Discussions
(1) Having watched Chimamanda Adichie’s, The Danger of a Single Narrative, and hearing her experiences, why is it so important to look beyond the ‘Single Story’ that Chimamanda Adichie speaks about in this talk? Why is it important to know our student’s stories/lives? How does knowing our students help us design curriculum that is culturally responsive?
Each one of us has multiple stories. Imagine an entire nation or race being confined to a single story, usually negative. It is dangerous to listen to and internalize a single story or stereotype. As teachers, we need to understand that there are individual stories. We have to leave our biases before entering a classroom and confront any racism that may come up in the classroom. Understanding our students’ lives is important for identifying potential barriers that may inhibit their learning. Moreover, knowing their stories allows teachers to tailor their teaching approach to the students’ individual needs. It also helps build stronger relationships with them. Making the students feel comfortable participating in class discussions requires a sense of connection between the students and the teacher, whose job is cultivating a safe and inclusive learning environment. A culturally responsive curriculum acknowledges that there are multiple ways of knowing and understanding the world. Knowing the students’ backgrounds allows teachers to tailor curriculum content to reflect the diversity of the students’ experiences. When students see their cultures reflected in the curriculum, it builds their self-esteem. This encourages critical thinking and open-mindedness. Learning English is thus not an abandonment of students’ own cultures but a means to serve as effective ambassadors, bravely representing their unique cultural identity in the face of a dominant narrative.
(2) Describe two different tangible tasks/activities that you can incorporate into your planning to help students embrace their own Ethnicity, Race and Culture and bring awareness to others' Ethnicity, Race and Culture?
Here are some activities:
- Select reading comprehension about different cultures. Advanced students can write comparative essays about American culture/food/music and their own. They can also watch movies about other cultural experiences.
- In literature, students are introduced to folktales and short stories about cultural diversity.
- Invite guest speakers from diverse backgrounds. My school invited children’s book authors to read their semi-autobiographical picture books.
- Project: The students could conduct minor autoethnography research by researching online, interviewing their family members, and sharing family photos, music, and food, with an explanation of cultural practices. (I wrote a college essay about autoethnography and saw a history teacher doing this project with middle schoolers)
- Students present their projects in class or during Open House. They learn about each other's cultures and backgrounds and get to show off their work.
Finally, I recommend watching American Fiction, which addresses the telling of a single story of African Americans.
(3) Describe the difference between being an ally and being a co-conspirator according to Bettina Love's video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quYtB3MlwD4).
When Bettina Love discussed how to be proactive—an upstander rather than a bystander—I immediately remembered a religious lesson I had learned in elementary school while living in Egypt. The Prophet Muhammed was reported to have said: “Whoever amongst you sees an evil action, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of Faith.” While I am not particularly religious, I feel this quote represents what Professor Love is expressing. An ally is well-informed and shows solidarity for a cause but might not participate in some actions to support the cause. On the other hand, a co-conspirator is proactive and tries to make changes by taking risks if necessary. According to her, a co-conspirator can be strategic and use their privilege to dismantle the systems of oppression, like the man who held the pole so that the police would not electrocute the woman who climbed it.
Bettina Love is the author of We Want to Do More Than Survive.
(4) Describe ways in which you can see yourself as a co-conspirator in your role as teacher who serves their diverse student body and diverse community. Keep in mind that being an ally and/or co-conspirator is not only relegated to people of color (POC), but to any marginalized community seeking a voice and/or activist to walk alongside them and to also share their stories with others in order to not end up as a ‘Single Narrative’ and to help create change (students/people with special needs, gender roles in schools and workplaces or family dynamics, religious communities, linguistic support, and more.
Teachers who are co-conspirators are vocal about their diverse students’ rights and needs to ensure a culture of inclusivity. First, teachers should adopt a culturally responsive teaching approach to design a curriculum that reflects their students' backgrounds and experiences while integrating their voices and narratives. Students should feel comfortable expressing themselves in the classroom. Second, teaching critical thinking is essential to examine stereotypes, identify the misrepresentation of marginalized groups, and challenge dominant narratives. Third, working with families from diverse backgrounds makes the students feel supported. Fourth, a teacher advocates for students and speaks up against social and racial injustices. Therefore, if the teacher sees any biased education, he should speak against it and collaborate with other teachers to weed it out. I recently worked as a librarian and ensured that the students and I celebrated a different heritage every month by reading books by or about a specific ethnic group. Teachers should ensure that their students visit the school library or the public library to celebrate the diversity of our people or at least have an inclusive library in their classrooms.
(5) Explain your own experiences learning another language and/or maintaining your native language.
I was one of the lucky students who started learning English at school as early as Kindergarten. There was translanguaging in my classroom in Egypt back then, unlike nowadays, the new generations of Egyptian students are not allowed to speak anything but English. Students of my generation used Arabic freely in the classroom, and the teacher also explained English lessons in Arabic. We felt very confident but could not maintain conversations in English as we were not trained to speak English except in speaking exercises, which were a few. As a result, I could express myself better in writing than in speaking. As years passed, I spent more time in the US without a soul to speak Arabic with. I often found myself unintentionally code-switching whenever I talked to friends back home, and the Arabic words would frequently escape me. The funny thing was that after I ended the phone call with them, my brain still thought in Arabic; I sometimes forgot and continued speaking Arabic to whoever was in the room.
(6) Knowing what translanguaging is, how might you go about supporting the language needs of your students in your classroom? If you are currently teaching, be specific about what you can implement immediately. If you are not yet teaching, what do you plan to implement in the future?
Translanguaging allows the students to mix their native language with the target language for learning. As a teacher, I would allow students to ask questions and explain ideas in their native language if they cannot do it in the target language. Hence, the teacher should allow code-switching and have an online dictionary or translation app handy to support comprehension. One video suggests that if students are asked to research, they can gather information in their own language and then discuss it with their group in English. In this way, they can build knowledge using their native language and transfer it to the target language. I find it a good idea to utilize and grow their academic skills. As an MA student, I had to resort to a couple of Arabic references for my comparative thesis as they were non-existent in English. So, I had to use my bilingualism to find resources.
(7) Analyze the quote by Erikson: “We deal with a process ‘located’ in the core of the individual and yet also in the core of his communal culture… In psychological terms, identity formation employs a process of simultaneous reflection and observation, a process taking place on all levels of mental functioning, by which the individual judges himself in the light of what he perceives to be the way in which others judge him in comparison to themselves and to a typology significant to them; while he judges their way of judging him in the light of how he perceives himself in comparison to them and to types that have become relevant to him. This process is, luckily, and necessarily, for the most part unconscious except where inner conditions and outer circumstances combine to aggravate a painful, or elated, “identity consciousness” (From Tatum, 1997, p. 19).
Erikson highlights for educators the process of identity development during adolescence. His quote explains that we all have dual identities; one is shaped internally by how we judge ourselves based on how we perceive others see us, while the other is shaped by external factors of how we evaluate their judgment through our understanding of our self-perception. In other words, this psychological process occurs within the individual but is also influenced by the surrounding society. Erikson adds that, luckily, this ongoing internal process happens almost unconsciously but, in some extreme circumstances, causes self-awareness or “identity consciousness.”. Erikson’s quote is important to help educators understand how students feel in the critical age of their identity formation. Moreover, he emphasizes the role of society in influencing how identity is formed and understood.
As a teacher, I should promote positive student identity development by creating an inclusive classroom that celebrates diversity. I should also encourage individuality and self-acceptance to develop a sense of belonging in the classroom. My classroom is a safe space for students to explore their identities. I will promote critical thinking about gender roles and equity, challenge gender stereotypes in my curriculum, and include classroom discussions.
(8) Identify the reasons why some teachers choose to keep their identity to themselves while others are free to share their personal story:
Some teachers keep their identities to themselves, while others share their stories. First, some teachers prefer to maintain professional boundaries to avoid biases. They may not be comfortable sharing personal details or fear discrimination from colleagues, students, or parents. Like the teacher in the video, other teachers want to connect with students and build relationships. This is another way to promote inclusivity, encourage the students to be themselves, and ensure a safe classroom environment.
(9) Respond to the posed sentence starters with at least 1-3 tangible ideas:
(a) To promote an inclusive classroom and challenge hetero-sexism, I can create a safe space for respectful discussion without fear of judgment and include LBGTQ themes and literature.
(b) If I hear or see evidence of victimization LGBTQ students/staff/faculty/members of my community, I can be an ally, not a co-conspirator, by speaking up and reporting the unacceptable behavior.
(c) To help LGBTQ students/staff/faculty/members of my community know that their sexual orientation identity is not how I judge their academic, teaching or personal skills, I can show and highlight their achievements and create a classroom environment based on mutual respect and treat everyone equally.
(10) Think about activities from this course such as the Cultural Diversity Awareness Questionnaire, the I Am Poem, The Cultural Collage and all the Discussion responses you have shared to let our colleagues know more about you. After watching these three short videos, explain the importance of ‘Funds of Knowledge’ in getting to know your students and using that knowledge to plan lessons that incorporate the interest, backgrounds and abilities of those you will be teaching.
Funds of knowledge are the "historical accumulation of abilities, bodies of knowledge, and skills." (From the second video). They also encompass experiences, hobbies, interests, community involvement, and each student's family and cultural background. Teachers can effectively engage students and pique their interest by using different strategies to discover their funds of knowledge. This approach does not only build relationships but also enables teachers to identify their students' individual learning styles, ultimately leading to the development of more effective teaching strategies. Teachers can make better and more relevant lesson plans by exploring their students' cultural and social worlds and allowing them to share their stories and experiences. When students see their own experiences reflected in the classroom, it builds their confidence and makes them feel recognized and validated. Students take pride when they choose activities and feel a sense of ownership. They can subsequently demonstrate (by showing off) their learning to their peers in meaningful and creative ways.
The Cultural Collage is a visually compelling representation of students. Students are encouraged to use it to reflect their own cultural background, languages spoken at home, religious beliefs...etc. They can also include their interests, favorite music, hobbies, or sports, allowing them to express themselves and take charge of their own learning. This activity gives them the chance to celebrate their unique heritage and promotes a sense of inclusion within the classroom. Additionally, the Cultural Collage opens discussions and serves as an effective icebreaker.