Caitlin CP #2

Date/Time: January 28, 2016, 1-2pm (Cultural Workshop)
Location: CIES Lounge

1) What did you learn and share with your conversation partner(s)?

  In today's Cultural Workshop, we discussed stereotypes and generalizations in our own and other cultures. I learned that Americans get stereotyped in other countries just as often as Americans stereotype other people. I also was able to share some (hopefully helpful) insight with my partners on aspects of American culture they didn't understand.

2) How did the CP session inform your awareness of other cultures?

  This session informed me that there are so many cultures that I have no information on whatsoever. The only information I have is based on media stereotypes instead of actual facts. Getting to talk to people from these cultures face to face allows me to replace these stereotypes with a real person and adjust my schema accordingly.

3) How did the CP session inform your awareness of your culture?

  I realized that I don't know the reasoning behind many of the aspects of my own culture. Yue asked me why a lot of American men wear their pants so low that everyone can see their underwear. I have spent my entire life in America and to this day, I still have no idea why guys wear their pants like this! I felt bad because I couldn't give Yue an answer but it certainly made us both laugh.

4) How could you apply what you learned to your teaching practice?

I think that this session could be used in my future teaching practice by making sure to incorporate American culture in my lessons to address the American stereotypes with facts in other people's minds. It also reminds me to be aware so that I don't find myself treating a student unfairly or differently than everyone else because of my own bias. Being open and listening to how other cultures live and why certain stereotypes exist is a very important step in the process of eliminating internalized racism as well.