I have always been the type of person to consider everyone's feelings in a situation and hear every side of the story before coming to conclusions. As much as I’d like to say that yes, I have the full story, I feel as if I never will. A picture can say a million things depending on how you look at it. Growing up, I never paid much attention in history class because I found it boring and repetitive. If you would have asked me to have an in depth discussion about anything from the past, the conversation would not have gone far. The way we’re taught in our public school education shows history as a single narrative story instead of taking into account that there can be other perspectives that haven’t been considered. When students are taught this way, seeing the full picture, or any picture for that matter, can feel impossible because “how could these events that occurred 100 years ago have anything to do with me?”
The article What is settler-colonialism? by Amanda Morris discusses the importance of teaching settler-colonialism to help students of privilege understand the difference between intent and impact and how their actions can be offensive to others without heir knowledge The article goes on to state how many of us like to imagine these shocking things as a way of the past, but in reality the past is not as far away as we’d like to think. And while this is a part of America’s past and present, “Today, settler-colonialism plays out in the erasure of Indigenous presence. American schools do not teach about Native Americans, past or present; when they do, information is often wrong or incomplete” (Morris, 2019). This is just one example from a long list of events, important figures, and other historical facts that are not taught to us in the classroom. How can we expect to see the full picture when we’re not learning about the things that actually tell the story?
As a current student and future educator, I am always learning new things in classes, from my peers, and from experiencing life around me. I used to think that I had enough pieces of the picture to put it together, but the more I learn, the more I realize that a picture is just a still moment in time. If I want the picture, I need to continue to educate myself on the ways of the past and the present and continue to gain insight from those around me and my own personal growth. Seeking resources, participating in classes, and talking to people with more knowledge than myself are some of the ways I’ve helped myself grow as both a student and teacher. I will use my past education experiences and newfound knowledge to teach students in a way that sparks their curiosity and passion to find the full picture.
Resources
Morris, A. (2019, January 22). What is settler-colonialism?. Learning for Justice.
https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/what-is-settlercolonialism
Hello Brianna! Your response was very insightful and interesting to read! I am also a very considerate person and I always am listening to the full story or telling it. I have never been the person to say "oh well so and so said it so it has to be true". The truth lies within people’s narratives. It is people’s feelings and emotions that can change perspectives on information. An example that came to my mind when I was reading the paragraph that mention the article was cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation has happened for years. People like how a certain clothing item looks or a hair style is and do it without considering what it means to other cultures. Ponchos is an iconic Mexican symbol. Though others who are not of the Hispanic culture wear it for holidays like Halloween or Cinco de mayo. Usually, people who have been apart of cultural appropriation are not aware of their actions and would say its an innocent mistake. The important part is do they learn from their mistake.
ReplyDeleteHi Lexi! Thanks for responding to my blog and expanding on my previous ideas. I really like how you said "the truth lies within peoples narratives" because everybody sees the world based on their own experiences and how they choose to tell it. I completely agree that cultural appropriation has been going on for years, but in most cases people don't realize that they are appropriating a culture. I think your example of ponchos is a great example of this because many people don't understand that it is an iconic Mexican symbol. With social media, people use the trending sounds for videos, wear the "in season" clothing, and follow the popular trends without realizing or acknowledging where they came from. I agree that in a lot of cases it is an innocent mistake, and that the important part is that they work to understand why its appropriation and learn from their mistake.
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