Add your response to the pre-reading by Lori Cohen

demariomichael — 2024-05-23 20:15:40 UTC

Reading the excerpt from Liza Talusan, what struck me was the harm that can occur from having educators that approach diversity from an identity-blind approach. The example she uses of "My students are just my students - I don't see their race" can be much more damaging than perhaps it sounds. By minimizing student identities and differences we are communicating that student differences do not matter and that students outside of the dominant groups must change and meet that group where they are. This is where I was the most reflective during the reading, especially regarding my classroom experiences. I will use this learning in developing professional development coursework to make identity conscious decisions in my planning and delivery.

2024-05-23 20:23:57 UTC

After reading “The Identity-Conscious Educator”, one of the things that resonates with me is a video I recently saw where a Chinese-American adult shared the meaning behind his name Kevin. Even though Kevin is not his name given to him at birth, his name Kevin was chosen from a list of names that his teacher gave him because she said it is too much and difficult for people to say his Chinese name so it’s best for him to use an American name. This occurred in the 80s. It is important for us to respect and be conscious of acknowledging and honoring a person’s name, which is the foundation of a person’s being. Also, creating a space where a person is comfortable sharing their identity is crucial for a safe space