Our graduating class was 125 and it was not until I moved to KS and enrolled my son in a class of 7 that I knew I didn't go to a small school. I don't remember a lot of diversity in my school, but do remember that we had two African-American boys in high school. I think they were more popular than me so predjudice and discrimination was not something I saw or even thought about. I do remember kids getting picked on, though. Specifically, I remember the overweight boy and the girl who lacked skim pigment and had very white hair and fair skin. I hated that they always sat alone and were made to feel "different". SES was slightly evident but mostly with the kids who got brand new cars when they turned 16. There was a lot of jealousy that came across in name calling and assumptions about those that had more.
The first time I realized how diverse our country is happened when I moved to Phoeniz, AZ. On my first day of training to be a waitress, I wanted to ask the cooks for something and realized they didn't speak English. I wanted to help clear a table and realized the bus girl didn't speak English either. This was a real eye-opener for me. To make a long story short, over the next few years I think I learned as much Spanish as they learned English.
Today, my husband and I send our five kids to a very small, rural school where there seems to be more diversity in one class than I remember in my entire school. We adopted two girls last year and they are both Hispanic. They have not experienced problems but I do have one family member that commented on how different they must feel to live with a white family. I was grateful my girls didn't hear that and realized there may come a day when they feel "different" but treating them that way will only reinforce it.
I know that my experiences have given me a better understanding of people and differences. As a teacher, I hope to understand each of my students on their level and take the time to know who they are and where they come from. I think of a classroom as a small community in itself where the teacher and students have to learn to live together throughout the course of the year. I hope that I can help my students to learn from each other as much as they learn about each other.
Audrey - I agree that a lack of diversity will only hinder teaching if you allow it to. I also grew up with very little diversity but remember being taught that people are people. I think that our attitude has a bigger influence over how we will deal with teaching in culturally diverse classrooms than our experience will. I see teaching as my chance to learn more about the differences in our country and I look forward to it. Good luck to you.
I grew up in a rural community in South Central, Kansas where there was very little diversity. There was only one African-American family in the whole town and not any kids in my school. Most of the students were from the middle class, and so was I, so everyone seemed the same. I did not experience diversity until moving to Dodge City several years ago, after my high school years. I think that the Hispanics are actually the majority there and I have found it difficult sometimes to communicate with them because they don't speak English. I now send my kids to a small school in Western Kansas in which the diversity is at a minimum. Only a few Hispanics and one African-American in the school.
I think that it could be difficult for me to teach in a school where there is a great amount of diversity. I think it is important for me to keep an open mind and build on what I have learned through this class and others. I think it is important to get to know all students and accept them for who they are and what they believe and not let anything in the way of a good relationship with them. If I have to teach in a school with much diversity, then I will take it as a chance to learn and grow from my experiences with those diverse students.
Wow, I could write a book on this topic beings I went to twelve different schools before graduating.
K-2, I have to say I grew up in a small town that was all white. I truly believe all animals were white (just kidding). In this school system there were really no differences unless they were, "fat/skinny", "ugly, pretty". It was a real small school district and everyone was pretty close.
Then...I started moving!
First, I went from an all white school to an seriously 99.9% black school. The thing that saved me was that my parents never taught me to be prejudice. I did not know that I was supposed to treat someone different because of the color of their skin. But I soon found out I was treated different because of the color of my skin. I was readily accepted by the only other white child in my class and the guys in the school but whew, the girls did not like me for the first few weeks and they let me know it. I quickly let them know that I was not judging them and to please not to judge me. It was a real eye-opener.
I then moved onto schools that were mixed with different cultures and found that these schools did not judge by the color of the skin or religion. (In most cases.) Sure you had cliques but you did not bother each other and would have each others back if need be.
I believe that my experiences will definitely help me with all students because I know that all students have a common goal and that is to make it to tomorrow no matter what the individual academic goals are at the current time.
It sounds like we experienced close to the same situation as children but flipped environments. It is and can be very lonely when someone is judging you because of your skin color or how you look. I look back on it now and truly believe it made me a stronger person and more focused as a child to get the best out of the situation that I was put in. I hope you feel your experiences were the same and as I know very well they were definitely life changing.
I was born and raised in Southwestern Kansas and knew nothing outside of a wide range of diversity. I grew up having friends of all different races and ethnicities. I believe it was to my benefit. By being exposed to the different origins I feel like I have the advantage over the small town, predominantly white community raised person. When I left my home town at the age of 19 and moved to a predominantly racist German community I was shell shocked. I was not comfortable with this adjustment and could not believe people still view diversity the way this specific community did. I am sure that I will benefit from this in my future teaching career. Not only do I not have the negative mind set behind the different races, but also I will be able to relate to all students better. I will not have to change my ways to cater other races. I feel that I am totally comfortable with any and every color and culture that I may encounter.
In response to Connie H… I grew up 54 miles west of Dodge City and can not imagine how tough it may have been for you to conform. I could not even fathom growing up with only one African American family in the whole community. Now I live in a community of 4000 people and see what you must have experienced when you were growing up. There is not a lot of diversity here, but I feel good knowing that no matter what type of diversity that comes my way I will be comfortable in understanding and catering to them because of the exposure when I was younger.
I grew up in Mankato, Minnesota, which is predominantly Caucasian, but has more cultural diversity than other nearby rural towns. In first grade my best friend was from Cambodia and we were inseparable for a couple years before she moved. I was always an outcast because my family had a low socioeconomic status. I remember in sixth grade I lied about having name brand Gibeau jeans that I just never wore to school to fit in and be accepted by my peers. And I also remember losing a friend because I didn't go the right kind of church. During my elementary and high school years I attended with people from a variety of cultures--African American, Asian (Vietnamese, Thai, etc.), and Latino. My closest friend in grades 6-8 was African American. We had several students who moved to MN from places like Cambodia, Somalia, and the Sudan because of violence. The one thing I didn't like was that these students were so isolated in ESL classes that they didn't interact much with other students when they were in the one token mainstream regular education classroom. By the time they were ready to exit some of the ESL classes they had already formed friendships with other ELL's and didn't form more relationships. I think that my experiences will cause me to seek out the outcasts and do what I can to help them form friendships and feel like they are a part. It will also enable me to see subtle bullying that might go undetected by others. I want to educate students about bullying and discrimination. Also, because I formed meaningful relationships with students of other cultures when I was in school, it seems more natural to incorporate opportunities for social growth across cultural barriers within the classroom.
Audrey, we were raised the same way. My mom, like yours, taught us that you don't treat someone differently just because they are different from you. But, I think there is a difference between knowing that and responding that way in a situation. For me at least, it has taken being in different situations to realize that even though I don't consider myself discriminatory, I have through life unknowingly accepted stereotypes as truth and sometimes it takes being in situations or getting to know people of other culture to even know where you need to grow. I have a friend who lives in Copenhagen and she was telling me about a friend who is a choir director and all they sing is black gospel music. It shouldn't catch me that off-guard, but I was surprised to hear of a bunch of Danes (3,000 person choir) singing black gospel music!
j-rose32, I have Latino friends too. It seems that of all the ethnicities and races, Latinos are still categorically discriminated against. Society has established that it is wrong to discriminate against African Americans, but some how it is still okay to be racist against Latinos. If I had a dime for every time I heard a nasty comment about how "they" are stealing our jobs... It makes me very upset. No one suspects ME of being here illegally. Why do we look sideways at all Latinos?
Cher B. - It seems that we grew up in similar schools and towns with not much diversity.It has been an adjustment for me moving to an area that is quite diverse. It makes me want to work hard to prepare myself to teach diverse learners and be able to have a culturally relevant classroom.
I noticed during my time in Kansas that it was not nearly as diverse as what I am used to in Michigan. Living outside of Detroit, there were not any questions regarding people having experiences with other cultures or people of different SES. Everyone had experiences with another culture, religion, etc.
I grew up in a very small town there was little to no diversity in my school setting until I went away to college. However , I was taught by my parents and be my teachers to respect all people no matter their ethnicity. I do think by not being exposed to more cultures in my school setting I was sheltered from how some people who are in the minority are treated. When I become a teacher I know that at some point I will have to deal a child or a group of children teasing another student about their race or culture. My goal will be teach my students the about how their teasing effect not only one student but several students. I know that I don’t have as much experience with diversity in my own life, but I do hope to make up for that by teaching my students about diversity and why it is important.
My uncle married a Hispanic woman and now I have several cousins that are of a different culture. It is AWESOME at holidays having their Mexican traditional food. I love it and it's a great input to our family events. I remember when one of my cousins got married and had a traditional wedding. Everything is different from an American traditional wedding from the color of the dress to the food. It is the same with Hindu weddings, the bride usually wears red, it's a good luck color.
In response to Lin, I can relate to the church issue. When I was in elementary school I went to the public school instead of the Catholic, I happen to be Catholic. I remember not fitting in with the public school kids because the majority went to a different church that had youth groups and weekend retreats and wanting to be involved but I was not allowed. It was an interesting time for me, because I didn't fit in with the public school kids and I didn't fit in with the Catholic school kids because I didn't go to their school.
I grew up just outside of Detroit, Michigan which is a highly diverse area, but I attended a private Catholic school all twelve years of school. The culture of the teachers and students in my elementary and high school were predominantly Caucasian and Catholic. The socioeconomic status did vary. Most students were from the upper class while some were from the middle and working classes, those parents worked to pay the tuition to give their children a higher advantage academically. About half of the teachers were either a nun or a priest and the rest were probably alumni of the school. This made it a little easier when it came to morals, beliefs, basic discipline and curriculum. There were a few students that were from a different background who were in my graduating class. I remember one was an Arabic boy who practiced the Islam religion and another was an Indian girl who practiced Hindu. I do not believe that attending a private school hindered my experiences with diverse people, the Detroit area is highly diverse and I played with children of different backgrounds in my neighborhood. Locally, we have Mexican Town, Greek Town, China town and a Polish district. All have great opportunities to celebrate their native holidays, traditions and food. We had Paczki’s last week from the Polish district and people will drive over an hour to wait in long lines for the traditional Paczki before Ash Wednesday. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexican town with great traditions. Overall, I think I have a good exposure and experience with diverse cultures, religions, SES, and sexual orientations.
I understand your feelings regarding the different relationships of people. I believe that a relationship should be between a man and a woman, but I have good friends that are gay. I love them, I just do not agree with them all the time and this is one subject. That is how friendships and all human relationships work, we do not always agree on everything.
I grew up in a small north western Kansas town. I was raised in a strong catholic family and was expected to grow up to marry a catholic Caucasian boy. As a young child I was lead to believe in my home life that it would be the only and “right” option to take.
Growing up there wasn’t much cultural diversity in my school classrooms or out in the community as a whole. There were only a few African American families that lived in our town at the time, and they did not have children in school. Now when I go back to visit there are many more African American families that have moved into the town and have children that are part of the schools.
Most of my classmates were from all different Christian religions, some of course catholic. There was not much diversity as far as other religions; in elementary school I didn’t know much about other religions nor did I know anyone of those religions.
I was exposed to children in my school with physical difficulties and learning disabilities. Also, my younger sister is severely autistic. It was the harassment from the other students towards my sister that has made a lasting impression on my life. It is also due to my sister that I have gained a vast amount of patience that I in turn use daily when working with children.
In high school we had a few students from a different culture. In fact, I dated a boy who was Hispanic all four years of high school. Obviously that was frowned upon in my family at first, but after a while they grew to respect him as an individual rather than just a label. Also, it was in high school that other students started to tease and taunt the students who were lower income. Those students didn’t have expensive clothing or a car.
Once I moved from the small north western Kansas town to Lawrence, Kansas, to attend KU I was exposed to much diversity. Half of the people I worked with were Jewish. There were many people from many different races, backgrounds, and beliefs. People were accepted as individuals instead of by a specific culture.
Today I take with me my experience with my younger sister and the openness I learned from KU and apply those experiences to my beliefs. Each child is their own unique person; it is all the different diverse characteristics that make them who they are. We need to learn from one another and accept people for both their strengths and weaknesses, and I will lead my classroom and my students to accept each other and learn from one another.
I, too, was raised in a small town with a small class size. After reading your post I remember the overweight students being taunted and a student with a skin disorder called names. I remember how it made me feel inside to see those students hurt due to the bad behavior of some of the other students. I in turn befriended the student with the skin disorder and she is now one of my very close friends. I didn’t care what the other students thought when I befriended the girl, and I hope as a teacher I can teach my students to follow their heart and do what is right.
I grew up in South-Central Arkansas in a middle class farming community right on the edge of the Mississippi Delta. In my hometown, there are three groups: Popular white kids, "farm-kids", and african american kids. In elementary school, I remember my classes were filled with african american kids as well as white. I never really noticed color until I got a little older.
Growing up in the south, it is no secret that there is still racial tension today. But, I never seemed to fall into it. In high school, I gravitated towards the african american kids because I found myself having a lot in common with them due to playing sports.
As a teacher, I feel like I am somewhat diverse based on my experiences in high school and even college. I seem to relate to African American kids and caucasion kids equally. However, until this year I had not had any previous experience working with the Hispanic community. I am now currently working for one of the largest Hispanic school districts in Kansas and have found it to be difficult to relate/communicate but I am working on improving communication and understanding of the Hispanic culture.
Shane O - I understand how you would be shocked to see how racist some communities still are. It is still amazing to me how some of the areas around my hometown appear to still be living in the 50s. They still view African Americans as "help" instead of people. You would think that as a nation, we would be past that.
When it comes to the diversity or lack of while going to school from kindergarten through high school, I don’t remember a big racial diversity. From kindergarten to high school there was only one colored person in my class and by the time I was a senior there were only two colored people in the whole high school. Our school had a handful of Spanish speaking individuals, who like the colored people fit in very well and got along with the majority of the students. Within our school most of the students come from a working family, however, there was the occasional one or two whose family seemed to do well. Like any school ours also had its groups based on a number of different aspects and some which included the following: how well one was at sports, how one dressed (what brand of clothes), how well one was at school, etc. Being in a group based on whatever reason wasn’t an important thing to me throughout school; I had my friends but I also did what I could to get along with everyone. The most culturally/ethnically diverse that our school ever was that I can remember was during high school when we had foreign exchanged students. At our school we had foreign exchanged students from Germany, Russia, and Korea. I was eager to meet and get to know all of them and where they’d come from. I was very open to diversity of all types within my school; I am a very caring and giving individual so often times I tried to help others, and then there’s the times when it’s easier to mind your own business. I enjoyed being able experience all types of diversity while going to school and I especially find it interesting now that I work in a school. It’s amazing how I look at diversity more differently than I did when I was younger. I seem to notice the different types of diversity among individuals, especially the students within the classrooms. I think that my previous experiences with diverse students has helped me when working as a para and observing within classrooms, however, I don’t think that I was exposed to as much diversity as I may need but I think that as time goes on I will gain more experience in this particular area. When working with students that are diverse I am understanding of their needs and usually very curious to learn about them and where they’re from. I look forward to working with a more diverse population of students in the future and believe that any experience I’ve had so far will help me in the long run.
As a child I was raised Catholic however I was never sent to a Catholic school. I would have found it very difficult going to that type of school, believing that I wouldn’t have been able to experience as much as I wanted to but you sound as if it worked out very well for you. I think that socioeconomic status is something that will vary any where one goes no matter what the conditions are or what situations have occurred. I found it really interesting when you said that parents of students from the middle and working classes were the ones who worked to pay the tuition in order to give their children a higher advantage academically. I think that is very neat on the parents’ part. Was it ever hard with over have of your teacher population being either a nun or a priest? When you mentioned the students from different backgrounds I found it interesting that those particular students would choose to attend a Catholic school. I think that it is neat that you were given the privilege to not only meet but also attend 12 years of school with those individuals. I think that all the different types of culture towns you are located near is very neat; to get to experience something like that everyday would definitely help prepare you as a future teacher. I really enjoyed reading your post; you shared a lot of good experiences that you’ve had with diversity and I think that they are good ones for a person to have. Your experiences will benefit your future teaching career. Good post!
Looking back at my childhood, I did have some friends from different cultures and backgrounds but do not remember it being important at the time. I grew up in a somewhat small town that was predominately caucasian. My best friend in grade school was Mexican-American. I had other friends that were Vietnamese. I do not remember feeling differently about my friends because of their their race or culture. I credit my parents for teaching me to accept others who were different.I do recall, however, my friends and their parents reacting to the fact that I lived in a big house and they made comments about my family being rich. I know we were not wealthy but we did live in a bigger house than any of my friends. I also remember in junior high, many of my friends would ask why I did not go to the other junior high school that was on the other side of town (where the "rich" kids went). Even though my family was not wealthy, many of my friends assumed that we were because of the size of our house. At the time I did not really notice these differences but now realize that because our home was in an older neighborhood, many of my friends were from lower income families. I feel like I was judged more by my friends and their families for having things than I remember being thinking differently about them for not having things. In high school, I did end up hanging with the kids from the other side of town, because we had more in common. I can't say that my early experiences with diversity have had an effect on how I teach. I think that I have always chosen my friends and treated others based on their character and who they are as a person. I notice and recognize cultural difference but do not judge others based on these differences.
Until I the second semester of my third grade year I lived in my parents' hometown, a small community in Nebraska with a population of 150 people. I was related to about 147 of them. It was a culture in and of itself and the only diversity was the "hill billy" family who lived a few miles outside of town. We were all poor farmers, but this family was something else. To this day, the town's folk watch to see what they bring to pot luck dinners and avoid it like the plague. They were called "dirty" and I just never knew what that meant, they looked fine to me.
Moving to Southwest Kansas in 1986 was a lesson in diversity or should I say more of a shock. I experienced the first Latinos and Asians I had ever seen. I was fortunate to have met an African American man named Edu once in Nebraska, so I felt that I was well-versed in his racial and ethnic identity. I quickly made friends with the Hispanic girl down the street who remains my best friend to this day. My first third-grade boyfriend was Hong and he was born in Vietnam. Another girl down the street gave me my first lesson in SRS assistance. I was friends with everyone so I just didn't understand why my Mother referred to the Latinos as "those damn Mexicans." I was saddened, confused, and embarrassed by her attitudes while my Dad just said, "they all pay cash for $100,000 tractors." I just thought that everyone should be friends with everyone.
Of course, socioeconomic status became a factor in who your friends were in high school, but that really never mattered to me and I was still friends with everyone. Diversity didn't really seem to matter to us in high school; we were who we were. It wasn't until after graduation that I realized that we really did come from a closed-minded, small town society. Two classmates, one male and one female, revealed the true sexual identity that they had been hiding all throughout our school years so as to avoid ridicule in our small town. I have since seen their struggles and heard their stories. Looking at things from a different perspective made me realize just how sheltered I was during my early years.
It is the fear of my own children being sheltered that has shaped my attitudes toward diversity today. It is also the sadness, confusion and embarrassment that I felt during my elementary and middle school years that have solidified my decision to treat each and every one of my students with respect, learn from each person in my classroom, and celebrate the diversity that my classroom encompasses.
The one thing that prevents parent involvement in our schools is difficulty communicating (proven by the survey given during parent-teacher conferences the first nine weeks; I believe you are from Liberal, right?). As the end of the third nine weeks draws near, have you found that you are relating better to your Hispanic students? Every culture is different and the Hispanic culture is a wonderful experience to behold! What are you doing to improve your communication and relations with your Hispanic students? Your prior experience with diversity gives you a head-start in this endeavor, but each culture is different and must be respected as such.
You are absolutely right, having prior experience with diversity greatly helps in understanding and appreciating the diversity we will experience in our classrooms.
Though the towns where we grew up were worlds apart, it seems that they were not all that different. Perhaps, that is the attitude that I should bring into my diverse classroom to help my students see that we are not really all that different!
Mary H.: I think that the values that your parents and teachers taught you about how to treat others is more important than having experience with diverse cultures. I too did not have a lot of exposure to people who were different growing up and was a bit sheltered and naive regarding racial issues. However, I think teaching children about the "Golden rule" can go a long way!
I grew up in Marysville, Kansas which is a middle sized rural town in north central Kansas. Our school system had no diversity what so ever. I went to school every day from pre-school to my senior year and never had any classmates or friends that were other than white ethnicity. When it came to socioeconomic status the families that attended school in Marysville were thought to be of average socioeconomic status but there were also a few families of both high and low economic statuses. The one thing that sticks out in my mind about attending school at Marysville was that there were a lot of “clicks”. These so called “clicks” would pretty much stay grouped by socioeconomic statuses. You could also tell the different student “clicks” by the way they dressed and carried themselves. Even though the school I attended as a young student lacked much diversity, I feel that I was still able to learn different cultures, socioeconomic status and different things about them that I feel will help me better understand the students in my own classroom.
I also felt that not having any diversity in my schooling as a child that I was sheltered and never learned how to deal individuals with diversties until I was in college. I wish all students could have the opportunity to learn along side a classmate with a different cultural background than them to help them understand differences and commonalities between people.
I grew up in a school system in rural Nebraska in the town of Friend with a population pushing aroud 1200 people most of whom were white. About 99:1 I would guess. I don't feel like it shaped me in a negative way. I come from a traveling family, and through those travels I feel like I really picked up a love for other cultures. I was in a school for one year in Melbourne Australia that had more students that the population of my town back in the US. experience like these helped me understand there was much more the the world offered than what I could see in small town USA. This being said not to degrade that small town, because I feel I learned a true sense of community, friendship and values from my hometown. The combination of all these put me in a position of excepting just about anyone I meet. I also was in biggest melting pot of all for a few years...the Army. If you come into the Army with any predisposed ideas of specific cultures you will soon find your self in a buffet style environment of many cultural backgrounds coming together to serve a common cause. I believer all of my experiences, both positive and negative, with other races and cultures have shown me that it is more the individual person than anything. What I mean by this is that regardless of anything the person looks, sounds or practices, they are their own person and they need the respect from you to get to know them on that level. I feel like this has helped me in my life and will continue to help in the classroom.
Nikki, I agree that we have to be so careful in giving our children a fair chance at knowing people for who they are. They do not need their minds made up for them based on stereotypes and misinformation.
Deborah, Growing up in an environment with so much culture must have been great in allowing you to get to know so many different views on life. I think it would be great for all students to be given that opportunity of getting to know and befriend a variety of people.
Please share with your classmates the diversity, or lack thereof, in your school experiences from kindergarten through high school. Include your feelings and attitudes towards those who were different from you (socially, financially, racially, etc.).
ReplyDeleteHow do your experiences help/hinder how you will work with diverse students in your classroom?
Post and response due February 26, 2010.
Growing up in a small rural town in western Kansas did not allow me to experience diversity at an early age. I was not around others who were not like me in elementary, junior high, and not in high school either. My entire class, as well as those ten years older and younger than me, were all almost all Caucasian. Most came from descent families, in terms of financial upbringing, with some having more money at their disposal and some with less. It was the typical high school environment for western Kansas. My class did have one non-white student whose name was Adam. He was Asian and a very good person. The only thing I did not like was that he was picked on frequently, especially by the popular ‘jocks’ in high school. It was almost as if he was an outcast because he looked different than the rest of us. Looking back I wonder why they picked on him as much as they did. Was it because they themselves were intimidated by someone different? Most of these students, who graduated with us, from what I have learned, did not do well in college. Could it be that they did not fit in well with society outside of their small high school? I treated, or tried to treat, everyone with respect and kindness, no matter what their social or financial differences were. I am not saying that I was not without fault, but I really did and do believe that treating others how you want to be treated is extremely important. The only time I actually learned about diversity was in college at Kansas State. Even at a university such as K-State, with a student population of around 23,000, diversity is still an issue to this day. Ninety percent of the student body is Caucasian with the other ten percent being African American, Asian, or another nationality. This is not what one would expect out of such a large student body. As of two years ago, they were working on ways to increase their diversity throughout the student body. When I look back on my education, diversity was a non issue and one that I never really thought about until just the past couple of years.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Wichita, Kansas. I lived in South Wichita growing up and still do. Growing up, my family and only about 2 others, were the only African American families in this area. The majority of our neighbors were White. I went to school down the street, William Allen White elementary school Kindergarten through 4th grade. They made it mandatory my 5th grade year that 3rd-5th grade went to Funston, which was about 1/4 mile away and Kindergarten through 2nd grade went to White Elementary. While at White, I was the only AFrican aAmerican students in my class every year. At Funston, my 5th grade year, I was the only African American studentt in my class too. there were only 5 African American students that went to White Elem, one for each grade. I am sure ther were a few, but I do not remember many Asian Americans, Indians American, Native Americans or Mexican Americans at White Elementary. Most of the students were White. All of my classmates each year were all white, I have the school photos to prove it. This did not have a negative affect on me. However, I can say that I did not have an African American friend until 6th grade. At Funston, there was pretty much the same thing; mostly White students. There were more African American students at Funston; however, there were more classes, so there was still only 1 African American student per class.
ReplyDeleteIn middle schoo, there were a lot more African American students and other races as well. I do no thnk this had a negative effect on me. I was aware that there were other races, I was just not exposed to many of them unitl middle school.
I realluy can say that college has shaped me into accepting and appreciatign diversity. I went to Wichita State University and the population was very diverse. I was involved in a lot of clubs and held deveral leadership positioons, so I was always exposed to people of different cultures, races and financial and social statuses. I think this was great becuase I was able to gain tolerance for people who were different from me, but then again, I had been doing that most of my life already because of the lack of diversity at my elementary schools. I think that being around people that were different from me for most of my life was a good thing.
I think my experiences will help me cope with my classes when I start teaching because the students will be very diverse. Since I have been around pepoe that are different from me for the majority of my life, accepting studetns that are different from me will not be a problem. Insteaf of fearing someone who is different from me racially, financially and socially, I celebrate the opportunity to learn more about them and their culture. I think my past experiences with lack of diversity has allowed me to be intereted in culture and has made me very accepting of those different than me.
Mark V.
ReplyDeleteTo not be around people who are different from you for most of your education can be a bad thing. Perhaps you will use this as a way to want to learn more about people that are different than you. If you do this, you should have no problem with tolerating people from different cultures. They probably picked on Adam because he was different and his facial appearance only made that more of a fact. They might have been jealous of him too.
Today, White Elem is more diverse than it was when I was going to school there. My niece and nephew went there and I have gone back to observe students. This is good news. The area which I grew up in and still live today is also more diverse. Gone are the days when there was only 1 African American student in each class. The majority of students are still white, but there is a lot more diversity than when I was there. Funston Elementary was unfortunately torn down about 5 years ago when Wichita passed the bond issues because it was over 100 years old and in disrepair.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a small town in northeast Kansas. Therefore, my school experiences were strongly lacking in diversity. All of my classmates were white from Kindergarten until 5th grade. At that time a new student moved to our town. She was African-American and was the first non white person that I remember living in our town. I feel as though for the most part she was accepted into our class. I think more than being a different race, it was the fact that she was a new person in the class period. People didn’t move into or out of town very often – with a few exceptions, I had the same people in my classes from Kindergarten through high school. I was exposed to some diversity during high school as our school would occasionally sponsor a foreign exchange student. Looking back now, that would have been a great opportunity to learn about a different country and culture. However, at the time, as a high school student that wasn’t something I thought about. Often the foreign exchange students kept mostly to themselves or with a few students they had become close with.
ReplyDeleteSo in terms of race or ethnicity there were few variances in my school experience. In regards to finances, there were slight differences. Most students and their families were somewhere in the middle class. There were some families that would be considered upper middle class, while others lower. Poorer families were also present. I remember clothing being important during my school experience – having the right brand of jeans always comes to mind. There were girls that always had the best clothes and others that were made fun of for what they wore.
While my school experiences were lacking in diversity, I think it has actually made me want to work harder to get to know others who are different from me and to make sure that I promote diversity in my classroom. I know now that I will have a diverse classroom; and it is something I want to prepare for because I want my students to have a richer experience than I was able to have growing up. I think we can all learn so much from one another and I want to take advantage of that and give my students the same opportunity as well.
Mark - I had an experience similar to yours. My elementary and high school experiences were lacking in diversity. I got to see and experience differences once I got to college. I went to UNL, but like you, it was not as diverse as it probably could be. It was more diverse than my previous schooling - yet the majority of students were white. Also, I think your philosophy of treating others as you would like to be treated is a great idea to pass on to students.
ReplyDeleteMartecia,
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more with you in the fact that not being around other people who are different from you is a bad thing. Even going to Kansas State really did not change much of anything, although it was much more diverse than the small town I came from. I cant believe that you did not have an African American friend until the 6th grade, that is just crazy. I would imagine that you felt alone at times and for that I am sorry. My story is so much different than yours and I couldnt imagine being the only white person in a school or classroom. I am sure, however, that this made you a better person and a more well rounded person. Take care and I will visit with you soon!!
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteYour experiences must be very similar to mine. I thought going to a large university would put me in a place where diversity was prevalent, I was wrong. Do not get me wrong, there is much more diversity where I am now, but not a huge change. I was glad to see that the girl who moved to your town was accepted better than Adam was in mine. I would imagine that your high school did have more diversity than mine, it was simply lacking. Like you too, it did make me want to meet others from different cultures, background, and ethnic groups. So yes, I too would say that we had similar circumstances.
I grew up in a small Western Kansas town. In my town there are many Hispanics and I am Caucasian. My best friend is Mexican(I always have used this term but for some reason it seems wrong) Hispanic. Her an I lived very different home lives. She lived with five other sibling and her single mother. I lived with my three other siblings and a mother and father are married. I had one really good friend that was African American but he was adopted by two white parents. I really do not feel that there was much diversity in my small town.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to college for my first degree I learned about people that were very different from me. I think that FHSU has done a really good job with the international students. I had roommates that were lesbians. This was very difficult at first because I really did not know how to handle the situation. The experience helped me understand people that have a sexual orientation that is not like mine. I still strongly feel that relationships should be between a man and woman but I also think that we all deserved to be loved.
I think that for me I can be a good teacher that can handle diversity. I do no think it will be easy. There are so many different cultures and their are more cultures mixing. This will lead to different culture. I will need to educate myself as much as possible and remember that being a teacher is helping my students learn in many different ways about many different things.
Martecia
ReplyDeleteI think going to college helped me understand and expect diversity in a good way. Growing up and still my best friend is of a different culture and SES status than me. I saw how difficult things were for her and her siblings. I think this has made me very sympathetic to people that are different to me. College opened my eyes up more to many other beliefs of people and cultures.
I grew up in a small town. I do not remember a lot of diversity. The thing I do remember in my school was that a black student entered our school. She was the only black student. I always wondered how she felt. I was always nice to her but felt a little awkward hanging out with her. I eased my way into getting to know her. I found that she was so cool and I really liked being friends with her. She did not seem to think of us as any different and to me that said a lot. Our school also participated in the foreign exchange programs that helped with diversity. My town did not seem to have diversity growing up except the ones I mentioned. The population was white and that was how it was. It wasn't until I moved to SW Kansas and began to see the different cultures within the school systems. The school that I went to growing up is full of Hispanic now. I feel no difference in who they are. I feel that the even though the diversity was low growing up that I am able to take diversity and grow from it. I learn something new about different cultures and to me it is interesting to know their personal views.
ReplyDeleteMartecia- I am glad that you did not seem to have any negative feelings growing up. I think that in today's world we are more accepting because there is so many more diverse students. I know in SW Kansas we have some of the German families in which I had never experienced before. I think it is neat to understand where they come from and their background. I also think they could teach other students about their heritage. Students could see where they come from. I know some students have brought favorite foods for different occasions and it is amazing to see the students not understand that even sometimes food is different. Mexican food has kind of been around but Asian food has not and to see the students face when Asian food is brought is so funny. I think students today don't feel insecure around someone with a different culture and that is great.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in what is considered a small town just outside of Los Angeles, California. I feel that the schools I went to had a fairly diverse group of students. The schools were predominately white but we had students of all backgrounds and not just one or two. I had friends that were of all backgrounds, color, religion, socio economic status, etc. I don't remember ever having any problems or seeing any problems with any specific race there was more of a rivalry between our school district and the neighboring school district because the other school district students had quite a bit more money and was a richer neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up outside of Los Angeles has given me the opportunity to have a better understanding of different cultures. Having the diversity in my life that I had I feel will give me a good foundation for understanding students that come from different backgrounds.
Sarah, I like how you stated that you work harder to get to know others. Even though I grew up in a diverse environment I still like to learn about others' cultures and get a better understanding of their lifestyles. My next door neighbor is from Thailand and I have learned so much from her and about her culture. I find different cultures interesting and at times exciting. As educators I think it would be good for us to learn from the students parents what their lifestyle or culture is so that we can better understand our students. Most people are more than happy to share information about their culture.
ReplyDeleteMark,
ReplyDeleteYeah, Wichita is a big city and it is hard to believe my situation, but it is true. I can't believe it either, it's so weird in comparison to the diversity I see in elem schools today and even in the elem school I went to. Yes, I did feel lonely a lot of times because i didn't think my classmates could relate to me because I was a different race and the only African American in class. Also, there were no African American staff members that I could talk to and relate to either.
j_rose32 said
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about how college can allow you to better understand, expect and even appreciate diversity. I think my experiences have allowed me to be sensitive to those who are different than me because I remember how I felt sometimes being the only African American student in my class those many years. I felt lonely at times and I can relate to someone who may be different from the majority and could possibly feel the same way.
I grew up in a small town in western Kansas where the population is mostly caucasion. However, in my graduating class we had 33 students. One was hispanic, and two were african american. We were all together from the beginning in kindergarten, so it really wasn't anything new for us. We all grew up together, we accepted each other. Of course, there are a few bad apples in every class that like to pick on people, but they were never targeted as the kids to pick on. In my high school of about 130 kids there were proabably 3 Hispanic Americans, and 6 African Americans.
ReplyDeleteAttending Fort Hays State University as been a change, even though the campus is predominately caucasion. The ethnic background is a lot more diverse here. There are several Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, and several other races. I have had the chance to interact with more with a diverse group of people.
However, even growing up in a small town without much diversity, I don't think this will hinder my teaching abilities. My mom taught us from the time my siblings and I were young to treat everybody with respect and the kindness that they deserve. I would never treat a person or a student with any disrespect because of the race they are. Teaching students of different ethnic background my aid me in learning more them culturally. This would help me become a more well rounded individual.
Martecia
ReplyDeleteI think you understand diversity very well. When you become a teacher, you will know how to make your students that may be a different race or of ethnic background than other students feel welcome since you grew up as one of the only African American student in your class. I think you have a good first hand experience on the issue. The statement "Treat others as you would want to be treated," is so true. Everybody wants to be treated with kindness, respect, and to fit in with the kids their age. You will be a great teacher!
Audrey:
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, I certainly hope I will be a great one.
I grew up in Woodland Park, CO where I thought I went to a small school. Our graduating class was 125 and it was not until I moved to KS and enrolled my son in a class of 7 that I knew I didn't go to a small school. I don't remember a lot of diversity in my school, but do remember that we had two African-American boys in high school. I think they were more popular than me so predjudice and discrimination was not something I saw or even thought about. I do remember kids getting picked on, though. Specifically, I remember the overweight boy and the girl who lacked skim pigment and had very white hair and fair skin. I hated that they always sat alone and were made to feel "different". SES was slightly evident but mostly with the kids who got brand new cars when they turned 16. There was a lot of jealousy that came across in name calling and assumptions about those that had more.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I realized how diverse our country is happened when I moved to Phoeniz, AZ. On my first day of training to be a waitress, I wanted to ask the cooks for something and realized they didn't speak English. I wanted to help clear a table and realized the bus girl didn't speak English either. This was a real eye-opener for me. To make a long story short, over the next few years I think I learned as much Spanish as they learned English.
Today, my husband and I send our five kids to a very small, rural school where there seems to be more diversity in one class than I remember in my entire school. We adopted two girls last year and they are both Hispanic. They have not experienced problems but I do have one family member that commented on how different they must feel to live with a white family. I was grateful my girls didn't hear that and realized there may come a day when they feel "different" but treating them that way will only reinforce it.
I know that my experiences have given me a better understanding of people and differences. As a teacher, I hope to understand each of my students on their level and take the time to know who they are and where they come from. I think of a classroom as a small community in itself where the teacher and students have to learn to live together throughout the course of the year. I hope that I can help my students to learn from each other as much as they learn about each other.
Audrey - I agree that a lack of diversity will only hinder teaching if you allow it to. I also grew up with very little diversity but remember being taught that people are people. I think that our attitude has a bigger influence over how we will deal with teaching in culturally diverse classrooms than our experience will. I see teaching as my chance to learn more about the differences in our country and I look forward to it. Good luck to you.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a rural community in South Central, Kansas where there was very little diversity. There was only one African-American family in the whole town and not any kids in my school. Most of the students were from the middle class, and so was I, so everyone seemed the same. I did not experience diversity until moving to Dodge City several years ago, after my high school years. I think that the Hispanics are actually the majority there and I have found it difficult sometimes to communicate with them because they don't speak English. I now send my kids to a small school in Western Kansas in which the diversity is at a minimum. Only a few Hispanics and one African-American in the school.
ReplyDeleteI think that it could be difficult for me to teach in a school where there is a great amount of diversity. I think it is important for me to keep an open mind and build on what I have learned through this class and others. I think it is important to get to know all students and accept them for who they are and what they believe and not let anything in the way of a good relationship with them. If I have to teach in a school with much diversity, then I will take it as a chance to learn and grow from my experiences with those diverse students.
Wow, I could write a book on this topic beings I went to twelve different schools before graduating.
ReplyDeleteK-2, I have to say I grew up in a small town that was all white. I truly believe all animals were white (just kidding). In this school system there were really no differences unless they were, "fat/skinny", "ugly, pretty". It was a real small school district and everyone was pretty close.
Then...I started moving!
First, I went from an all white school to an seriously 99.9% black school. The thing that saved me was that my parents never taught me to be prejudice. I did not know that I was supposed to treat someone different because of the color of their skin. But I soon found out I was treated different because of the color of my skin. I was readily accepted by the only other white child in my class and the guys in the school but whew, the girls did not like me for the first few weeks and they let me know it. I quickly let them know that I was not judging them and to please not to judge me. It was a real eye-opener.
I then moved onto schools that were mixed with different cultures and found that these schools did not judge by the color of the skin or religion. (In most cases.) Sure you had cliques but you did not bother each other and would have each others back if need be.
I believe that my experiences will definitely help me with all students because I know that all students have a common goal and that is to make it to tomorrow no matter what the individual academic goals are at the current time.
Martecia-
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like we experienced close to the same situation as children but flipped environments. It is and can be very lonely when someone is judging you because of your skin color or how you look. I look back on it now and truly believe it made me a stronger person and more focused as a child to get the best out of the situation that I was put in. I hope you feel your experiences were the same and as I know very well they were definitely life changing.
I was born and raised in Southwestern Kansas and knew nothing outside of a wide range of diversity. I grew up having friends of all different races and ethnicities. I believe it was to my benefit. By being exposed to the different origins I feel like I have the advantage over the small town, predominantly white community raised person. When I left my home town at the age of 19 and moved to a predominantly racist German community I was shell shocked. I was not comfortable with this adjustment and could not believe people still view diversity the way this specific community did.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that I will benefit from this in my future teaching career. Not only do I not have the negative mind set behind the different races, but also I will be able to relate to all students better. I will not have to change my ways to cater other races. I feel that I am totally comfortable with any and every color and culture that I may encounter.
In response to Connie H…
ReplyDeleteI grew up 54 miles west of Dodge City and can not imagine how tough it may have been for you to conform. I could not even fathom growing up with only one African American family in the whole community. Now I live in a community of 4000 people and see what you must have experienced when you were growing up. There is not a lot of diversity here, but I feel good knowing that no matter what type of diversity that comes my way I will be comfortable in understanding and catering to them because of the exposure when I was younger.
I grew up in Mankato, Minnesota, which is predominantly Caucasian, but has more cultural diversity than other nearby rural towns. In first grade my best friend was from Cambodia and we were inseparable for a couple years before she moved. I was always an outcast because my family had a low socioeconomic status. I remember in sixth grade I lied about having name brand Gibeau jeans that I just never wore to school to fit in and be accepted by my peers. And I also remember losing a friend because I didn't go the right kind of church. During my elementary and high school years I attended with people from a variety of cultures--African American, Asian (Vietnamese, Thai, etc.), and Latino. My closest friend in grades 6-8 was African American. We had several students who moved to MN from places like Cambodia, Somalia, and the Sudan because of violence. The one thing I didn't like was that these students were so isolated in ESL classes that they didn't interact much with other students when they were in the one token mainstream regular education classroom. By the time they were ready to exit some of the ESL classes they had already formed friendships with other ELL's and didn't form more relationships.
ReplyDeleteI think that my experiences will cause me to seek out the outcasts and do what I can to help them form friendships and feel like they are a part. It will also enable me to see subtle bullying that might go undetected by others. I want to educate students about bullying and discrimination. Also, because I formed meaningful relationships with students of other cultures when I was in school, it seems more natural to incorporate opportunities for social growth across cultural barriers within the classroom.
Audrey, we were raised the same way. My mom, like yours, taught us that you don't treat someone differently just because they are different from you. But, I think there is a difference between knowing that and responding that way in a situation. For me at least, it has taken being in different situations to realize that even though I don't consider myself discriminatory, I have through life unknowingly accepted stereotypes as truth and sometimes it takes being in situations or getting to know people of other culture to even know where you need to grow. I have a friend who lives in Copenhagen and she was telling me about a friend who is a choir director and all they sing is black gospel music. It shouldn't catch me that off-guard, but I was surprised to hear of a bunch of Danes (3,000 person choir) singing black gospel music!
ReplyDeletej-rose32, I have Latino friends too. It seems that of all the ethnicities and races, Latinos are still categorically discriminated against. Society has established that it is wrong to discriminate against African Americans, but some how it is still okay to be racist against Latinos. If I had a dime for every time I heard a nasty comment about how "they" are stealing our jobs... It makes me very upset. No one suspects ME of being here illegally. Why do we look sideways at all Latinos?
ReplyDeleteCher B. - It seems that we grew up in similar schools and towns with not much diversity.It has been an adjustment for me moving to an area that is quite diverse. It makes me want to work hard to prepare myself to teach diverse learners and be able to have a culturally relevant classroom.
ReplyDeleteMartecia
ReplyDeleteAdam might have been picked on because the other students were scared of his differences.
To all:
ReplyDeleteI noticed during my time in Kansas that it was not nearly as diverse as what I am used to in Michigan. Living outside of Detroit, there were not any questions regarding people having experiences with other cultures or people of different SES. Everyone had experiences with another culture, religion, etc.
I grew up in a very small town there was little to no diversity in my school setting until I went away to college. However , I was taught by my parents and be my teachers to respect all people no matter their ethnicity. I do think by not being exposed to more cultures in my school setting I was sheltered from how some people who are in the minority are treated. When I become a teacher I know that at some point I will have to deal a child or a group of children teasing another student about their race or culture. My goal will be teach my students the about how their teasing effect not only one student but several students. I know that I don’t have as much experience with diversity in my own life, but I do hope to make up for that by teaching my students about diversity and why it is important.
ReplyDeleteLin C. and j-rose32:
ReplyDeleteMy uncle married a Hispanic woman and now I have several cousins that are of a different culture. It is AWESOME at holidays having their Mexican traditional food. I love it and it's a great input to our family events. I remember when one of my cousins got married and had a traditional wedding. Everything is different from an American traditional wedding from the color of the dress to the food. It is the same with Hindu weddings, the bride usually wears red, it's a good luck color.
In response to Lin, I can relate to the church issue. When I was in elementary school I went to the public school instead of the Catholic, I happen to be Catholic. I remember not fitting in with the public school kids because the majority went to a different church that had youth groups and weekend retreats and wanting to be involved but I was not allowed. It was an interesting time for me, because I didn't fit in with the public school kids and I didn't fit in with the Catholic school kids because I didn't go to their school.
ReplyDeleteI grew up just outside of Detroit, Michigan which is a highly diverse area, but I attended a private Catholic school all twelve years of school. The culture of the teachers and students in my elementary and high school were predominantly Caucasian and Catholic. The socioeconomic status did vary. Most students were from the upper class while some were from the middle and working classes, those parents worked to pay the tuition to give their children a higher advantage academically. About half of the teachers were either a nun or a priest and the rest were probably alumni of the school. This made it a little easier when it came to morals, beliefs, basic discipline and curriculum. There were a few students that were from a different background who were in my graduating class. I remember one was an Arabic boy who practiced the Islam religion and another was an Indian girl who practiced Hindu. I do not believe that attending a private school hindered my experiences with diverse people, the Detroit area is highly diverse and I played with children of different backgrounds in my neighborhood. Locally, we have Mexican Town, Greek Town, China town and a Polish district. All have great opportunities to celebrate their native holidays, traditions and food. We had Paczki’s last week from the Polish district and people will drive over an hour to wait in long lines for the traditional Paczki before Ash Wednesday. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexican town with great traditions. Overall, I think I have a good exposure and experience with diverse cultures, religions, SES, and sexual orientations.
ReplyDeletejrose32:
ReplyDeleteI understand your feelings regarding the different relationships of people. I believe that a relationship should be between a man and a woman, but I have good friends that are gay. I love them, I just do not agree with them all the time and this is one subject. That is how friendships and all human relationships work, we do not always agree on everything.
I grew up in a small north western Kansas town. I was raised in a strong catholic family and was expected to grow up to marry a catholic Caucasian boy. As a young child I was lead to believe in my home life that it would be the only and “right” option to take.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up there wasn’t much cultural diversity in my school classrooms or out in the community as a whole. There were only a few African American families that lived in our town at the time, and they did not have children in school. Now when I go back to visit there are many more African American families that have moved into the town and have children that are part of the schools.
Most of my classmates were from all different Christian religions, some of course catholic. There was not much diversity as far as other religions; in elementary school I didn’t know much about other religions nor did I know anyone of those religions.
I was exposed to children in my school with physical difficulties and learning disabilities. Also, my younger sister is severely autistic. It was the harassment from the other students towards my sister that has made a lasting impression on my life. It is also due to my sister that I have gained a vast amount of patience that I in turn use daily when working with children.
In high school we had a few students from a different culture. In fact, I dated a boy who was Hispanic all four years of high school. Obviously that was frowned upon in my family at first, but after a while they grew to respect him as an individual rather than just a label. Also, it was in high school that other students started to tease and taunt the students who were lower income. Those students didn’t have expensive clothing or a car.
Once I moved from the small north western Kansas town to Lawrence, Kansas, to attend KU I was exposed to much diversity. Half of the people I worked with were Jewish. There were many people from many different races, backgrounds, and beliefs. People were accepted as individuals instead of by a specific culture.
Today I take with me my experience with my younger sister and the openness I learned from KU and apply those experiences to my beliefs. Each child is their own unique person; it is all the different diverse characteristics that make them who they are. We need to learn from one another and accept people for both their strengths and weaknesses, and I will lead my classroom and my students to accept each other and learn from one another.
In response to Emily L…
ReplyDeleteI, too, was raised in a small town with a small class size. After reading your post I remember the overweight students being taunted and a student with a skin disorder called names. I remember how it made me feel inside to see those students hurt due to the bad behavior of some of the other students. I in turn befriended the student with the skin disorder and she is now one of my very close friends. I didn’t care what the other students thought when I befriended the girl, and I hope as a teacher I can teach my students to follow their heart and do what is right.
I grew up in South-Central Arkansas in a middle class farming community right on the edge of the Mississippi Delta. In my hometown, there are three groups: Popular white kids, "farm-kids", and african american kids. In elementary school, I remember my classes were filled with african american kids as well as white. I never really noticed color until I got a little older.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in the south, it is no secret that there is still racial tension today. But, I never seemed to fall into it. In high school, I gravitated towards the african american kids because I found myself having a lot in common with them due to playing sports.
As a teacher, I feel like I am somewhat diverse based on my experiences in high school and even college. I seem to relate to African American kids and caucasion kids equally. However, until this year I had not had any previous experience working with the Hispanic community. I am now currently working for one of the largest Hispanic school districts in Kansas and have found it to be difficult to relate/communicate but I am working on improving communication and understanding of the Hispanic culture.
Shane O - I understand how you would be shocked to see how racist some communities still are. It is still amazing to me how some of the areas around my hometown appear to still be living in the 50s. They still view African Americans as "help" instead of people. You would think that as a nation, we would be past that.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the diversity or lack of while going to school from kindergarten through high school, I don’t remember a big racial diversity. From kindergarten to high school there was only one colored person in my class and by the time I was a senior there were only two colored people in the whole high school. Our school had a handful of Spanish speaking individuals, who like the colored people fit in very well and got along with the majority of the students. Within our school most of the students come from a working family, however, there was the occasional one or two whose family seemed to do well. Like any school ours also had its groups based on a number of different aspects and some which included the following: how well one was at sports, how one dressed (what brand of clothes), how well one was at school, etc. Being in a group based on whatever reason wasn’t an important thing to me throughout school; I had my friends but I also did what I could to get along with everyone. The most culturally/ethnically diverse that our school ever was that I can remember was during high school when we had foreign exchanged students. At our school we had foreign exchanged students from Germany, Russia, and Korea. I was eager to meet and get to know all of them and where they’d come from. I was very open to diversity of all types within my school; I am a very caring and giving individual so often times I tried to help others, and then there’s the times when it’s easier to mind your own business.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed being able experience all types of diversity while going to school and I especially find it interesting now that I work in a school. It’s amazing how I look at diversity more differently than I did when I was younger. I seem to notice the different types of diversity among individuals, especially the students within the classrooms. I think that my previous experiences with diverse students has helped me when working as a para and observing within classrooms, however, I don’t think that I was exposed to as much diversity as I may need but I think that as time goes on I will gain more experience in this particular area. When working with students that are diverse I am understanding of their needs and usually very curious to learn about them and where they’re from. I look forward to working with a more diverse population of students in the future and believe that any experience I’ve had so far will help me in the long run.
In response to Colleen S.:
ReplyDeleteAs a child I was raised Catholic however I was never sent to a Catholic school. I would have found it very difficult going to that type of school, believing that I wouldn’t have been able to experience as much as I wanted to but you sound as if it worked out very well for you. I think that socioeconomic status is something that will vary any where one goes no matter what the conditions are or what situations have occurred. I found it really interesting when you said that parents of students from the middle and working classes were the ones who worked to pay the tuition in order to give their children a higher advantage academically. I think that is very neat on the parents’ part. Was it ever hard with over have of your teacher population being either a nun or a priest? When you mentioned the students from different backgrounds I found it interesting that those particular students would choose to attend a Catholic school. I think that it is neat that you were given the privilege to not only meet but also attend 12 years of school with those individuals. I think that all the different types of culture towns you are located near is very neat; to get to experience something like that everyday would definitely help prepare you as a future teacher. I really enjoyed reading your post; you shared a lot of good experiences that you’ve had with diversity and I think that they are good ones for a person to have. Your experiences will benefit your future teaching career. Good post!
Looking back at my childhood, I did have some friends from different cultures and backgrounds but do not remember it being important at the time. I grew up in a somewhat small town that was predominately caucasian. My best friend in grade school was Mexican-American. I had other friends that were Vietnamese. I do not remember feeling differently about my friends because of their their race or culture. I credit my parents for teaching me to accept others who were different.I do recall, however, my friends and their parents reacting to the fact that I lived in a big house and they made comments about my family being rich. I know we were not wealthy but we did live in a bigger house than any of my friends. I also remember in junior high, many of my friends would ask why I did not go to the other junior high school that was on the other side of town (where the "rich" kids went). Even though my family was not wealthy, many of my friends assumed that we were because of the size of our house. At the time I did not really notice these differences but now realize that because our home was in an older neighborhood, many of my friends were from lower income families. I feel like I was judged more by my friends and their families for having things than I remember being thinking differently about them for not having things.
ReplyDeleteIn high school, I did end up hanging with the kids from the other side of town, because we had more in common.
I can't say that my early experiences with diversity have had an effect on how I teach. I think that I have always chosen my friends and treated others based on their character and who they are as a person. I notice and recognize cultural difference but do not judge others based on these differences.
Until I the second semester of my third grade year I lived in my parents' hometown, a small community in Nebraska with a population of 150 people. I was related to about 147 of them. It was a culture in and of itself and the only diversity was the "hill billy" family who lived a few miles outside of town. We were all poor farmers, but this family was something else. To this day, the town's folk watch to see what they bring to pot luck dinners and avoid it like the plague. They were called "dirty" and I just never knew what that meant, they looked fine to me.
ReplyDeleteMoving to Southwest Kansas in 1986 was a lesson in diversity or should I say more of a shock. I experienced the first Latinos and Asians I had ever seen. I was fortunate to have met an African American man named Edu once in Nebraska, so I felt that I was well-versed in his racial and ethnic identity. I quickly made friends with the Hispanic girl down the street who remains my best friend to this day. My first third-grade boyfriend was Hong and he was born in Vietnam. Another girl down the street gave me my first lesson in SRS assistance. I was friends with everyone so I just didn't understand why my Mother referred to the Latinos as "those damn Mexicans." I was saddened, confused, and embarrassed by her attitudes while my Dad just said, "they all pay cash for $100,000 tractors." I just thought that everyone should be friends with everyone.
Of course, socioeconomic status became a factor in who your friends were in high school, but that really never mattered to me and I was still friends with everyone. Diversity didn't really seem to matter to us in high school; we were who we were. It wasn't until after graduation that I realized that we really did come from a closed-minded, small town society. Two classmates, one male and one female, revealed the true sexual identity that they had been hiding all throughout our school years so as to avoid ridicule in our small town. I have since seen their struggles and heard their stories. Looking at things from a different perspective made me realize just how sheltered I was during my early years.
It is the fear of my own children being sheltered that has shaped my attitudes toward diversity today. It is also the sadness, confusion and embarrassment that I felt during my elementary and middle school years that have solidified my decision to treat each and every one of my students with respect, learn from each person in my classroom, and celebrate the diversity that my classroom encompasses.
In response to Greg T. -
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that prevents parent involvement in our schools is difficulty communicating (proven by the survey given during parent-teacher conferences the first nine weeks; I believe you are from Liberal, right?). As the end of the third nine weeks draws near, have you found that you are relating better to your Hispanic students? Every culture is different and the Hispanic culture is a wonderful experience to behold! What are you doing to improve your communication and relations with your Hispanic students? Your prior experience with diversity gives you a head-start in this endeavor, but each culture is different and must be respected as such.
In response to Deborah:
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right, having prior experience with diversity greatly helps in understanding and appreciating the diversity we will experience in our classrooms.
Though the towns where we grew up were worlds apart, it seems that they were not all that different. Perhaps, that is the attitude that I should bring into my diverse classroom to help my students see that we are not really all that different!
Mary H.: I think that the values that your parents and teachers taught you about how to treat others is more important than having experience with diverse cultures. I too did not have a lot of exposure to people who were different growing up and was a bit sheltered and naive regarding racial issues. However, I think teaching children about the "Golden rule" can go a long way!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Marysville, Kansas which is a middle sized rural town in north central Kansas. Our school system had no diversity what so ever. I went to school every day from pre-school to my senior year and never had any classmates or friends that were other than white ethnicity.
ReplyDeleteWhen it came to socioeconomic status the families that attended school in Marysville were thought to be of average socioeconomic status but there were also a few families of both high and low economic statuses.
The one thing that sticks out in my mind about attending school at Marysville was that there were a lot of “clicks”. These so called “clicks” would pretty much stay grouped by socioeconomic statuses. You could also tell the different student “clicks” by the way they dressed and carried themselves.
Even though the school I attended as a young student lacked much diversity, I feel that I was still able to learn different cultures, socioeconomic status and different things about them that I feel will help me better understand the students in my own classroom.
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI also felt that not having any diversity in my schooling as a child that I was sheltered and never learned how to deal individuals with diversties until I was in college. I wish all students could have the opportunity to learn along side a classmate with a different cultural background than them to help them understand differences and commonalities between people.
I grew up in a school system in rural Nebraska in the town of Friend with a population pushing aroud 1200 people most of whom were white. About 99:1 I would guess. I don't feel like it shaped me in a negative way. I come from a traveling family, and through those travels I feel like I really picked up a love for other cultures. I was in a school for one year in Melbourne Australia that had more students that the population of my town back in the US. experience like these helped me understand there was much more the the world offered than what I could see in small town USA. This being said not to degrade that small town, because I feel I learned a true sense of community, friendship and values from my hometown. The combination of all these put me in a position of excepting just about anyone I meet. I also was in biggest melting pot of all for a few years...the Army. If you come into the Army with any predisposed ideas of specific cultures you will soon find your self in a buffet style environment of many cultural backgrounds coming together to serve a common cause.
ReplyDeleteI believer all of my experiences, both positive and negative, with other races and cultures have shown me that it is more the individual person than anything. What I mean by this is that regardless of anything the person looks, sounds or practices, they are their own person and they need the respect from you to get to know them on that level. I feel like this has helped me in my life and will continue to help in the classroom.
Nikki,
ReplyDeleteI agree that we have to be so careful in giving our children a fair chance at knowing people for who they are. They do not need their minds made up for them based on stereotypes and misinformation.
Deborah,
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in an environment with so much culture must have been great in allowing you to get to know so many different views on life. I think it would be great for all students to be given that opportunity of getting to know and befriend a variety of people.