Microaggression

Observing Microaggressions

Observing a microaggression was hard for me this week because I rarely leave the house right now! I am home on maternity leave so my interactions are mostly with my husband, toddler, and newborn.

Microaggression is described as when “verbal behaviors create feelings of uncertainty, inferiority or marginalization even though no offense was consciously intended” (Laureate Education, 2011). 

An example of a microaggression that I have experienced would be during the first couple years of my teaching career.  I was about 22-23 years old and just starting out. I was given two assistants that were both old enough to be my mother.  These women were great assistants and we worked pretty well as a team BUT they constantly questioned why I was doing anything and then compare me to the previous preschool teacher who had just retired and tell me how she would have done it.  They never said because you are fresh out of college, you don’t know anything or you don’t have kids so you don’t understand, but I could tell that they felt this way because of the conversations we would have daily about my lessons. I chose not to address the obvious but to explain as  I needed with evidence from research or best practices as the preschool world had been changing.  It was a long couple years but I made a lot of impact with my two assistants and children those years, eventually winning them over J. During this time, I was constantly stressed out, on edge, and always second guessing my instincts and what I had been taught and my two assistants never knew how they were making me feel because I was not only the lead teacher, but also the director over them. I felt like bringing it up would make for a really bad work environment and chose just to endure it.  I learned a lot about myself and inner strength and learned if I bent a little, they would take advantage but if I was truly committed to what I was doing, they would also buy in and go along with me.  It was a long two years but eventually we all came to a place where we all worked cooperatively [most of the time]. 

This week’s assignments really made me aware of more than just racism or prejudice with microaggressions.  I have no idea how many times I may have done this myself - not meaning to be hurtful, but actually doing so.  I am definitely more aware and was even talking about it with my husband – asking him to point out if I commit these acts so that I can work on them personally.  The effects of microaggressions over short or long periods of time can cause a lot of stress and anxiety.  I feel if more people were aware of this we could move forward and start to change the world. 

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Blog Assignment: Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

#1 Male –

Culture – worldly, understanding of other peoples beliefs and differences

Diversity- variety – equal respect and understanding of a variety of people regardless of race, sex, religion…

#2  female Teaching College Student

Culture is a group or society that shares the same beliefs, customs, and traditions.

 Diversity is different race, beliefs, ideas, styles etc.

#3 Female Colleague, also a different religion

Diversity: The world is made up of different people who come from different backgrounds, are a different color; practice a different religion, live life differently because of where they come from. The world would be a pretty boring place if we were all the same thing...like a robotic society!

Culture: It is where people come from, their family heritage, and their blood line. It can also be a person's religion and how they live their life based on how they feel and believe.

#4  Female friend – Nurse Practitioner

Culture - a person(s) acting in ways to represent their heritage with dance, costume, and language for example.

Diversity - Respecting and understanding there are differences in each culture and to not impose bias and judgment in relation to your own.

Reflection

What is culture? I would define culture as a combination of all of the above definitions.  This course has helped me look beyond the “physical” cultural differences – surface culture and to understand that it is a much deeper thing and has meaning.  Diversity is tolerance in the differences among us all. We could be within the same culture and yet be very diverse.  I think what is missing is that your culture is dependent on where you live, when you live there (time as in years/decades), and what is also going on within the dominant culture to influence your culture. 

Julia Gonzalez-Mena (2008) discussed a “narrow view” of culture because of our own personal perspectives.  I admit that before and maybe still, I had/have a narrow view of culture. It is hard to dig so deep within you to understand it all, getting past our perspectives but with diversity is the respecting differences.  I have always respected the differences between myself and others but I didn’t truly understand culture and am now able to look past the physical.  

 Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2008). Diversity in Early Care and Education (5th ed., pp. 8–13). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.

My Family Culture

My Three Items in the event of a world catastrophe…

I want to preface this with this assignment was really hard! I really had to dig deep to think what I would take with me…

1     1)Pictures – family pictures from both my side and my husband’s side. This would have to include physical pictures and digital copies. (which now makes me think all pictures should be scanned and saved onto one device for convenience...)

To others, I would explain the people in the – who they are and what they mean to me. Maybe a special memory, time or place with that person etc… So many pictures but how else do show other people your memories?

2) My wedding quilt made by my grandma

I would tell everyone about my grandma and that she was most special to me.  My grandma and I had a bond from when I was very young and I spent much of my childhood with her, helping her clean her house, garage sale-ing with her, picking fruits and vegetables from her garden… My grandma loved to sew and made me the most beautiful blankets, pillows, Christmas tree skirts etc… For my wedding, she made this quilt that I cherish as it will probably be the last thing she makes for me as an adult. (she has 35 grand children and 8 great grandchildren – her sewing projects are limited)

3) Shot gun (my husband’s suggestion)

While racking my brain for a third item, my husband suggested a shot gun. At first I said no, but as I thought about it, my dad was an avid hunter and my husband likes to partake in the festivities each year (though he rarely brings anything home). The shot gun could serve its purpose to find food in our new country or to provide protection if need be.  

Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you

If I were told I could only keep one of these items… I would be distraught. I would feel cheated – and then I would have to choose.  I would choose the pictures but my husband would choose the shot gun. I am emotional and sentimental; the pictures could tell our stories for decades to come and is truly the only item(s) I would want from our old life.  

Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise

As I thought about the items I would bring, I realized that our family is not rooted by a deep feeling of culture.  By that I mean, there isn’t some deep heritage and tradition that binds us together but rather just the closeness of family and the times we have spent together.  This exercise also made think about the traditions we are already establishing with our young family and it has made me want to make sure we follow through with these traditions – nightly story time, walks around the neighborhood, trips to the grocery store- all which might seem insignificant but the making of memories is so important!

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