This is an assignment that I had to do for one of my classes for the semester. It really changed my views and hopefully will help me to become a better person. There are people out there who really just long to be loved for who they are, not for what they look like. I hope that this will make you think:
Introduction
“What is wrong with you?” This is the question that started my community experience. I donned my brother’s baggy clothing, filthy, over-sized, warn tennis shoes, a greasy ratty ponytail, and no makeup. I put myself in the place of someone that I have grown up judging: someone of low economic status. As I came up the stairs, dressed as such, my brother asked me what was wrong with me. My project began in the confines of my own home. I then picked up my friend, dressed in her cute trendy clothing, and hit the mall. We walked around together watching people’s reactions to us and our “odd” matchup. As I would enter a store and be totally ignored and avoided by the employees, my friend would walk in and have two or three employees ask her if she needed assistance. I was aghast at the lack of help, the stares, and the whispers I would hear as I walked around. I could not believe that other people would treat someone so terribly simply for the way they looked and dressed. However, as I did this project, I realized and learned that the biggest part of it was overcoming my own prejudices and judgments of others.
Reflection
Growing up in the public education system, I can remember being the child that would be included in the group of kids laughing at and making fun of the children who were dressed and groomed poorly: the kids with low economic status. The only thing that I saw in them was that they were different than me. I did not see them with a person with feelings, thoughts, and great ideas. In essence, I was above them. I did not often take the time to get to know them or befriend them. As I walked through the mall with my friend, looking much like one of the children I would poke fun at as a child, I was floored by the responses of people. People would blatantly give me dirty looks or not help me when I would walk into their stores. I was so upset with them. I wanted to tell them that I was a person too and that I had feelings. Yet, as I had these thoughts, it hit me. On normal days, I was just like these people. When I would see someone dressed and groomed poorly, my first thought would be, “don’t they know what a brush is?” I was disgusted with myself and truly hurt for all the people I have judged.
Another thought that really came to my mind was that after that afternoon, I could go change back into my regular clothing, take a shower, fix my hair and makeup, and go on living life as if I had never felt this way. However, people who really live like that cannot do that. Every day they live with the stares, pointed fingers and the whispers. I realized, yes, I could easily go on living my life the way I had, but what then would be the point of this experience.
Teacher Application
Now that I know how it feels, I cannot simply go on living life ignorant of people that daily feel hurt and pointed at. As a teacher, I cannot sit back and pretend that “that child” is fine and will “get over it.” From what I can remember, I never had a teacher that stood up for those students in my classroom. They would ignore it and pretend like it was not a problem. However, ignoring it is the problem. To the people who pointed and whispered about me in the mall, I was just a poor unfortunate person. They did not realize that I was a person with great thoughts and ideas, someone who could contribute to their society in a good way if they would give me a chance.
I realized through this experience, that teachers have two choices: they can ignore these students, pretending like it is not their problem, or they can treat that child with as much dignity and respect as all their other students, helping to improve that student’s life for good. I want to be the later of these two teachers. However, to do this, I realize that I need to work on myself and overcome the personal prejudices that I am harboring. I need to look past the things that I see on the outside of my students and see them for who they really are: capable, intelligent, bright students. Each and every one of the students in every classroom across America is capable, they just need people, like you and me, to look past the surface to the things that may not be seen, but need to be discovered.
This assignment opened my eyes to the life of someone with low economic status, but more importantly, it opened my eyes to the personal prejudices that I have been holding on to for many years. I realize that to have change, it begins with me. I want to be the change that my future students, each and every one, will need to feel successful and capable.
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