Teacher Tolerance.org

I found the website tolerance.org as a very beneficial resource tool as a future educator. The topics are very pertinent to social justice and the lessons can be easily applied to the classroom. One activity I found interesting was titled the sound of change. The main objective of the activity is for students to learn the role of music. The creators of the activity state music creates a different kind of education with lessons about personal stories, moral consequences, and life itself.  The activity forces students to analyze some general songs and then their favorite song and explain why the song impacts or influences them. 

I thought the activity was interesting because it includes something that we come in contact with on a daily basis. Personally I can recite my favorite song before I can reiterate what I learned in class. Sometimes I have no general idea why a certain song evokes emotion from me or why I gravitate to certain artists or genres. It might have to do with my personal history or experiences that can be integrated to a wide variety of standards.

I decided to look for a publications pertaining to my subject and grade area. I discovered one that is titled Civil Disclosure in the classroom. The lesson pertains to integrating the basic tools of civil disclosure to diverse classrooms. The lessons aid in turning student opinions into logical arguments, and would further develop skills on how to effectively challenge arguments with fighting, berating or offending other individuals.  The lesson hones on several thinking and reasoning skills and language arts skills. I found this lesson interesting because it is something I wish I learned in middle school or high school. The lesson covers a myriad of educational and life skills pertinent to everyone’s future life. These skills include effectively communicating, public speaking, how to properly provide an opinion and argument and several more. The creators of the lesson also made the lesson completely generalized so the students can apply the services to different situations and scenarios.

Threats to Today’s Youth- Cyberbullying

A growing threat to today’s youth would be the access of technology and social media.  Today’s generation face a whole variety of dangers that past generations did not have the opportunity to have.  As technology grows so does its potential threat to the youth. Kids now have an easier time to accessing websites and social apps that can aid in negative influential behavior.  This became more evident to me when I started to babysit my younger cousin. She was a smart pretty sixth grader who had a lot going for her. She had just gotten her first phone and started using social media sites like twitter and Instagram. Another thing that bothered me was the fact that she started watching girl fights. I began to see her demeanor change with the more videos she watched and the more she became involved with social media.

Technology also created a new form bullying titled cyber bullying. This is a form of bullying that uses electronic communication to bully, threaten and intimidate others. Kids and young adults find it hard to escape cyberbullying because it can happen 24 hours 7 days a week. According to cyberbullying.gov what makes cyber bullying worst is the fact that deleting inappropriate messages and pictures is extremely difficult to delete.

Cyber bullying can impact my educator journey in an innumerable ways. Kids who are cyberbullied are likely to be bullied in person, skip school, be unwilling to attend school, receive poor grades. (cyberbullying.gov). As a teacher it would be my job to identify any characteristics that might indicate cyberbullying. I think students need to know how to properly utilize technology and social media. I feel that I should implement classrooms rules regarding cell phones and computers. According to the cyberbullying.gov I should always be preventive when allowing my students to use technology. I think that there will be a constant struggle between protecting younger generations from the harmful influences of technology.

Geographic influence

I was born in Southwest Atlanta and stayed there till I was in about 5th grade.  I grew up in what is considered to be a low income neighborhood with negative social influence. One thing my parents told my brother and I was to never become a negative product of my environment. My parents never wanted us to be influenced by the negative aspects of our neighborhood. So we were taught that we had to perform at higher standard and behave properly because we had something to prove.

When I was in the 5th grade we moved to Paulding County which is a more rural area near the University of West Georgia and the Alabama state line.  This was a big culture change for me because it was the first time I was placed in a diverse area. It was an adjustment but a positive change in values. I think the city teaches different values than a rural area. When living in the country my values began to change and became more family orientated and I also developed deep lasting friendships with my peers. I was glad I moved to the rural area because it humbled me and allowed me thrive in a myriad of ways.

Dr. Charles Heatwole writes about cultural ecology and cultural interactions. Cultural interaction focuses on the relationships that often exist between cultural components that characterize a given community.(Heatwole 2006). Heatwole discusses how cultural traits can be found in the landscape of a region. When I moved to Paulding County I thought that everything including the people moved slow compared to the city. I had to adapt to a whole new culture with in and a different landscape. It was a relief, for the first time I could play outside in my own yard and ride a bike through my neighborhood. I never noticed how much your landscape can influence you till I had to leave Paulding County. It is odd to see the changes I go through traveling from Atlanta to Paulding County. 

Religious Diversity

I chose to attend First Afrikan Church with my cousin near Decatur,GA. I primarily chose this service because it was convenient and because my older cousin was performing that day.  One of the main differences that I automatically spotted was the attire. Some people dressed in the traditional African attire or Dashiki’s and others just dressed in their Sunday’s best. Instead of automatically opening in prayer they opened in an ancestor worship ceremony where the congregation acknowledges the ancestors who have greatly impacted them. As each person shouted a name the guy would pour water into a plant. I believed that water symbolized the ancestors and the living generation was the plant. The ancestor’s aid in our growth and like the water stimulates new life the ancestors do the same with strong willed values, beliefs and lasting memories. This was a very personal and intimate part of the service and I thought it was very much I time to thank those who have passed away.

Another thing that stood out to me was the music. The Hymns and songs were the same but the main differences were the instrument. The only instruments used were Djembe and Dunun drums which are African hand drums. The people playing the drums displayed great talent I was very proud of my older cousin in her performance. Overall I thought the service was awesome and the preacher spoke on a great message. I thought I would feel awkward going to a different religious service, but once I got there I was completely comfortable.

I think it is important to be exposed to different types of religion and religion practices. One because I think diversity aids in the growth of knowledge. Second as a Christian I was highly interested to see how other people who share core beliefs partake in their daily services.  Child psychologists have to be trained in religious diversity to properly support their clients. The training helps build self-awareness helps realize the impact of faith as well as human experience. (Mark McMinn 2014). The psychologists also have to participate in clinical training. This involves them going to religious meetings on campus, researching religious current events and issues on other hands on activities. Overall I enjoyed my visit to First Afrikan Church and I have attended a home going service since my initial visit. I am very grateful that my cousin invited me and will be more than happy to attend more services.

Handicap and Being Handicap Accessible

Going throughout my daily routine I attempted to imagine what it would be like to have a physical disability. I noticed that my routine was very was very much hindered due to the lack of accessibility found in my surroundings. Instead of taking the stairs I tried to take ramps or attempted to find alternate routes. Little things I never noticed became more evident. Like one of the wheel chair ramps at Hoag is blocked by a dumpster, there is no elevator to get to the classes in memorial or the difficulty for a visionally impaired person to get around. I found that there was number that allows you to report physical barriers that prohibit normal progress on campus. The number took some investigating and was not well publicized.

On Monday and Tuesday afternoons my roommate and I play basketball at the rec center. This made me wonder about the handicap activities offered and if they are easily obtainable.  The rec employees I talked to had no general idea on how to accommodate but said for basketball there would not be much compromising. The closet rec wheelchair basketball facility was located in Henry County. Going through the Henry county parks and rec website I found they offered a variety of wheelchair sports such as handball, football and tennis for adults and children. 

In an article titled Barriers in Higher Education for Persons with Handicaps: A Continued Challenge the author surveyed 57 colleges in Kentucky about their handicapped student population. Out of the 57 schools 45 replied to the questionnaire that focused on admission policies, social barriers, architectural barriers, social barriers and orientation procedures. . The survey was meant to show how different schools handle disabilities. One statistic I found interesting was the amount of human service programs for students with handicaps. This includes designated counselors that are specialized in different areas. It put in perspective on how some schools attempt to personally accommodate certain handicaps. 

Gender Roles and Gender Identity

I think that gender is something predetermined but your gender identity is an aspect of your life you control. People have the opportunity to identify with whatever makes them comfortable. But people who often identify with the opposite gender often face backlash.

For a male I feel there is a strong emphasis on fitting the masculine gender role set by society. Men are automatically judged on their masculinity and sometimes have to prove to their peers how masculine they are. Men in my opinion are highly criticized by others and there is a push for every male to fit that social norm. I do not know if I would fit the social group to be a stereotypical male. I am an athlete who loves sports; I enjoy cars, outdoor activities. On the other hand I can’t change my oil; I enjoy romantic comedies, and buying clothes. I would consider myself masculine but I don’t know if others would.

I think I have my own idea of what a man is and that’s due to the people I have observed over the years. I was raised by my parents and my grandmother. Spending time with each of them individually I would do different things on the gender scale. With my grandmother I might bake and with my dad I might wash and detail the car. I enjoyed doing things with the adults but my parents were sure to emphasize on what little boys should do or say.  One of the main things was that men are not lazy. Little boys should always be involved in sports, boy scouts or something hands on, but nothing feminine.

Authors McDermott and Schwartz write about men's gender role journeys with differences in age, education, race sexual orientation and relationship status. Gender role theory is the understanding how men construct and adapt their gender role identities.( McDermott and Schwartz 2013) The authors state that every male at some point goes through a phase where they accept or overly accept their gender roles. But in one the groups such as age, sexual orientation, and race or in a relationship defy their acceptance. The authors then discuss the stages of gender roles which are acceptance of traditional gender roles, ambivalence about gender roles, anger over gender roles, personal–professional activism, celebration/integration of gender roles. I personally as a young male have experienced these stages at different parts of my life.  I found the article very thought provoking and self-reflecting and a different outlook on gender roles. 

A Gender less Child

The responsibility of raising a child holds a great amount responsibility. A parent makes pivotal decisions in molding a child’s future and makes pivotal decisions.

Raising a child in a genderless environment in my opinion hinders the development of a child. Parents play a pivotal part in the socialization process of their kids; most parents make the first decision to help their child fit into their gender role.  I think children cannot fully make that decision on their own because they do not completely understand the gender roles.  I further think it is difficult to create a gender environment without any bias. I am sure the child will be influenced by the gender roles displayed by their parents. The concept in whole is confusing and difficult. The parents say they want to raise their child genderless because it is “A tribute of freedom in a place of limitation.” In a way I believe they are limiting their child in a whole different way.

I do not believe that individuals have to fit into their gender roles and fully believe that people can make their own decision on what gender they want to identify with. For a child I think it is a bit overwhelming, it is hard to figure out who you are at 3; I barely know the full extinct of myself at 19. Letting your child aimlessly wonder without an idea of a gender is a disadvantage and can obstruct the way a child grows up.  A child needs to know the basic roles of gender so they can readily identify.  

Privilege

Privilege is having some sort of advantage over others because of some asset a person possesses. Being a young black male I have seen privilege work both ways.  Though people do not always want to admit people still highly consider race, gender and socioeconomic status when interacting with others.  

Once again being a black male I have been denied privilege and have received privilege. Sometimes receiving privilege is not always a beneficial thing obtaining privilege can receive a large amount of backlash. For example last year when I applied for an INTRO leader position I received a bunch of hate from my peers. They said you already have an advantage because you’re black and if you get the job it’s only because they need diversity. Then when I received the position they reassured me my race secured me my position. They would not mention my prior leadership skills or any other factors that I have that could have possibly gotten me the job. One of my friends even said yeah it’s not like they hire freshman anyway, it’s definitely because of your race, when seven freshmen were hired along with me.  When I do receive privilege most of it comes with a great amount of judgment from others mostly the majority rather than the minority. 

It is human nature to hold some sort of preconceived judgment about others but when trying to educate a diverse group of students.  As teacher I think it is important not to display a large amount of favoritism toward a student or a group of students.  This can cause a divide in the class and conflict between students.  It is easy to gravitate towards one student in a class but once you start to show that student special favor you a granting him opportunities that cannot be offered to others. Making sure the  playing field is even for students is a must. 

Talking about Race in the Classroom

The importance of discussing race and different aspects pertaining to race is highly critical in shaping an individual. Racial dimensions need to be discussed to fit the needs of a school system that has an increase in diversity. Those diverse students’ necessities need to be met in order for them to properly thrive in school. Though addressing the subject is difficult it still needs to be addressed to help create a safe place for kids of all minorities.

As educators we need to be able to openly discuss race and ethnicity confidently, without bias or without a fear of addressing the subject. If students observe that their teacher will barely address the issue of racial minorities or ethnicity differences then students will be less willing to learn about other cultures. Educators also need to be educated about other ethnicities, races and genders so that they do not misinform students. Educating teachers can also aid in abolishing stereotypes and negative opinions formed from personal experiences.  

An article titled Different perceptions of race in education: racial minority and white teacher’s converses about the race in education, the role of teachers, and in-depth case studies pertaining to the subject. The authors Thomas R. Klassen and Paul R. Carr state “Our findings indicate that investigation of the diverse needs of racial and ethnocultural groups is required.” (Klassen and Carr 1997)

The article provides a perspective of how white and minority teachers integrate other cultures in their daily lessons. He further elaborates by saying “Many racial minority teachers also perceived that White teachers were rewarded for pursuing antiracist education or equity issues in general, whereas racial minority teachers pursuing the same issues were made to feel that they were unidimensional or somehow "obsessed" with race and racism.” (Klassen and Carr 1997) The results display that there is a divide in teaching ways between the two types of teachers. It is perceived that the white teachers teach focusing on the majority of students of; the minority teachers tend to focus more on the minority students.  An effective strategy is to integrate both lessons displayed by the teachers and implement activities that get students out of their comfort zone learning about other cultures. I think another beneficial strategy is to provide stimulating class discussions about race and events pertaining to race.  

Klassen, T. R., & Carr, P. R. (1997). Different perceptions of race in education: Racial minority and white teachers. Canadian Journal of Education, 22(1), 67. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/215380055?accountid=159965

Breaking a Social Norm

My name is William Oliver and I am a sophomore at the University of North Georgia. This Blog is for my Exploring Socio-Diversity class that pertains to the education field. This week we were asked to break a social norm and observe how others reacted.

For my social norm I decided to say goodbye every time I answer the phone or answer the phone and remain silent. I chose to break this norm because it was simple yet held a surprising amount of connotation to a phone conversation. When answering the phone the appropriate thing to do is greet your guest on the other line. This is a norm of American culture that signifies mutual respect and common courtesy for others. When I answered the phone I received a large amount of reactions. When I answered with goodbye or nothing at all there was always a large amount of confusion and awkward wait time. The best reaction that I received was from my grandmother she called me and I answered with goodbye and she just simply hung up the phone, called back and said that’s rude and hung up the phone.  I did not see the amount of disrespect a simple word can do until I received some of the reactions. The hardest part was answering calls from people outside my immediate family.  If my coworkers or managers called it was extremely awkward to carry on a serious conversation.

I think this relates to culture because it is said that saying hello opens the line for communication. This little action put in perspective how people in American culture value respect and courtesy. People expect that courtesy should be given to everybody and that it is a required thing. In the American culture they want people to be civilized and partake in small and large etiquettes. I believe that if people do not show a meek courtesy of hello they are instantly judged and perceived as bad-mannered. Overall I found this very thought-provoking for such a small act.

Thank you for reading,

William Oliver