In “Raising a Reader: Teachings from the Four Directions”, I relate closely to the Eagle Teacher who values a balanced perspective (Latremouille, 2016). I grew up in a family and a culture that values education. Growing up, I had a determined mindset of getting high grades, and that getting a degree is necessary to be successful in life. However, I have learned that this is not completely true as I transitioned to post secondary school. Society has shaped my biases and lenses about the world around me. In my experience as a student, I have always come to believe that students who participate more in class are smarter and hold more knowledge. On the other hand, students who are more timid or quiet are thought as less smart. In the same way, I have learned stereotypes about different cultures. These are lenses that may affect my teaching if unaddressed. However, through these exposures, I have learned to balance my perspectives.
Unlearning biases and negative lenses are crucial in the classroom. I believe that the first step is to build strong relationships with your students and get to know their stories both inside and outside the school setting. It is also important to learn where they are at in their learning journey. On the same note, as a future teacher, I have also come to understand that each student brings something unique to the classroom and I would need to respect and appreciate different learning skills and learning styles they all hold.
A statement that stood out to me in Adichie’s TED Talk is “The single story creates stereotypes and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue but they are incomplete” (2009). There were many single stories about certain cultures and students in my own schooling experience. One that was present in my schooling was that Indigenous students were troubled students because a lot of them are from foster homes or have parents that have negative stereotypes labeled on. The same goes with immigrant students, a “single story” of being poor was also present. It is very important to understand that each child will hold a different story and that is okay. However, teachers need to know “that one story isn’t the only story” (Adichie, 2009). As a future teacher, I believe that my job is to love my students, look past their differences, learn their stories, value them and teach according to their best interest.
References:
Adichie, C, N. (2009, July). The Danger Of A Single Story [Video]. TED Talk.://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en
Latremouille, J. M. (2016). Raising a Reader: Teachings from the Four Directions. Language and Literacy, 18(1), 99-109.