Welcoming Families from Around the World

       The country of the family’s origin is Italy.

The ways that I would prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family would first be through research of the country; 2) with affiliation to the military I would check family services to see what we could offer a family that is moving to this area with different ethnical backgrounds; 3) make a list of questions to ask the family that I feel would beneficial to me from the research conducted on Italy; 4) ask the staff if there is anyone who has ever lived or has relatives from Italy; 5) set my classroom up with some items from Italy that would make the family feel welcome on the first visit; 6) ask the family if the items I’ve placed in the class are appropriate or could they assist me in making the necessary corrections.

I believe that these preparations will assist me in eliminating some of my own biases or fears of the unknown when the family arrives.  Also this will I hope make the family feel a little more comfortable and empowered when they walk into my classroom.  I want all of my families and children to know that this is their classroom.  For parents to feel comfortable knowing that they have a voice in what we do and the creation of the education for their children.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Living in South Korea I had a hard time dealing with the way women are treated.  The value is of little significance.  The women are there to take care of the children, house and the men.  If an as women married an American male who had children (female) they treated that child as if she was a threat to the relationship.  

 

This oppression diminished the equity between the male and female race; making the male more superior.  These women were oppressed as they were not allowed to speak up unless directed.   The women automatically knew their places in society.  As a woman of the western culture, this is what we were called, it made my skill crawl to see how they treated the women and to know the little girls were going to grow up the same way.

The feels this brought up for me was that of anger, resent, the who do they think they are syndrome, and if it were not for the women they wouldn’t exist either.  For anyone to think they are more superior to the next is pure ignorance.  Men could not survive without women in the world; they need to get over themselves. 

What and or who that would have to change would be society and history.  History has made its mark on the culture and now only society can change the way things are passed from generation to generation.  When there society realizes that everyone is human and should be treated equal only then will the opportunity for greater equity be seen.