The content on children’s programming on public television greatly impacts cultural sensitivity. The amount of diversity we have in the United States causes us to have cultural sensitivity on our public programs which could be positive or negative. Having cultural sensitivity on public programming can help people acknowledge and accept other ethnicities but, a negative aspect of cultural sensitivity is over accommodating toward people of these other ethnicities and acting different toward them. Racial and cultural awareness starts when children are infants and toddlers. At that age, children learn “what is me” and “what is not me” (Biles, Barbara). “After a workshop session on cultural awareness, I was asked, "Does this really matter? Will adding skin-tone crayons make a difference in children's lives?" "Yes," I said, "skin-tone crayons help a child become aware of who he is and who others are” (Biles, Barbara). The small changes like this will help kids “develop positive feelings about their racial and cultural identity” (Biles, Barbara). Children need to be enlightened to cultural awareness at an early …show more content…
Sometimes, there is a fear or accidentally stereotyping people of other ethnicities and acting safe, or more reserved. At some point in a child’s life, their parent needs to talk to them about discrimination and racism. But, parents also feel uncomfortable talking to their children about cultural diversity. For example, if a child sees someone who is Asian in a grocery store and asked why they look different then he or she does, the parent of the child will tell the child to stop talking or stop staring. But, telling a young child who is just trying to get an explanation on why they are different to not talk about it could be reinforcing that these differences are in some way negative (Children and Cultural
Discrimination and prejudice interfere with people’s rights to have access to equality of opportunity and hinder the promotion of diversity, and they should have no place in a children’s setting.
A popular notion says a child is born “color-blind” and remains color-blind until they reach adolescence. The problem with this concept is that people believe it to be a positive idea. However, it actually presents a damaging ideology – it suggests that race should not be a factor when trying to determine the type of person an individual is. I see it as an unsophisticated approach to view people because race is a vital part of our existence. Race is an attribute that makes individuals differ from one another, and the problem is not the differences in the colors of our skin. The problem is that we attempt to detach ourselves from the reality of being racially different. Racism will seem to inevitably exist, and in order to even try to end the malice, parents should begin teaching children about racism the right way.
Colorblindness is a defect in the perception of colors, caused by a deficiency in specialized cells in the retina that are sensitive to different colors. The term is often used today during political discourse, often by members of some factions of liberalism, when claiming that one’s race should be irrelevant to any decision making process. It is a form of moral posturing; that one should see an individual as simply an individual, but not as part of any larger group or culture. As if this philosophy will enable us to bridge any gaps between races, this thought attempts to focus on how we are all the same, rather than how we differ. Teachers and administrators are required to complete coursework pertaining to multicultural education
As something people tend to hold the most dearly, culture can be a sensitive topic to discuss and engage in. Often, it is made even more difficult due to issues of the past and the way different cultures influence one another. Moreover, the concepts of cultural assimilation and mainstreaming have brought light on problems regarding the treatment of minority cultures within American culture, specifically with the use of stereotyped imagery and hijacking outside cultural ideas. The issues of cultural stereotyping and assimilation, as seen in South Park, have garnered attention due to the nature of offence and its subjective nature.
It begins when a teacher recognizes the cultural capital and tools students of color bring to the classroom. She is then able to respond to students' use of these cultural learning tools positively by noticing, naming, and affirming when students use them in the service of learning.” The idea is for teachers to form a partnership of learning with the student, to facilitate the growth of the student’s neuroplasticity. Properly intellectually stimulated, a student will grow millions of new brain cells; brain cells with trillions of synaptic connections that will enable the student to think in more intellectually sophisticated
Children and young people can now learn and understand about different cultures and beliefs through the media and within their own school and by talking openly and positively about race, religion, ethnicity and cultural comparisons and differences will only benefit children in their understanding and development of a healthy social attitude.
Children are taught that you should not be prejudice against a certain group or society that is different to theirs. All children are given the opportunity to take part in all activities as, well as their parents and these activities reflect different cultures and societies. Children are also taught that regardless of what your culture or the group you belong to is no child or family should have to suffer any form of abuse or unjustly treatment. Every child has rights and this is made clear to all children through books and pictures, posters and via the teacher. Having activities on different cultures helps children to learn that they are part of the world and it gives them the opportunity to get the most out of life. We avoid stereotyping and provide children with positive images through different materials such as books, puzzles, computer and board
Another problem is these television shows may be the only interaction an audience may have with a particular race or ethnic group. This primarily affects children. Young children are extremely easy to influence and spend hours in front of the television. When children are exposed to only one race, they develop prejudices and bias towards other ethnicities. This misrepresentation of races of television shows may cause children to become close minded and prejudiced.
The United States is a country that is often referred to as a melting pot because it has a mixture of people of all different ages, religions, and cultures. With such a wide variety of people from different backgrounds, it seems essential that cultural awareness and sensitivity is incorporated
My pre-adolescent years were spent in a community thick with diversity. My friendships were as diverse as the environment in which I lived. It never struck me that racial and ethnic ideals separated people in society. However, upon moving to a predominately white upper-class community I began to question such racial and ethnic ideas. From my adolescent years through today I began noticing that certain people are viewed differently for reasons relating to race and ethnicity. As a result, the most recent community I grew up in has kept me sheltered from aspects of society. As a product of a community where majorities existed, I found myself unexposed to the full understanding of race and ethnicity. Prior to the class I had never fully dealt with issues of race or ethnicity, as a result I wondered why they would be of any importance in my life.
Consider talking with other professional personnel who specialize in multiculturalism (Dray & Wisneski, 2011, p. 33). Share your interpretations in a spirit of collaboration to learn from family members about their expectations and norms for behavior (Dray & Wisneski, 2011, p. 33). After teachers have considered alternative explanations and developed a different interpretation of a situation, they are able to change their behavior (Dray & Wisneski, 2011, p. 33). Educators should view
Another reason is that most people can not adapt to something new or different very well or fast. If they are not use to something they find it hard to adjust to it they tend to fear it. In Graham story he relates to this by saying: “Maybe it’s the color difference that makes all-black table or all-black groups attract the scrutiny and wrath of so many people. It scares and angers people; it exasperates” (367). People feel out of place and awkward because they are not familiar with certain groups of people.
Cultural Collision Everyone has many opportunities to try a new adjustment in life but they sometimes decide not to because people have always been stereotypical: that is why people are afraid to give a shot of new cultures that are different from their own kind. People should assimilate different cultures, we all want to adapt to and we should not be treated unequally just because the color of our skin, social status, or that is completely different from our neighbors. We were all born to have an adventure and try out different opportunities to perceive our community that were not familiar with. We all have that rush to assimilate and decide if we like it or not.
Racial socialization is currently a major issue within today’s society. There are many different ways it can stem from such as your parents, friends, media, or community. People that choose to discriminate against others fail to realize that it can have a huge, negative impact on themselves and society. Such topic relates to early childhood education because young children are at the age where their social and cognitive development can be shaped into thinking or acting a certain way. Therefore, early childhood educators have the ability to teach young ones to have positive racial attitudes. I believe speaking on such topic is important and beneficial to bring awareness to help others understand that racism is not okay and we should do what we can to prevent it from expanding.