The issues of racism are multilayered, and deeply a part of our culture. I too grew up not thinking a lot about racism until high school. I went to a Catholic School in an Irish neighborhood. The Irish in Ohio were looked down upon at that time. I became aware of racism through one main event. In high school. I was in the national honor society and we had a group that did things together, sponsored by the school, the top ten kids in our class. Typical of teenagers, one time I went to a party and had too much to drink. I asked a friend to give me a ride home. I thought I would be in trouble for drinking, as I had not previously indulged (and never wanted to again). But when my Dad came to the door to let me in, to my dismay, he freaked out because my friend who kindly gave me a ride, a friend from out top ten group, was black.
What I have learned over these 41 years of teaching is that I have an obligation to learn about the lives and experiences of my students. In Alaska, the Native people stood up for themselves and their culture. They brought into the schools an excellent Native Studies program, which taught us about their culture. We learned about rituals and ceremonies, the history of the terrible treatment of the Natives by white people. Because they were told in the 30s and 40s that they could no longer speak their language and must speak white, the children whom I served qualified in the bilingual program as Limited Engish Proficiency (LEP). Limited vocabulary had passed down through three generations. We also learned about cultural styles of communication, such as the practice of not looking into the eyes of someone who is upset, because one could take on a deeper impression and karma.
Now I am trying to learn as much as I can about the history of African Americans, and listening to their stories. My school had previously chosen the book All American Boys for a summer book talk group for staff. This discussion has been interesting and enlightening, especially hearing the white privilege arise, and trying to tactfully open my own eyes and the eyes of others. What I am noticing for myself in these discussions is that sometimes I am not seeing from the point of view of others, out of not having had a similar experience, or not looking at it in the same way. I am also reading White Fragility, in hopes of understanding more. Last summer I took a graduate course at Ohio State called Issues in Urban Education. I read a book about the history of redlining in Columbus, OH where I teach. It was eye opening. Because the instructor and more than half the participants were Black, I got a real taste of the pain this has caused. I want to learn and understand the experience of black people in America more deeply.
I agree with you that it is one child at a time. As a reading specialist, I often advocate for minority students to their classroom teachers and the administration. It’s a challenging position to stand between kids and teachers. Sometimes, I can only stand up for their hearts when they are with me, letting them know I love them and their specific, beautiful qualities. During the lockdown, I tried to build close relationships with parents and show empathy for what they were going through. I tried to be flexible with ways of giving instruction, as probable 70% of our kids did not have access to wifi. and appreciate whatever guardians could do for their child’s education. And when they began to call me to ask for help and advice, I knew I was succeeding with that family.
I think empathy is one of the greatest qualities we can develop when working with helping others.