I watched a video last week...where a teacher was doing an exercise with her students to build empathy of experience for those of visible minorities...Have you seen it? She did well I must say, especially since she used other features, such as eye colour, as the defining difference.
I must say (and out of surprise in my recollection), my teachers were very good to NOT single me out when it came to Black History Month as an example (even though for the BULK of my formal primary education I was the only "Black" one in the class) and they presented the information AND experiences as facts that have been left out of or barely covered in the history or social studies books. I was saddened to hear that that experience was not the same for a couple of children VERY dear to my heart and the one who shared with me felt saddened, ashamed, uncomfortable, and labelled. I may have experienced the labels outside in the "world", but was I ever fortunate to have a safe learning environment, even in an "inner city" school.
SO in the light of Black History Month, and to those teachers out there, how do you share about the events and experiences (and celebrations)? I have been blessed with teaching this very subject and experience through my own family's history, personal celebrations, and through Art class at a High School level. There are ways to bring awareness, understanding, and even empathy forward to the generations....let's share those with one another and be built up.
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