Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An example of a microaggression act that I remember is when I accompanied my sister to the bank a few years ago. I was wearing white pants and ankle long shirt with soft blue headscarf, which I have learned afterwards it was the attire of nuns belonging to a particular congregation in that area. My sister was wearing a short jeans skirt with a white t-shirt; we were dressed so socially differently that no one would have guessed we were sisters. As soon as I entered, I was greeted with great respect and was told that I did not need to take a number and was ushered to the VIP service room, in which I was offered coffee while I waited. The employee was so friendly and respectful that I was starting to think that I can still be treated with respect, despite my veil, which had been a hindrance ever since I started wearing it, not too long before that incident. However, all that has changed just as soon as the employee took my name and recognized it as Muslim. She realized that I was not a nun, I was a veiled woman! She stopped looking at me in the eye and was in a hurry to leave the room.  She politely asked me to wait as someone would come shortly to tend to my business and left. I could feel from the look on her face that she was uncomfortable with me in her office. The funny thing is that I was not angry at her, I was just sad from the fact that a personal belief would stand in the way between me and the rest of the world. I mean this is a personal choice, and I do not hurt anyone by putting a headscarf on my head. My sister is a Muslim, too, but she chose not wear the veil. Why does that make her more acceptable in society? And why does a nun, whose wardrobe, apparently, was not so different than mine, is more accepted, as a person?

I have learned this week that many people host some traces of bias that transpire at certain cues. Unfortunately, I have discovered that, occasionally, I also fall under this category. I have recognized that having good intentions does not negate the effects that my unintentional microaggressions may have on others. I have to admit that previously I had thought that only intense, obvious, and direct aggressive insults can hurt other individuals. And these I could handle quite well. After examining various manifestations of microinsults, microinvalidations, and microassaults this week, my dispositions became rather different.

Upon gaining awareness of microaggressions and the serious effects of discriminatory and stereotyping acts on individuals, I am more mindful of the importance of responsibly addressing them as they transpire. With this new assimilated knowledge, I do believe that I can better identify instances in which microaggressions may occur in the classroom and beyond. As an educator, it is important to acquire the skills to confront all forms of microaggression as they emerge, because we are the supports that children count on in helping them understand the confusions and contradictions that ensue from microaggressions to which they get subjected (Derman-Sparks, & Edwards, 2010).

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

After reflecting on some of the definitions of culture and diversity that I have received or listened to this week, I have discovered that the order in which people describe these two realms varies considerably from one person to another. While some placed their gender and ethnicity first, others chose values and behaviors. Aspects of culture that were included in most of the definitions were language, values, race, nationality, and religion. Diversity was mainly outlined with respect to countries, religion, and language. 

In defining culture, I have noted that some aptly recognized the dynamics of culture and its “continuous process of change and negotiation” (Ngo, 2008, p.6). For example, Y. Dohaim stated that culture is:

A set of unspoken (or informal) norms, values, and behaviors that are established around us generation after generation, these represent who we are. This ranges from dress code, to language, to art and literature, and things we appreciate. Culture forms at various levels, from our individual homes, to our communities, workplace or country. In the same way that it is formed, it may change in time (Y. Dohaim, personal communication, May 23, 2013).

L. Vogt R. and Qiblawi acknowledged the complexity of culture and shared their perceptions:

A set of customs, beliefs, ways of thinking, talking, dressing, behaving and doing things shared among a group of people (L. Vogt, personal communication, May 23, 2013).

Culture is what defines us as individuals. It is a reflection of who we are, our habits, our values, our traditions, etc… (R. Qiblawi, May 24, 2013)

 

In identifying diversity, most of the definitions were related to the different cultures from which people descend. R.Qiblawi mentioned the emergence of new cultures that ensue from diverse environments:

For me, diversity is simply the different cultures that manage to coexist in the same place, whereby a new culture might arise due to this mix (R. Qiblawi, personal communication, May 24, 2013).

Y. Dohaim defined it as follows:

When people from different cultures get to work (or live) in a community they bring their set or norms and values with them and hence form diversity in the community. In the workplace, this is typically when we have people coming from different parts of the country or world. Depending on how strong the hosting community culture is, over time, diversity becomes a norm or the new norm and people get to accept and live by it. In some case, conflicts may spark in the process (Y. Dohaim, personal communication, May 23, 2013).

L. Vogt provided a broader description, in which she included most aspects of culture that we have studied this week. She did not fail to mention ability, which is often overlooked by many. She delineated diversity as being

A broad, uncontrolled and unexpected mix of people in terms of race, nationality, religion, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, age, socio-economic background, education level, political affiliation, marital status, age. The "mix" ratios can/should be adjusted/defined further based on the need of diversity ( i.e. the ideal mix of diversity aspects for establishing a department of university teachers at a female university in Saudi is different than when employing staff for a garment factory in Bangladesh or a car manufacture in the USA) (L. Vogt, May 23, 2013)

The exercise this week has added a new insight that I believe will greatly benefit me as an educator. The way people perceive themselves varies from one person to another. This has prompted me to think about my students in the classroom and how their ideas about their own culture and sense of self are being constructed every day. Recognizing that I play a big role in influencing this process has further emphasized the great responsibility I have. Being culturally responsive extends beyond the superficial aspects of culture such as celebrations and costumes, to include values and beliefs of which I need to be mindful whilst interacting with children and their families.

Reference

Ngo, B. (2008). Beyond "culture clash": Understanding of immigrant experiences. Theory into Practice, 47(1), 4–11. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database.

 

My Family Culture

Scenario: A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.

Given the fact that there is internet that connects me to essential things I have initially thought about taking in such a situation, such as the Quran, which would be the ultimate choice; or my Lebanese Recipe book that would keep my children in touch with their heritage. I have shifted into selecting the items that are not available through the web.

The three items I would choose if I needed to leave my country for good are:

 

My Family Album






My Children's Baby Books

The reasons for my choice:

The purpose of my family album is to preserve the memories for my children as they hold on to the  images of the significant people who once played vital roles in their lives. In addition, it will remind me of the places I went to in Lebanon, and the beautiful times I spent there with my friends and family.

My children’s baby books, because they include records of every single milestone they have reached since their birth, their first drawings, locks from their first haircut, and photos of them in all developmental stages.

If I was told that I could only keep one personal item and give up the other two items, I would be so disheartened to leave my children’s baby books, yet as it would not be fair to any of my kids to choose one book over the other, I would only keep my family album.

I have to admit that this exercise has revived sad memories to me. Throughout my childhood, I had to leave my home repeatedly with my family, due to recurring conflict flares. Many times, we had to leave in such a hurry that we didn’t have except our clothes we had on. However, given that we were in war times, my mom had an emergency bag that contained our passports, ID’s, jewelry, and cash. They were more like a survival bag; if we needed to leave the country. Whenever we had to escape, someone would cry: “Get the bag!”

Thinking about this again, through a different lens, I realized how our cultures occupy a substantial place in our lives. What ran through my mind, as I was doing this assignment, was how many important things that I needed to bring with me were related to culture. It was very insightful to discover this about myself.