Learning Porfolio
DISCUSSION POSTING
I believe that Hands-on Assignment #4 the review of The urgency of intersectionality | Kimberlé Crenshaw was the most valuable to my learning, as it allowed me to revisit all the course content to ensure that I fully understood the material and captured any missed details. This iterative process enabled me to continually refine my findings from the suggested literature, aligning them with the course modules. In doing so, I was able to synthesize my new ideas with the existing content, creating a cohesive contribution that integrated fresh perspectives with the course framework.
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Additionally, it allowed me to create a cumulative reflection piece, bringing together my insights and reinforcing my understanding of the course material. This final reflection enabled me to synthesize my learning and the new ideas I introduced, creating a comprehensive perspective that not only deepened my engagement with this course but also enriched my understanding across all my other MET courses.
Reflection 8
1. How would you define your current cultural identity in terms of each component?
2. How do your significant others’ cultural backgrounds differ from yours in ways that have affected you? Significant others may include parents, spouse/partner, or other relatives or friends with whom you are very close.
3. How has your cultural identity changed with time? Which components have high importance in the immediate situation (salience)? Which components have stable, long-term importance in defining who you are (centrality)?
4. Which cultural identity components currently give you power or privilege or have done so in the past? Which ones create prejudice against you or lessen your power?
5. About which components of your cultural identity do you feel positive today? Negative?Neutral? Ambivalent? How have these feelings changed with time?
6. Of which cultural identity components are you highly conscious? Mostly unconscious? Which components do you communicate openly to others?
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Components of Identity
Vocation has its own set of ethical standards and cultural norms, while people of the same social class share similar values and behaviours. Moreover, geographic location influences cultural practices and attitudes, creating unique cultural groups based on aspects like time and privacy. Additionally, language reflects and interacts with cultural elements such as regional identity and profession. Biological factors like race, gender, and health affect communication and business strategies (Jameson, 2007).
After reading this article, I realized that my identity is shaped by various cultural components, but it also impacts them. For instance, teaching ethics influence my decisions both in and out of the classroom. However, individual actions alone can't change larger systems like the education system in Ontario, where collective efforts by groups of similar ethnicities have more influence and reshape the culture of Ontario’s school system.
Despite sharing the same geographical culture with my family, our vocational cultures differ significantly. While my family is composed of corporate professionals, I am an educator with a distinct set of rules, ethics, and interactions with children. My work-life balance also contrasts with theirs; I work seasonally with longer breaks, unlike their year-round schedule with only a few weeks of vacation.
Before reading the module, I believed my cultural identity was a balance between my cutlural roots and what I've built here. However, the theories and readings have shown me that it is constantly evolving and fluid, influenced daily by our interconnectedness in today's age of technology and hyper-connectivity.
My faith plays a crucial role in defining my identity, serving as a central guide in all aspects of my life. It influences my decision-making in the classroom, my professional and social interactions, as well as my inner peace and home life. By using religion as a guiding compass, I ensure that my decisions are ethical, logical, and aligned with my values, leading to honesty in both work and life.
I often struggle with my vocational identity as an educator. Despite pursuing advanced education, I sometimes feel undervalued compared to positions with more prestigious acronyms, like OCT (Ontario Certified Teacher). This disparity can lead to prejudice and fewer opportunities for those of us with ECE credentials. This feeling of inadequecy is one of the main reason for my pursuit of MET.
Over the years, I've grown comfortable with wearing a headscarf, largely due to the influence of technology (influencers) and media, which have made headscarves more visible in retail stores locally. However, globally, especially while travelling, I still face discomfort and prejudice during airport security checks being "randomly" selected while my family passes through without issue. My headscarf is a significant part of my identity, worn with choice and pride, and I feel the weight of representing a larger global community through it.
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FEEDBACK COMMENT
In the Hands-On Assignment #3 - Virtual Ethnography discussion, I shared my thoughts on the shared global struggle with technology as both a barrier and a potential asset in creating safe, beneficial spaces for all tech users. Reflecting on a classmate's ethnography about the diverse professional backgrounds within the forum, I started thinking about how classroom documentation could be safely shared to engage families. As an early years educator, pedagogical documentation is vital, and constantly exploring ways for educators to share classroom moments with parents and families in ways that are both meaningful and secure.
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Comment:
I really appreciate the purpose of your research: “In many ways, comment sections can be a toxic cesspool of negativity and disagreement. I seek to understand if NSMB.com struggles with the same problems or if they foster a different form of connection.” Your observations suggest that NSMB.com is a unique space used by professionals, as reflected in the writing style of its users.
Like many others, I am curious about creating professional writing standards and fostering safe virtual spaces. What factors do you think contribute to the NSMB community’s constructive and respectful interactions? Could these practices be adapted to reduce toxicity in other online spaces?
CONTRIBUTION MADE BY A CLASSMATE
You make some interesting points but I'm stuck on thinking that while universal design principles aim to create inclusive learning environments for all, there's a potential tension with cultural diversity. Universal design often focuses on removing barriers for users of various abilities and backgrounds but this can sometimes overlook the unique cultural needs and preferences of learners. We know it's important to strike a balance between accessibility and cultural relevance but I'm curious as to what strategies you think might assist with this? In my work we've tried to incorporate culturally specific examples, resources, and scenarios in our online and in-person learning environments, but as we dig deeper we've begun to wonder if this is simply just tokenism where we can't pinpoint examples and resources for every cultural group.
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My response:
Navigating this is challenging. Recently, I came across the concept of culturally sustainable pedagogy, which goes beyond responsiveness and it encourages us to continually update our knowledge and training to keep pace with the fast-changing demographics of our students.
I struggle with the tokenistic nature of inclusiveness, especially when it comes to integrating Indigenous teachings, territorial acknowledgments, and events like Orange Shirt Day. Simply marking these occasions doesn’t feel meaningful to me; as a curious person, I feel the need to hear directly from representatives of these communities.
It seems we often lack authentic representation in professional development days, which can make these initiatives feel tokenistic. Without the voices of those who can share stories from personal experience - storytelling, we’re left with ideas that are simply passed along. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this and if you see similar challenges in your work.