Doris Reynierson - Reflection Chapter 2

Reflections Journal

Developing Multicultural Educators: Chapter 2 – Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Racism

Defining Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Racism

     Chapter two discusses stereotypes, prejudice, and racism by defining these concepts, their formation in society, and effects in schools. These three processes are mechanisms that people use to describe, judge, and alienate themselves or others.  To deny their existence is as dangerous as ignoring their effects.

     Stereotyping is the creation of categories that group people, items, or events and assumes that all within the group share a single trait or all characteristics (Noel, 2008).  Stereotyping is a mental, rather that emotional or behavioral process of describing people.  Prejudice, on the other hand is a judgmental process by which people perceive others.  Prejudices, which are either positive or negative, are how we feel about people, objects, or events (Noel, 2008).  And finally, racism is a belief that one’s race is superior to other races and consequentially that other races are inferior (Noel, 2008).

     Because educators interact with children and young adults everyday in the classroom and school environment, it is vital that they understand each of these concepts, identify their existence, the importance of addressing their effects, and how to take action to facilitate quick abolishment and intolerance of negative or harmful perceptions in the school and classroom environments.  Educating all stakeholders is the best way to understand where we were, where we are, and where we want to go.

Stereotyping

     Stereotyping is natural in a school community as members define groups by using characteristics that people possess.  What is erroneous is when people assign all characteristics of a group to all group members purely by association rather than getting to know them as individuals.  An educator must be careful not to assume students possess all characteristics that are generally assigned to a culture.  Getting to know their students is of upmost importance in the classroom.  Thoughtful planning to institute classroom activities which facilitate sharing appropriate personal information can be done at all functioning levels. Secondly, it is erroneous when the intention of a group’s creation (an in group) is to form the group to keep others out (an out group). Basically we decide who is like us and who is not which is not harmful in itself unless we use this information to distance ourselves. Differences should be embraced, shared and even celebrated in the classroom and school environment. Educators must ensure that they get to know each student as individuals through thoughtful classroom exercises that help students and educators develop a trusting relationship that fosters a comfortable learning environment.

Prejudice

      “Developing Multicultural Educators” by Jana Noel reports that prejudices are formed due to five categorized theories: frustration-aggressive theory, racial or cultural difference theory, economic competition theory, social control theory, and traumatic experience theory (Noel, 2008).  During a classroom exercise, prejudice was illustrated using a looking glass.  Class members were asked to look in the mirror to see people and their perceptions, keenly asking do we see our perceptions or individuals. After each theory, Noel asks if readers can attribute each theory to their own prejudices.  During a lifetime of personal interaction, it can be theorized that an adult cannot avoid having prejudices or experiencing their effects in daily life.  More importantly though, is how we handle these prejudices because this determines our sensitivity and humanity.  Educators must know that prejudices exist within themselves, students, parents, peers and learn to identify their existence while intelligently and compassionately educating all stakeholders to understand that individual’s cultural differences will benefit all stakeholders because each experience (that is not harmful) is a learning experience.  As a special education teacher for children in the autism spectrum, I am quite familiar with prejudice and stereotyping.  I have dealt with peers who assume my students are extremely high (Asperger) or extremely low (severe and profound).  I have found I that must educate them about the spectrum of autism.  All my students are individuals, with high skills sets and some low skills sets but their right to self advocacy is no less important than every general education student.   

Racism

     Racism is a dangerous and harmful concept to a group, classroom, school environment, community, state, or country. Racism uses fear and hatred as its fuel and breeds negative results.  There are four types of racism: aware/blatant racism, aware/covert racism, unaware/unintentional racism, and unaware/self-righteous racism (Noel, 2008).  During a classroom activity, class members stated they didn’t know which was worse, being an aware racist or an unaware racist.  Past experiences will answer that question for each individual.  The important question is what we will allow in our classrooms, school environment, or communities. We cannot allow racism in any form in our schools but it is important to study the results of our past mistakes to ensure our future success at all functioning levels. Racism can be hate, graffiti, and inappropriate language but is it also tracking students or subtractive schooling? Can educators set the tone for a student’s future by setting expectations low? Absolutely! Educators need to look closely at differentiating instruction to ensure that it is not a form of racism that separates students or preordains student potential. We must set high expectations for all students and group students together so that all every student benefits from instruction and student interaction.

Summary

     Accepting the existence of stereotyping, prejudice, and racism will help to identify and make positive changes in our schools. School stakeholders have to answer difficult and important questions regarding meeting school diversity needs and overcoming roadblocks to successful cultural pluralism.  A school-wide philosophy to achieve cultural pluralism with extensive planning and a process for evaluating progress will provide support and direction for a diverse school environment. By creating professional statements regarding diversity, team members and parents can understand the issues and concerns of stereotyping, prejudice, and racism and begin to agree on a common philosophy of addressing their negative effects. The philosophy should state beliefs and values that will guide members in making decisions that support those values.  A move to the diverse school environment has the potential to impact the entire school program, staff members, and all students.  A system-wide plan is important as well because all stakeholders in the process can be educated about the philosophy, direction, process, and evaluation of the program, which will lead to a higher rate of student success over all.