We also exchanged narratives and gave each other feedback, hopefully providing responses to improve our work. Our lecture looked at Kohlberg's stages of developing moral consciousness, and also moved into ideas from our second unit, "connecting with others". Diversity is an umbrella term for anyone who is considered different from the mainstream, whether it be due to poverty, a dysfunctional family, ESL, learning disabilities, physical or mental handicaps, race, religion, ethinicity, and so on. Leaders in the workplace set the tone for inclusion and create a healthy, respectful environment. They also remember to honour unique qualities in people as well as seeking out ways in which people are similar. Reading literature is one way to surmount barriers of difference and connect with the thoughts and feelings of others.
Lastly, we discussed our story for the week, "The Third and Final Continent" by Jhumpa Lahiri, from her short story collection, Interpreter of Maladies (image), which offered an excellent example of how people close the distance between strangers and maintain an appreciation and sense of amazement of "the ordinary life:.
Now is a good time to start thinking about a topic for papers (due Mar.24). When you have an outline or brief description of what you will write about, please run it by me, either by e-mail or in class. Have a great weekend.
Tonight’s discussion on diversity reminded me of how thankful I am to live in a country that by and large accepts it. I realize that there are still people that hold prejudices and biases out there, who say and do hurtful things, but compared to some other places in the world, I think we’re moving in the right direction. It reminds me of a lesson I gave while teaching English in Japan. I was trying to explain just how ethnically diverse Canada was by using my own life as an example. Trying to explain that my paternal grandparents were from Wales and France and my mother was from India and that everyone (except for First Nations) was originally from somewhere else, was quite difficult. I taught in a cluster of small farming villages, where I was the only foreigner. My young students hadn’t had the opportunity to experience different cultures the way I had. What I lack in historical culture (which Japan has to an amazing degree) I make up for in the UN inspired world that is the Lower Mainland.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading “The Third and Final Continent”, I went back to the conversations I had with my paternal grandmother, Nana. She was born in 1908 and lived for 94 amazing years. I loved to listen to her stories about the first automobiles and airplanes she saw. She told me about how excited she was about paying “a penny a pound” to go up in a bi-plane, which was a pretty new invention, as was riding in an internal combustion automobile. She was around when films first came out with their own sound. Thinking about all the wars, economic hardships, inventions and technology that she saw over her years blows my mind. I understand better now about why she was so wary of plastic bank and membership cards. The idea of using an ATM would send her on a tirade about how you can never deal with real people anymore. She used her microwave only as a clock, and refused to get a touch-button phone. She would stick to her lead weight rotary, merci beaucoup. I can only image what she would think about blue-tooths, laptops and making your private life public on the internet!
The idea of leaders in a field to promote diversity struck close to some of my own personal experiences with those who do not promote diversity in the workplace. As a manager at a coffee shop in a fairly multicultural and varied socio-economic area of Delta, I deal with a diverse group of people every day. No matter how different they are from how I grew up, or from how I am used to being around, I do not treat them any differently then I would treat my friends. However, my boss tends to give people different levels of attention and politeness based on how they look and how they act towards her. I feel that her role as a leader in our workplace does not encourage others to develop a multicultural mindset or an atmosphere where everyone is accepted equally. From seeing how her behaviour affects the way the other employee’s deal with customers, I now see how important it is to promote multiculturalism in both work and school environments. In order to develop our own identities, we also need to find ways to connect with other people, no matter where they are from.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading “The Third and Final Continent”, I believe that one of the most important aspects of the story was the narrator’s willingness to change his own ways in order to fit into American society. Before coming to America, the narrator read pamphlets about the new country. Continually, he was patient and did not give up when faced with new situations. The openness displayed by the narrator appears to be quite unusual to me, as I would think that most people in his situation would be drawn to only people of a similar background or experience. In his own way, the narrator is a leading example to those who are wary of migrating because he illustrates the possibilities open to someone if he or she were willing to try new things. As a result, this short story is an exceptional case within the immigration context, but also a very useful example to those who doubt the process. I feel that this piece of literature is still relatable today, and emphasizes the opportunities available to any level of society if they are ready to take a risk.
After ending our unit about self development and a growth of self identity, I began to connect this to what the influence of growth has on learning development. As self development is a continuous process, so is learning.
ReplyDeleteI find it’d be interesting to share what I have learned from one of my psychology courses- not only self development can be categorized into different stages according to age groups, but the development of learning can also be analyzed and reasoned into different continuous stages, which occur at different times and areas in life. Most freshmen are in risk of believing that all problems are solvable with only yes and no answers. They tend to hesitate to accept the existence of grey areas. They also tend to think that professors know everything because they are supposed to know everything, and if they do not, they are considered bad professors. Most tend to think that all they are required to do is to memorize the right answers or whatever solutions the authorities tell them. Such students often result in being afraid of subjects that do not have definite answers such as literature. Or, if they happen to be in a statistics class, they may become impatient and think “just give me the formulas, I don’t need to know why or how they work.” I have once fallen into similar situations. I remember in my 2nd year chemistry course, my professor never gave straight forward answers. Many of us would often complain to each other whenever the professor gives the answer “ it depends”. Now. when I look back, I feel so naïve and wrong to have been one of the students who complained. I realize that there could be many different answers to the same question, so it really depends! Also, after four more years of experiencing life as a university student, I have learned that it should not be the answers that should be understood, rather, It should be the process of getting there—the process of finding the possible solutions which should be most important to learn.
One of the narratives that was read last class about a boy who was suspected to be autistic caused me to reflect on my own experience with a boy with Aspergers Syndrome. I was struck by how common it is for parents to deny that their children might have certain conditions or refuse to have their kids tested for them. In my experience working at a childcare center I have come across this more than once, and heard about other peoples experiences with similar situations many times. I think it is very important that children get checked for things like autism and learning disabilities because if they do have a certain condition, changes can be made so that they are able to learn better. Even so, though the help of social services, assisted childcare, etc… is sometimes great, they don’t always know what is best for the child. In the case of this particular boy, his parents are very accepting of the fact that he has aspergers syndrome. The problem is that the woman who is in charge of his file wants to use behaviour modification techniques to assimilate him quickly into the group with the rest of the children while his parents just want him to be happy and accepting of who he is and don’t want to push him too hard to “fit in”. As his childcare providers, we are stuck in between doing what this woman wants and doing what his parents want. Honestly, most of us at the daycare (as well as the boy’s parents) believe the system we are using now is working better for him than what this woman is suggesting. It’s difficult when someone is trying to implement a certain plan for a child without knowing the child personally. It is even more frustrating when they don’t listen to the people who do spend time with the child regularly. I understand that people in positions with social services or assisted childcare might have more theoretical knowledge about conditions and strategies than parents and other people who are close to the child do, but I also think that the experience parents have to offer should be considered because usually, attentive parents know their children better than anyone else. Despite what the “books say” about people with certain conditions, it’s important to remember that they are individuals with differences just like everyone else and not just “person with __’insert condition here’_”.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading “The Third and Final Continent” I remember expecting Mrs. Croft to be racist because of the time the story took place and her old age. I was quite surprised when she was not which caused me to wonder why I had expected it. Difference in race is in fact, not touched upon in the story at all which I found quite refreshing. Instead, Mrs. Croft was able to relate to the narrator because they were raised with the same ideals about being respectful and proper, for her because of the society in which she grew up and for him because of his culture. The relationship they built up was very touching; I think the narrator made a much bigger impact on Mrs. Croft than she let on.
The relationship that the narrator built with Mala made me wonder about the nature of love. Arranged marriages seem so crazy to me even though for so many generations, arranged marriages have been considered normal in some cultures. My own Grandparents had an arranged marriage and were quite happy, but I still don’t know if they ever loved each other in the romantic sort of way we idolize in North America today. Yet, the honeymoon stage does wear off, so in the type of relationship many North Americans want, is the deep love that develops after the initial giddy stage the same as the deep love that can develop in an arranged marriage such as the love between Mala and the narrator? If this is true, can one person fall in love with any other person? Does this mean that the idea of “soulmates” or the idea that there is one special person out there for everyone is silly, childish idealism? Or are those types of love both different? Or is it the case that Mala and the narrator were just lucky and that a deep love does not always develop in an arranged marriage?
Blog #4
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed our narratives last week. I thought that they were insightful, honest, and real stories that truly reflected some moral challenges that we can be faced with. One story that I really enjoyed was the first one by the man who felt he was being judged based on his looks and involvement in sports (sorry I’m not sure what you’re name is!). This story really seemed to strike a chord with me. I sympathized with him, as I’m sure many people did. Being judged based on looks or something you are taking part in, not based on who you really are is a horrible thing to experience. It feels unfair and unjust. I too have been judged before in a similar situation like that, and after experiencing it I try my very best not to judge people too much (we all judge a little bit) before really getting to know them. This past weekend I actually came into a situation just like this, where a friend of mine was brutally judging and “writing off” a guy I have been seeing solely because she was not attracted to him. She was so rude that I got very upset with her and have taken a “mini break” from our friendship for a few days just to move past this instance. Not judging people is a hard thing not to do; it comes naturally to our minds as humans, but everyone deserves a chance, to show us who they are. Striving to become a teacher, I know that I need to try even harder than most to be open minded and accepting because I know that I will come into contact with so many different types of children, all of whom have a different background and situation at home. As teachers, or anyone else who works in the public really, we really need to strive to bridge that gap that lies between all of us, and just as I told my narrow minded, terribly rude friend the other day, let’s all open our mind and hearts and give people a chance. Related back to the story we read last week, “The Third Continent” we all assumed that Mrs. Croft would be a racist old bag but she turned out to be just the opposite. Not only were we expecting her to be the judging type, we judged her! But she wasn’t racist at all; all she wanted was a nice gentleman with manners in her home. I think we can all learn a lesson from this story, or if we have had experiences like the one I had Friday night.
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ReplyDeleteIt is important to note diversity in the workplace. In regards to education, it is essential that teachers are able to understand the importance of different cultures and its effects on a students behaviour. For example if a student does poorly on an exam it might be due to various reasons. Some may assume that it is the students fault and that they did not study. On the other hand there are other reasons, perhaps the student had no time to study because he was taking care of his siblings, or perhaps the family value on education is not strong. If the parents feel that getting a job is more important than receiving education then it is up to the teachers to find out. Different cultures have different morals and values and it is sometimes the way that the child was raised that affects how he acts.
ReplyDeleteAs I read the short story “The Third an Final Continent” I felt empathetic to the characters in the story because my family moved to Canada in the 1970's and I could understand how one might feel in a new environment. The main character in the story had to assimilate into the each culture and I found it fascinating and true on how one might want to abandon their ethnic traditions in order to fit into where they live. I myself am a Canadian born Chinese and I do not celebrate as much of the Chinese cultural traditions as my parents would. My parents were similar the characters in the story in the sense that they taught my brother and I to speak Chinese and carry on traditions. As time goes by and we get older my brother and I mainly speak English to the family although my mother hardly understands the language. When I am with my friends, regardless if they are Chinese, we all seem to be speaking English. In high school, the people that spoke their native language in school were always ridiculed and were known as “fobs”(fresh off the boat). I personally did not want to be labeled as a “fob” so I stayed with friends that spoke English. I did however learn to read and write Chinese because I was interested in learning but I do not show case my ability unless necessary. After taking many different courses in University I have learned to be more empathetic and view the world in many perspectives. I have thought about what they characters discussed in the end about their children losing their language and culture. I also have this fear that my own children will lose their Chinese culture and language. I want my children to be able to know English fluently as well so others do not judge them but I do wish that my children will be able to speak, read and write Chinese fluently. Assimilation is necessary but also keeping your own culture and traditions alive is also important. It is the balance between both that needs to be achieved to ensure a happy identity.
Diversity is an everyday part of the classroom experience. In the classroom I volunteer in there is a child with autism, three ESL children from Korea, a little girl with a severe language disorder and at least three children with ADHD. As well, there are all the other children that have their own unique stories. The teacher I’m working with recognizes individual differences and works every day to be sure that her classroom is an inclusive one. Getting extra help in this classroom is never seen as a negative. This teacher has only one rule in her classroom and that is to be kind. She doesn’t need to say keep your hands to yourself or don’t make fun of others because class discussions have centered on what it means to be kind and inclusive of others. She really tries to build team spirit in the classroom by setting up contingencies that ensure that kids all work with children on different days and that everyone has a friend at recess. When I reflect on how she makes everybody feel valued and how she makes her classroom run so smoothly it all seems so easy and so sensible and the children all by in. In the microcosm, that is that classroom, the world is a safe, inclusive, non judgmental place. How can we take the success at that level and create a similar situation or environment within an entire school, a whole community and the world. We seem to lose empathy as we become more individualistic and competitive as we get older.
ReplyDeleteIn the story we read this week, “The Third and Final Continent” by Jhumpa Lahiri I really found it interesting how the narrator describes his life as one that is ordinary. Sue mentioned that there are no ordinary lives as every life has value and is full of experiences. I think sometimes as an individual lives his/her life on a day to day basis it seems ordinary because it is mundane to them but from an outsiders perspective their life is far from normal. There are everyday heroes where people are working against the odds. People have ordinary jobs but do extraordinary things. For example teachers change lives, firemen save lives etc. The narrative that was shared with me this week was an example of this. I would say the person thought of their life as ordinary, however, from my perspective I saw it as one that was anything but ordinary. The individual’s life experiences make their journey far from ordinary.
The narratives presented last week were all so interesting and quite fascinating. I can relate to some of them with my personal experiences. The first narrative reminded me of the overly used “don’t judge a book by its cover” phrase. In my opinion, you need to get to know the person before you can actually have your own views on them. When I am with a group of people who I’m no too close with, they would often think that I’m a very unhappy, gloomy person, because apparently when I don’t smile, I look really upset and I often tend to stare into space and just daydream. But truly, I am a very happy, out going person who would giggle at almost anything! The second narrative brought back many childhood memories. I had countless amounts of dreams when I was a child. Some of my childhood dreams were being an astronaut, actress, and even a contestant in a beauty pageant contest! I believe that everyone has a dream; maybe some individuals are indecisive and would like to follow wherever life takes them. The third narrative made me think twice about my future career, and if I really want to be an elementary school teacher, will I regret it? One of the hardest things in life is to make the correct decision and sometimes it’s hard to choose between big decisions. Finally, the last narrative reminded me of my cousin who is also diagnosed with autism. He will be turning 6 this March. My aunt and uncle at one point was in denial and just thought that he would grow up fine just like any other child, but because of his progress, they are slowly accepting the fact.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started reading “The Third and Final Continent”, it thought it would be more of an immigrant story, and how he will fit into a new environment. I found it quite amazed how the narrator expresses his life as ordinary. I felt that it wasn’t just any “ordinary” life, the stages in life he went through was more of a journey than just an ordinary life. I really like the narrator’s characteristic in this story. He was open and just allowed situations to bypass and just take each day as it comes. He was satisfied with what he has now and doesn’t ask for more.
This week we started a new unit on making connections with yourself and other people and we also touched on diversity. In the story, “The Third and Final Continent”, the narrator makes connections with two different women and with himself. Mrs. Croft and the narrator seemed to have an almost mother – son connection or relationship. The narrator had many respectable qualities, which included that he was appreciative for every opportunity, he had respect for women, and he was patient, open-minded and not judgemental. All these characteristics affected his connection with Mrs. Croft; she was an old fashioned woman, which is not surprising since she is 103 years old, so her morals and beliefs harmonize with the narrators qualities well. Even though the narrator is not from America, it does not bother Mrs. Croft. When the narrator went for the interview to live at the house, he wore a suit and brought a letter from his employer. The fact that Mrs. Croft had a polite and prim personality caused her to feel a connection with the narrator from the beginning, and she was able to trust him because his values were similar to her own. They both had a lot of respect for one another and were not judgemental. When the narrator is told Mrs. Croft thought he was a gentleman and the only real tenant she was fond of, he felt delighted and I think this is where their relationship began to grow deeper.
ReplyDeleteAnother connection the narrator made was with his wife. At first he considered them to be strangers, even though they lived together, slept in the same bed and was married. Once Mala saw her husband, the narrator, at Mrs. Croft’s home conversing with Mrs. Croft in a fun, exuberant manner she saw a different person and felt closer to him. At the same time, the narrator saw Mala in a new way as she was laughing in a gentle, pleasurable way, which caused the narrator to have warmer feelings towards her. Their connection flourished because of humour and laughter, which allowed them to open up to each other and create a happy life and family together.
One creates many connections and relationships with others almost on a daily basis. In grade four, I had a strong connection with my teacher. He was the first male teacher that I had got in elementary school and I remember being uneasy and apprehensive of how it would go and if I would like him as a teacher. He is my favourite teacher today, simply because he asked questions about my life and I felt as though he was more than just a teacher. He was truly interested in my life and my grades in school, which in turn caused me to feel more comfortable and eager to learn. The narrators connections in “The Third and Final Continent” assisted his self-development and self-achievement, as did my connection with my grade four teacher.
In the story “The Third and Final Continent” the main character expresses humility, and an attitude that takes things as it comes. I really admire and envy this trait of his. I am very uptight and worrisome about everything down to the tiniest detail, and I think it would be nice to just enjoy life and not worry so much. If you worry too much life passes you by and you miss out on the little joys and things that you don’t notice when you’re too busy sweating the small stuff. Had the narrator not had these qualities about him he may have missed out on the opportunity of getting to know Mrs.Croft, and relish in the small moments they shared together. Last summer my family went to Disneyland for the first time. My sister who was ten at the time was so excited yet so anxious that she had every second of every day planned down to the smallest details including potty breaks. I really wanted her to have a good time yet it was really hard to get her to loosen up and just enjoy herself in the moment without constantly reminding us of her strict itinerary she had mapped out for the family to follow. I know she enjoyed herself but I think she could have had a much better time had she relaxed and just taken it in as it came rather than fret about everything.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting aspect of the story is how Mrs.Croft and the narrator are so similar in the values they hold even though they lived in different eras, are from different backgrounds and have such an age gap between them. When first reading the story one assumes that Mrs.Croft is going to be racist towards the narrator, when in fact the complete opposite occurs. Mrs.Croft is actually quite taken by the narrator because he has manners. This is a trait she values highly and is more concerned with these values than anything else about the narrator. Because of this they are able to form a unique relationship. I can relate to the narrator in the story because I am currently staying with my grandma who is getting older and needs some company and help around the house. She tends to tell me the same stories in regards to her childhood and to her young adult years. The first time she tells me a story I always find them interesting to hear about, but then she will repeat it another couple of times. However I have learnt to anticipate this now and go along with her stories as if it’s the first time, and every time she tells the story I pretend like it’s the first because I know it matters a lot to her, and occasionally I get to hear a new one which is the best part.
I think my favourite thing we did last class was reviewing each other’s narratives. Not only did I receive valuable critique on my own work, I also felt like I got to know the person next to me a little better. We both shared fairly personal stories and we got to talk a little about our experiences and what they meant to us. I felt like this activity became more than simply a proofreading exercise, I was able to get someone else’s reaction to a very personal experience that I had never shared before.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed thinking about diversity again. I have been in so many classes where teachers and students complain about Canada’s extreme diversity on the ground that it prevents us from forming a cohesive identity as a country. However, I have a lot of reasons to be grateful for our diverse culture. My father’s family is German and emigrated here just after the Second World War. Several of them had fought in both of the wars and, even though the very mention of Hitler evoked a great sense of shame in them, they also had a lot of racial pride. My mother’s family, on the other hand, is English and lived through the blitz of London. Both of these families came to Canada with the desire to embrace their new life as completely as possible, and for both, this meant also embracing the idea of mixing with other cultures. If this had not been the case, I doubt my parents’ marriage would have been permitted by either side of the family. Seeing the way they get along today makes me so grateful for this country. Both sides of the family welcome each other for holidays and birthdays and even just the occasional dinner. Diversity does have its downsides but I think that it has become an inevitable feature of Canadian classrooms and, although I have no doubt it will be challenging, I feel fortunate to live in a country where I might have the opportunity to interact with and teach such a wide range of students, in terms of both culture and ability.
I enjoy alot on reading this week's short story "The Third and Final Continent". I relate to the story alot since it is base on an immigrant's perspective and raises the question of where is home? I understand why Mala would wept every night for home and her parents. The feelings of loneliness and disconnections can be felt by alot of immigrants when they first came to Canada. I think the story has a strong testament on how one cannot function without his or her identity. I am glad in the end of the story both the narrator and his wife have found home. I think as immigrants, we need to have the ability to feel at home no matter what country we live in. As my own experience of immigrating to Canada. I often felt like I am split into two and never having a strong presence in either culture. But after years and years of practice, patience, and discovery, I realized that I have embraced both the Chinese and Canadian culture and need not to worry about being dominated by either one. Like many other young immigrants to Canada, I am finding my own speical way of merging my distinct identities and sharing the best of both.
ReplyDeleteI think both the short story and my own experience relate alot to our new unit on connecting with others and diversity. I think diversity and multiculturalism are two big things we have experienced more and more in Canada today. Teachers need to learn how to shape the curriculum so that it is culturally responsive to their students. I think one of the most important things would be to enhance students' cultural sensitivity and learn to tolerate and appreciate different cultures and backgrounds. Canada is a nation of differences, but those differences does not make us weak, they are the source of our strenth.
Diversity/Multiculturalism has been thoroughly introduced to me this semester as I am taking a multicultural counseling course. I think that it is very important to be aware of all the different aspects of multiculturalism weather it be ones, age, race, sexual orientation, gender, class, religion, or disability. I personally think if this country wasn’t as diverse as it is then it would be boring. For me growing up in such an isolated place I was a bit ignorant of other cultures. Throughout my elementary and high school life I was never exposed to other cultures besides First Nations. After graduating I went travelling and immersed myself into the cultures of Australian and New Zealand and amongst these places met people from all over the world. After returning home I moved to Vancouver. As ignorant as I was as a child growing up I learned through the expansion of my family and the change in my environment that I am so lucky to live in such a diverse place.
ReplyDeleteI think that as a teacher it is very important to expose all children to the diversity that Canada has to offer so students now don’t grow up to be as ignorant as I was. There are so many ways of doing this such as exposing all students to the many different culture that even just one class might have, celebrate all holidays not just western holiday. Get every child in the class to bring in a meal that is popular in their culture and share it with the class, have a potluck. When children are taught issues like this when they are younger I think that they grow up with less biases and stereotypes. Canada is supposed to be multicultural isn’t it?
The reading this week “The Third Continent” was a great story. It just goes to show that having an ordinary life can bring about many accomplishments and shows that the little things in life are what matters the most. I think this man is very brave challenging himself to move to another continent just so his family could have a good life. He faced so many challenges but always managed to get through them and now he appreciates life itself and doesn’t take what he has for granted.
After reading the Beggar’s maid and the Heifer, I realized how a different environment and people could affect one’s way of acting and thinking. I was relieved to finally read “the third and final continent”. It demonstrated a story of someone who did not let the environment and its citizens convert him to becoming someone he is not. Sometimes it is easier to just “do as the roman’s do” even if that is not considered a moral thing to do. I was content to read about how this man who kept his moral values and was still himself, even after living in three different continents. I admire him for being himself and passing on his culture and Indian language to his son.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that the narrator was willing to adapt to American culture such as eating cereal and milk. I know of many people who travel and will only eat cereal and milk because they are afraid to try new cultural foods. I find that trying and experiencing new things is half the fun of travelling to different countries. In my opinion immersing ones self into cultural practices is all part of “the experience” of travelling.
Considering the date that this story took place, we expected that Mrs. Croft would be somewhat racist towards the colour of the narrators skin. I know people born around that era and still refer a to someone of a different nationality other then Caucasian as “coloured folk” and ask what country did they come from. These people grew up when immigration from diverse countries was a new and uncommon. So they never considered that what they might be offensive. Mrs. Croft grew up in a time a hundred years from then. So because as humans we generally generalize people into groups or categories, we assumed that Mrs. Croft would be racist. Just like we learned from Jeffrey’s narrative last week, someone’s appearance doesn’t always reflect his or her true colours. Taking Mrs. Croft’s age into consideration could indicate that she is possibly well travelled and has met a great amount of diverse people. It appears that the only thing that matters to her is that the tenant does as she asks and is polite enough to say “splendid”. This reminded me a lot of my mom. She could care less of the nationality of my friends or boyfriends were but what mattered was if they were polite or not.
In the end you are liked/disliked for your personality you have and how you treat others.
February 10, 2010
ReplyDeleteSharing our narratives was an amazing experience for me. It was really nice to get a chance to share some of my writing done in class and to get some feedback on it. I was a little anxious about it previously as I was really unsure about what exactly I was writing. Reading over my partners in combination with hearing the stories read by others over the past few weeks has assured me that I am on the right track with my narrative writing. Hearing others talk about their work even inspired me to write a whole other narrative. The bits I heard from others inspired me and reminded me of a time that would be really valuable to look at and try to understand in a deeper way.
The third and final continent was a fascinating story. It really made me think about immigration and how that can affect a person’s life. I am currently teaching few ESL classes as a part of my practicum and the story really helped me to understand their struggles. Beyond the obvious language barrier I see so much more in their struggles. They have so much to learn about our culture and our environment, and we have some much that we can learn from them. My job with teaching ESL has emerged in the form of breaking down the barriers of language so that we may all work together and learn from each other. I feel myself getting frustrated with my students at times, but have to take a big step back and really understand where they are coming from. Although I am learning, it will take me quite a while to get everything figured out!
I was so fascinated with the main character, yet I found it difficult to really believe in him. He seemed to take everything in stride and was so well composed against his struggles. Everything seemed to go a little too well, or at least he took everything so well that he didn’t really seem to be legit.
The new unit that we are looking at in class is making connections, self and others. I believe that it is important for us to see the connections that we have to others, as well as recognize what makes us different. When we are discussing the issue of diversity there are many factors that help make up an individual’s identity. I know that when I first thought of the term multicultural and what makes people diverse I tended to focus on a person’s ethnicity; however, there are many other factors that are involved. They include race, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, religion, and physical/mental ability. These multiple identities help to shape people and how they are viewed by others, and it is important to be aware of these identities so we are able to relate to the people around us.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important that as teachers we are aware of the diversity that exists in our classrooms. By acknowledging this diversity we are taking an active role to ensure that every student in our classroom feels important and that their opinions are valued. I think that as teachers that if we have a very diverse group of students in our classrooms that we should take the time to learn about their various cultural traditions so they can feel that we are trying to connect with them on a more personal level. Although, I believe it is important to be aware of the differences between people it also important to be aware that a lot of us have many similarities and have some of the same experiences. In sharing these similarities we are deepening the connections that we make with others by acknowledging the fact although certain things about us our different in some ways we are all alike.
Like Sue discussed in class, reading about diversity in literature is a great way for us to make connections and expand our knowledge and understanding. The story “The Third and Final Continent” by Jhumpa Lahiri is a great example of expanding our knowledge about diverstiy based on Literature. I think that this was my favourite story that we have read so far because it was very intriguing and well written. I think that the connection between Mrs. Croft and the narrator to be very special and amazing. I believe that although there was great age gap between the two, and they had very diverse experiences they still shared some similarities which helped to deeper there connection.
The topic of diversity brought to mind how I never considered diversity something that teachers should concisely practice; it seemed to me throughout out my junior years at school that it was just something that was done. However, after thinking about it some more and talking to different teachers it came to my attention that many teachers do not take the concept of diversity in a classroom into consideration when they conduct their classes, but it is obvious that the atmosphere of a classroom which, stems from the concept of diversity is an essential part of learning in a classroom. The environment a class is taught in helps determines the success of the students. All students are different and it is important for all students to respect each other in order for maximum productivity. As a future teacher it is important to me that I learn how to create an atmosphere of diversity in order to provide for the diversified needs of the students.
ReplyDeleteAn atmosphere that is tolerant, accepting, and caring is beneficial to the students, the teachers, and the world. Practicing tolerance and acceptance in school provides students with the ability to be comfortable with themselves; it also helps students let go of preconceived biases and teaches students to learn more about what is inside of a person instead of judging by appearance. These practices can promote teamwork, confidence, respect and these are all key factors in a successful future. Teachers will also benefit because they will be able to fairly grade and support students. These ideas will also allow the students and teachers to earn respect for each other, which will result in a pleasant and productive environment. The world will benefit as a whole because of these practices and if more people were taught these things they would treat each other better on a larger scale. Diversity on all levels is knowledge that future generations should attain and teaching students in the classroom is a start.
There are many ways in which, teachers can make a diversity-accepting classroom. Talking to many teachers and discussing the topic of diversity I was given many ideas. Bringing awareness to different cultures and religions in the community and acknowledging them is great step towards the understanding of diversity. I believe it is also necessary to speak to the students about disabilities, I think that it is important to discuss these issues in order to help students realize that these differences do not make someone less than them. I also believe bringing up gender as a topic is also very important because many gender stereotypes influence how students learn. What is benefical about bringing awareness about these issues is that it can help show the students that all people have needs, and that it is important for students to accept and help each other.
For a teacher I believe it is important to make sure the classroom atmosphere is comfortable in order to ensure productivity. Teaching students that differences are a good thing and those differences can be valued is a way to help ensure a positive classroom environment. As a future teacher I will help my students understand biases, and I will help them be able to accept differences and treat people fairly by educating them about the differences of people around them. I believe there are many ways a teacher can incorporate diversity lessons into the classroom and overall that teaching students to respect each other despite their differences will benefit the students, the teachers, and the world.
Diversity within our community is very apparent within our community. Not only does it occur within our schools, workplace, but it also occurs within our households. First generation Canadians such as me are well aware of the diversity within their households. Although many of my values relate to my parents, there are some aspects of life which we disagree on. Since they grew up in a different environment, they are accustomed to different customs. My parents are still appalled at how some people address one another and how family isn’t valued as much as it is to them and others that grew up alongside them.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading “The Third and Final Continent”, I found it surprising how one member within my discussion group was unfamiliar with the idea of arranged marriages and found it shocking that the main character had an arranged marriage. Since I know many people, including my parents, that have had arranged marriages, the idea of someone having an arranged marriage is not a strange idea to me. This idea also brought about the idea that maybe there are other customs within other cultures that I am unaware of.
The arduous experiences of the protagonist in “The Third and Final Continent” made me reflect on the experiences of my forefathers. My 84-year-old maternal grandfather, while not having to face the challenges of immigrating to Canada from Europe as his grandparents had done, experienced extreme adversity when he abandoned the familial Mennonite community. With a young family, on meager earnings he went to night school; decades later he retired as a successful school principal and administrator. His wife died of cancer at the age of 60. To this day, he continues to reminisce on how much he loved her. He lives comfortably surrounded by family, hobbies and memories. My paternal grandfather, who passed away last month, was a survivor of Normandy during WWII. I connect his risking of his life on behalf of Canada to the present as we proudly cheer for our athletes in the Olympics. These two family members, seeing themselves as “ordinary” people, helped to lay the foundation for the opportunities we have today. This causes me to reflect on my own life situation. Does overcoming extreme adversity facilitate a greater valuing of success achieved? Does it bring more contentment later in life?
ReplyDeleteI feel fortunate to be the offspring of “extraordinary” men and women who laid strong foundations so that my life would not be filled with extreme hardships. Regarding the notion of toiling through adversity serving as a goad to achievement, I have found in my work with criminal offenders that some with some with seemingly very advantaged lives experiment with drugs and other vices that lead to early ruin. On the other hand, dealing with violent offenders and hearing horrid stories in court has brought me to highly value my current education experience and drives me toward a higher calling – teaching or law school.
This wonderful story brought me to realize how fortunate I am to have been brought up in an environment where there is opportunity to acquire post-secondary education and develop a fulfilling life. I hope to teach children to value the advantages that our forefathers never had.
I was raised in Canada. I have an entirely American family. My mother became a naturalized citizen here when I was young, and just last year my father did the same. Growing up, I saw the fact that I saw the world differently from my friends. When I grew older, I wondered if this caused by my American nature. I had no extended family in Canada, but I did have a large support network of family friends who were all Americans my parents knew from graduate school. Then, when I was 21, I moved to Indiana to attend University. I realized just how unlike Americans I could be!
ReplyDeleteLooking back on my confused sense of national identity, I can see now that nations do not define people or how they act. People are individuals who react to environments. However, I must surely be a little different having grown up in Canada with a mixture of Canadian ideals and an American sense of individualism. How different would I be today if I’d grown up in Kentucky, Utah, or Minnesota (where all of my family is from)? Does a family’s sense of identity diminish in a foreign environment, or does it bond more tightly?
I liked how the arranged marriage did turn into a loving relationship in “The Third and Final Continent”. I think of the romantic notion we hold of love in the west to be a strange sort of idealism. I am married. We did fall in love. I had fallen in love many times before. Did I choose to get married because my wife is the person in the world I am most able to continue to love? I think realistically, we got married because we were in love and we were both ready to be married. I am happy about that a lot of the time. Like the rest of my life, however, it is not always perfect. We are way past the honeymoon stage in our relationship, and I believe we are still learning how to love each other in deeper ways. Some days, when we don’t understand each other so well, I can’t help but wonder if love is something you choose to give to someone, anyone.
I really enjoyed reading “The Third and Final Continent”. It really reminded me of how individuals from different parts of the world can be very similar. There are many examples that I can think of regarding different people or strangers meeting around the world and having a connection.
ReplyDeleteThe one thought I had in mind is when people from around the world get together in the name of sport. Specifically, getting together to play or watch soccer. Soccer is one of the only sports that everyone in the world recognizes. All races, nationalities and backgrounds play this game. It is also a game that brings everyone around the globe together. I strongly believe that if you put a soccer ball in front of anyone, they will automatically pick up the game and start playing. As well, the rules are universal, so it’s easy to adapt to. Also, whenever there is world cup, the whole world is watching, just not one particular part of it. I relate the game of soccer relating to this because it brings peoples from different backgrounds together to share a common interest, similar to the story.
Secondly, I also enjoyed how the couple in “The Third and Final Continent” got along even though they had an arranged marriage. I think arranged marriages are often shunned down upon in today’s society because it relates to something of the past. Personally, I don’t have a problem with it, because arranged marriage can come from all sorts of directions. For example, there is the traditional way where the parents find someone for you, or other ways such as friends arranging someone for you or even other relatives. I also believe that arranged marriages in today’s society are much different than the past. In the past, an individual had no choice. Today, potential brides or grooms have a choice of who they want to be arranged with. As well, most of the time the potential mates have a chance to go out and date each other before they are ready. Overall, I don’t see it as a bad thing; it may work for some and others it may not. Whether it may be love or arranged, as long as the couple is happy with it, that’s all that matters.
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ReplyDeleteDiversity is an intense topic that often arises within classrooms and educational environments. At first, I did not realize the significance of the idea of diversity and multiculturalism; however I have slowly developed an appreciation for it. I have realized that diversity is very important in today’s world and that it is important for every individual to understand how to interact with society as it is very multicultural. When I look around our classroom, I see people from different ethnicities and I have learned through my own experience that there are different norms within each culture and am beginning to become more conscious of this. Diversity is what makes our global community more interesting and accepting and I think we will eventually become accustomed to it. I have been raised in Canada my entire life, and at some points I have felt some prejudice against me and so have my friends. When I was young, I was very shocked and disappointed when such situations would arise, but over time I have witnessed with many other individuals go through the same incidents and have come to realize that the world is still learning to accept diversity. I do believe that there is a huge difference in the amount of acceptance I witness now compared to before and that reassures me that one day perhaps society will more or less free of prejudice. I am glad we have raised this discussion in our classroom as I think it is important to talk about multiculturalism and what we can do to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading “The Third and Final Continent”, I really felt empathy for the main character. I truly appreciated his personality and his ability to adapt to a new world. The story showed that he moved from one continent to the next and I believe that it takes a great attitude to be able to cope with such a change. I know if I was in a similar situation, I would not be able to adapt nearly as quick and show the amount of humility that he did when put in that situation. For this reason, I really enjoyed reading the story and actually learned quit a lot from it. When people speak about arranged marriages, I really get nervous and the idea of it scares me. Truth be told, my own parents had an arranged marriage and they are perfectly happy with their lives, but when I look at today’s generation it seems that arranged marriages are becoming less of the norm and individuals would rather have love marriages. I myself also agree with this, as I personally would find it difficult to marry someone I barely know and accept him as my life partner. In the story, I applaud the main character for his ability to accept his new wife and fall in love with her. He handles the situation in a very mature manner and it appears that they live a content life. I think that some individuals are better equipped to have an arranged marriage as it depends on their individual nature and personality.