Thursday, January 30, 2014

Racial Discussion

Blog Post 2
It is important to discuss issues that are seen as having racial dimension for a few reasons. The first reason is because racism plays a role in each and every school. Some schools have a more diverse population while others were scarcely diverse. Teachers will have to deal with the issue of racism on a daily basis. When kids are younger, they tend to see past the color of someone’s skin. As they begin to get older, this is when the topic of racism becomes more touchy. When I say touchy, I mean it is a very sensitive subject. Talking about racism can lead to many arguments, and there is a certain way to go about the topic. Some effective strategies for initiating and facilitating conversations about racism are being respectful, using appropriate language, and listening to what others have to say (even if you do not agree). Being respectful means not only listening to what others have to say, but you must also not criticize them for the way they think. You might say, “I understand your point of view, but I disagree because...” Using appropriate language also ties in to the respect aspect. While talking about another race, slang is not appropriate or even negative feedback to someone when you do not agree. Educators need to promote/encourage discussions that are influenced by race or ethnicity. Because society itself is becoming more diverse, people need to learn how to handle it and talk about it in a proper manner. When teachers have discussions, they need to see both sides of what people think and how they feel whether they agree or not. Like I said before, I believe the best way to talk about this topic is with respect and understanding of the other person’s point of view. 

2 comments:

  1. You made a lot of very good points that I agree with and that I even brought up in my discussion. I feel that the main problem with discussing issues with race, is that people are not open to other viewpoints and react in hostile manners. Like you said, respect and understanding is best when dealing with this type of topic. Great post!

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  2. Lauren,
    I thought this was a good post and your views are strong. Everyone has to respect each other before anything gets solved.

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