EDU 330 Topic 1 DQ 1
Which attitudes, beliefs, and values from your own faith, heritage, and cultural learning support behaviors that demonstrate respect and value of differences? Which attitudes, beliefs, and values from your own heritage and cultural learning impede or hinder respect and value of differences? How will this affect your interactions with students and families?
Sample Answer
As an individual of multiple races, my parents, grandparents, and family have always taught me to be accepting of all people, regardless of their race, culture, heritage, beliefs, and values because we are all God’s children. I was taught to be kind, respectful and accepting of everyone, regardless of their backgrounds and to treat everyone with love and help everyone if they are in need. I can’t say that there are any attitudes, beliefs, or values from my heritage and cultural learning that impedes or hinders the respect and value of differences as this was simply not taught in my household as I was growing up, nor does this way of thinking exist within my household now. We were always taught to embrace the differences because there is something to be learned from those differences that will make us more understanding as individuals. The values and beliefs that were instilled in me from childhood will have a profound effect in the way that I interact with students and families of different cultures because I can relate to the experiences and challenges that they may be enduring in having to adapt to new ways of doing, and adapting to living in a new country where things are much different from what they have been used to. I believe that my background allows me to relate to some of the feelings that students may endure such as, feeling like they don’t fit in and feeling out of place; therefore, I believe that I would be able to make the students and their families feel more welcome.
I grew up with divorced parents who both married other people. Though the divorce was not a civil divorce I was always taught respect, forgiveness, and the power of prayer. We may not have liked a decision or an action that was made by another person but we were taught to respect them and forgive. My faith taught me that we are all different, by our choices, and beliefs but we can learn from each other and grow from the teaching. I have learned that the actions from others can be hurtful but using prayer I can help heal the hurt and questions I feel from the actions of someone else. I can also use prayer to help others who are in need of prayers.
I think my values and what I was taught growing up can be useful when interacting with students and families because not every day is a great day for a family, having and showing respect and forgiveness to these families can help when dealing with a situation. Also, not every kid is shown how to be respectful and forgive and if I show those values to my students they may catch on and want to express those same values. I also grew up with divorced parents who both remarried other people. Although divorces are messes, they do teach children some valuable lessons that could be used in the future. Things such as being adaptable to varying lifestyle situations. Which will become a good characteristic to have as a teacher.
Well foremost Respect for others and yourself is a must. Respecting students and families of their traditional, cultural aspects. Understanding that their beliefs and heritage are important to them, maybe it will be good to get a good point of view of how they want you to emphasize your teaching in their child’s learning. Sometimes finding the differences and similarities in a culture or heritage helps you understand the person or the child’s background of beliefs.
I agree with respect for others and yourself is a must. Respecting yourself means giving and defining your own worth and value as a human being. Think about this: if you do not respect yourself, it will be more difficult for you to respect anyone else. So it all begins with self-respect. Teaching for social justice means to me that a teacher is able to put aside any feelings they may have to a specific religion or race for the students in his or her classroom. It means that we treat each child the same no matter what the child’s ethnicity, race, gender, religion or beliefs are. As a Teacher, we are not there to judge a child but give them the best opportunity to learn and grow and be ready educationally to move to the next grade level.
