Ethnic
and Racial Identity Development
“Our ethnicity is one of
the most basic elements of our being.” – McAdoo (1993)
I spent my teenage years
abroad where discrimination is as prevalent as it is here, in this
“race-conscience society”, but there, the criteria of discrimination is
different, and the people are not ashamed to admit their prejudices, and openly
practice them.
With reference to the
study by Madsen and Hollins (1997) - early experiences in life “influence
personal and group identity development”, and frame our perspectives about
ethnicity and race as adults. On that note, I believe that we all harbor biases
that we are either unaware off, or subconsciously ignore or consciously subdue,
because of our convictions that it’s not morally right or politically correct,
but at some point we are likely to show off our true colors – no pun intended -
if we are put in a spot.
I wonder why the job
postings for teachers and employment announcements in general include this type
of or similar text. “Free from discrimination on the basis of race, color,
religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation,
marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status,
veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as
defined and required by state and federal laws.”
I think such notices
constantly influence the public’s perception about forms of discrimination that
they would have been unaware off.
I wonder if the ‘don’t
ask, don’t tell’ approach is a better deal?
“Acceptance of one’s
ethnicity is a prerequisite for multicultural education – to educate ethnically
and culturally different students and improve their academic, personal, and
social achievement ….. with the premise that ethnic identity is a powerful need
and valuable resource.” - Gay, G. (1999)
So how would a teacher’s
own view about racial and ethnic identity affect classroom practices and social
interactions with students and colleagues?
For teachers to promote
a healthy identity for themselves and their pupils, they need to understand
themselves – understand one’s own racial identity and that of others requires
acknowledging personal feelings and perceptions of one’s own racial identity
and ideas about other races - that the classroom is a place where teachers have
an opportunity to ‘make a difference in students’ perception about racial and
ethnic identity’, Hollins E.R. (1999).
I guess, as current or
future teachers, we will have to rise above our personal biases and prejudices,
which I think we all have to some degree, so that we may be able to offer the
best possible, healthy and nourishing classroom environment that’s expected of
us.
With reference to
Hollins’ typology about teachers, as a future teacher, I would like to follow
the approach of Type II or Type III teachers - that each child is treated as an
individual irrespective of their cultural background, that school curriculum
should be reframed to incorporate cultural ‘diversity of the nation’, that all
‘children in the classroom feel comfortable and supported, especially ethnic
minorities and children with special needs, that students need ‘direction’
rather than control, that multicultural education is a source for providing
equitable and effective teaching and learning, that ‘children are a product of
their home culture’ and that curriculum and instructional approaches may be
altered if need be, to help the students.
Why do job postings for
teachers and employment announcements in general include this or similar texts
like, “free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national
origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union
status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status,
political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and
required by state and federal laws.” I think such notices constantly influence
the public’s perception about forms of discrimination that they wouldn’t have
been aware off.
References:
Hollins, E.R. (1999) Relating
Ethnic and Racial Identity Development to Teaching. Mahwah. N.J., L Erlbaum
Associates. p. 183-193
Gay,
G. (1999) Ethnic Identity Development and Multicultural Education.
Mahwah. N.J., L Erlbaum Associates. p. 195-211
Adel,
ReplyDeleteThis was very insightful. I agree with you that we all end up having our own biases, and sometimes it is hard for us to separate our biases of others from new individuals. In our brains it is easy and fast to make a stereotype, but in our societies we are taught this is wrong. Some of our stereotyping is driven by an evolutionary engine, but we as "Humans" are taught that we can transcend these assumptions. This actually reminds me of the four agreements from Professor Browns class: "Make no assumptions" when we presume to make an assumption about a situation we are tapping into years of survival instincts, and while in a strictly Darwinian sense this may be a good thing in some cases, more often then not we come to false conclusions based on inaccurate, misleading, or down right false information.
I found comment about the universal nature of race and racism, only in other places they accept themselves for what they are. As a resident adviser in college one of the training seminars we held was on this concept that no matter how hard we try or would like to think at some level we are all Racists. Some of us learn to accept this and work to better ourselves while others try and hide the fact or over compensate in their denials. As the saying goes "Acceptance is the price of freedom." It is only when we truly accept our misguided ways that we can have any hope of changing them for the better.
As far as the "don't ask" policy, i feel that this approach can be truly limiting, especially with at least part of a persons race, being so outwardly apparent. It is hard enough for a person who is gay to try and conform or keep a secret, which they should never have to keep, but on the subject of race: it can be very hard to hide that you are ( or at least look like) a tomato, and not a cucumber. (to keep our tossed garden salad analogy going)