Comment: In the classroom, students should be taught to not fear other cultures but rather to appreciate them. In the quote above it explains that if we, as a teacher, appreciate the cultural identity of our students will help in creating richer classroom experiences. One way that this could possibly create richer classroom experiences is because the teacher is appreciating and accepting each student individually. Every student is coming into the class with a different background. They each have been raised and taught manners according to their different cultures. Once a teacher recognizes the individuality of their students then they can begin to recognize the different instructional strategies needed to be used to reach each student. This gives the students a 'richer classroom experience'. They are each being given a variety of opportunities to reach their learning potential.
Question: Are there some racial stereotypes that we as a teacher may play to but we do not know we are?
For the past year I've been working at the mail room at the MTC. While I'm there I meet missionaries from all over the world. I've never considered myself a racist by any means, but after working there and interacting with so many culturally different people, and after taking TELL 400, I think that we all have some racial stereotypes. Most of the stereotypes are seemingly small, but can still be potentially harmful. For example, I see a Polynesian missionary and think that they are loud and outgoing. I meet a missionary from Panama and I'm shocked that he's blonde and white. I meet an elder from Hong Kong and expect him to be especially polite. I believe that these kind of racial assumptions are the ones we must be aware of. For that reason, it is important for us to get to know people from other countries and cultures, and to take the time to get to know our students personally and avoid putting labels on them.
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