Walk in My Shoes
Growing up I always loved everyone, and even though I was fascinated by other cultures and races, I never paid attention to stereotypes. I was naïve and lived in my own little bubble - mostly because I was so sheltered by my mother. My daddy is Native American, but I was born with such fair skin. My parents divorced when I was three, but I had contact with my dad over the phone, and through letters. We lived on opposite coasts, so I did not get to see him much. During Social Studies classes we would watch films about the treatment of the Native Americans and I would cry — this was my heritage. Then my teachers would show films about slavery, and the appalling treatment of black people. I would cry again — didn't God create all of us?
As I continued to grow and learn, I found I was intensely curious about different cultures, countries, and their languages. As a student of the fine arts I would learn different cultural dances and types of music. My connection to my dad was learning all I could about Native Americans. I would read books and draw and paint pictures of American Indians. When the internet became available to us I began searching the Cherokee language. Because my youthful curiosity was still in my heart, I began learning other languages, and the music from other ethnic peoples still makes my heart sing. When I go to a native pow wow, my heart beats to the rhythm of the native drum. I was born with white skin but my heart beats strongly with native ancestry. I was also born with a heart that loves all people. I ache for people when they are stereotyped and when they are bullied, or just hated because they look different.
Cultural stereotypes and labels can be very hurtful. We tend to lump all of one ethnicity together based on a single stereotype. Ethnocentrism was a word I just really learned about in this lesson. The meaning of this word is the "evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture." (Oxford Dictionary definition) Whether conscious or unconscious, we use the norms from our own culture to judge other cultures, and we adopt the belief that our way of doing things is superior or more natural. Can you else say that you may have felt this way — that the way you do things is better? I think I fell into the trap of thinking that English is the superior language, and that what we do in America just seems to be the right way to do things. As those words come out of my head and onto the page, I am appalled at myself. I do not remember waking up one day and deciding, "You know what? I am American, and a Caucasian, and the way we do things here is just the right way!" How does this happen? I thought I was pretty impartial. Maybe I just did not KNOW enough.
I believe I need to become more intentional about putting myself in other people's shoes, moccasins, laptis, getas, juttis, klompens, and clogs. What kind of stereotypes are out there besides those most commonly known and used to ridicule or judge other races? Will the students in my future ESL class carry the burden of these stereotypes on their backs? How do I educate each of them about their classmates and about the American customs in a way that is respectful and informative? I do not want my students to feel that they have to carry those labels around like a badge of shame. These things can cause psychological barriers that prevent making strong connections with their peers and teachers. A favorite saying of mine is 'when faced with the stumbling blocks of life's challenges, it is better to build a bridge then to build a wall.'
It is time to put on my work boots and become a structural engineer for my future students.
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