Blog Post 3

Mia Cerami
7/26/15

Q: Given your understanding of intentional and unintentional racism both through teacher- student interactions and curriculum development, how would you encourage diversity in the classroom?

My understanding of racism in the classroom is more of the unintentional kind. It comes from the unawareness of people's own biases. People aren't aware of their different expectations for different students. For example, asians are supposed to be smart in math and because of that expectation a teacher might not help the student in that subject. People of color who are in a white environment are assumed to be poorer or on a scholarship. I remember when I was in elementary school noticing my friend was the only African- American kid in my class and thinking it was really weird.

 Micro- aggressions are the expressions of your personal biases that you are blind to. For example, when I was in my old elementary school it was always assumed that you were going somewhere spectacular for spring break and I always stayed home. My solutions to encourage diversity in the classroom would be to tell the students pay close attention to other people which means asking questions and listening. And not to think someone has had similar or worse experiences than you. They're just different.