Now I am being asked to reflect on the very same question for this course. I think that it is important to continually ask yourself " Who am I " in relation to everything in your life. Reflection is how you learn about yourself and others and how you grow as a person. So I will reflect on some of the questions that Prof. Lehmann has posed to us.
As far as my racial group, I think that it doesn't matter to me that much. I do not think that I treat people differently because of their race or socieoeconomic status either. ( To be honest, even as I am writing this, part of my brain is telling me that it really is a lie). I would not like it to matter, but I know that the differences between me and others do influence how I act and react to them. It is really hard to be in this world and not see differences. I try really hard to not to allow things to influence me. Being a teacher you are always reminding yourself to be an open person, to see the best qualities in each individual student, no matter what the difference.
There are so many questions to reflect on I may just pick a few out at a time...How do I feel when I interact with a person who speaks a language other than English? Sometimes it is frustrating because I cannot always understand what they are saying. I have a hard time understanding some things. It makes me give up talking to them because I don't want to ask over and over again what they are saying because I feel rude doing that. I must say that my attitude has been changing. As far as my assumptions go about linguistically diverse people, I try not to assume. Being in a school setting does help because there are many diverse backgrounds all jammed into one space. Instead of being afraid to talk to someone who speaks a different language I think that it is a great opportunity to learn about someone else's culture. I currently have a foreign exchange student in my class from the Ukraine. He has a very thick accent and sometimes he is not understandable. But I try every day to talk to him, hoping that I will get better at understanding him and I have! And it is such a waste to not ask him questions about his life at home in Kiev. It is really interesting to hear what he has to say. I have gotten some of my students to talk with him also and they all really enjoy it.
One more for now... If I had been a man instead of a woman, how would my life have been different? You should have been in my class today. The male and female students got into a heated debate over this one because one of the guys in my class asked the girls what they would say if their husband came home from work and asked them to make them some mac and cheese. It was a very heated debate. Then they dragged me into it because I am the only married person around. Sorry guys, but I feel to be a man is easier than being a woman today. I am not a housewife or a stay at home mom-not that there is anything wrong with that. I know that it is extremely hard to be those also. I have a full time job. When I come home from work I make dinner while taking care of my children. I still have to clean the house, do the laundry and keep track of the f inances. Not to mention prepare for the next day's classes and somewhere in there sleep. And keep in mind the feeling of guilt that I have for NOT being home with my children all of the time and taking better care of my house and family because this is what has been expected of women in society, or how I feel others perceive that it should be. I do not have time to sit on the couch and watch my favorite show or the "game" or play World of Warcraft on the computer. I do not feel (according to some of the students in class) that it is my god given right to do these things while someone else does more or less than me. I feel that all should be equal between man and woman. I cannot say how a man feels about all of this since I am not one. I find it extremely frustrating not to be treated equally. And I really do not THINK that men feel that way. (Maybe today was not a great day to discuss this particular item...)
Comments? Please do not tear me apart! I'm stressed out right now.
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