#2-Race and Ethnicity

Several CQs from the week and one case study we discussed in class addressed the importance of students seeing themselves in the curriculum and texts.  I do think it is important that textbooks and curriculum address more than the white man.  I love teaching World History because we talk about cultures and people from all over the world.  My class is multicultural by nature of the curriculum.  Students of Chinese heritage are able to learn about and celebrate the political and technological advancements of the Chinese.  Indian students learn about Akbar and his goals for religious unity and social reform.  Students enjoy sharing their knowledge of their culture and history with the class. 

One concern I have about my class and any efforts to include other cultural lessons is that students often don't understand that they are only learning a little bit about a complex society.  What they learn becomes the whole story about an ethnic group, a country, etc.  A colleague recently directed me to this video when I expressed these concerns.  The woman in the video addresses how people have stereotyped her based on "one story" and how she has stereotyped others based on "one story."  While it is only natural that we make assumptions based on what we've learned and heard about a group, how do we avoid students leaving our classroom with the "one story" mentality? 

I thought the www.understandingrace.org site introduced in the group presentation was excellent.  There is an activity on the site called "The Game of Life Experience" where students look at everyday experiences from other group's point of view.  This would be an excellent activity for my students to do one of the first day's of school in order for them to realize not all people live like them.  It would also be a good site to use in both a history and biology class.