tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29783395.post7743172111811812208..comments2023-10-21T02:43:05.419+11:00Comments on Ariane's little world: OK, so I was wrongArianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977679825245376111noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29783395.post-22579954681104461732008-12-04T17:18:00.000+11:002008-12-04T17:18:00.000+11:00Caitlin's class copped the candy cane story this w...Caitlin's class copped the candy cane story this week, complete with the "it's an upside down J" line. I was quite pleased to be so well prepared with my rebuttal.mimbleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10907569024689875694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29783395.post-36779183172698765892008-11-26T14:52:00.000+11:002008-11-26T14:52:00.000+11:00Dina, in my original post on the subject, I was ar...Dina, in my original post on the subject, I was arguing for anti-prejudice instead of anti-racism. Then the focus can be tailored for the local demographic. There's not much in the way of racism (of the kind that K-2 kids can understand) in our area, but it might be more common in other places. <BR/><BR/>The key is what you said about glasses. Before anti-racism week, Ben did notice skin colour, but it was as significant to him as eye colour or the colour of your shirt. It didn't occur to him to classify people based on it. <BR/><BR/>Because he hadn't come across overt racism of the kind they were talking about at school ("I don't like you because you are [whatever]"), it didn't mean anything to him, except to give him a whole new way to classify people. <BR/><BR/>Gender stereotypes, however? He's got those in spades. I think they should be focussing on actual prejudice, rather than potential ones. <BR/><BR/>In my experience, kids tend to judge based on very personal things. We also have to be very careful not to add interpretations that have no business being there. One mother was telling me about her daughter pointing to a very dark skinned african man and very loudly announcing "Look Mummy, that man has black skin!". She was worried about her daughter not being tolerant enough, but that isn't racist, our interpretation that there is a problem with that is. Her daughter just hadn't seen someone like that before, there are not a great number of people of african descent in Australia.<BR/><BR/>Maybe overall, everyone needs to focus more on "How would that make someone feel" rather than "Don't be [whatever]-ist".Arianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17977679825245376111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29783395.post-49530656741239445652008-11-26T03:53:00.000+11:002008-11-26T03:53:00.000+11:00I do personally think racism needs to be taught.I ...I do personally think racism needs to be taught.<BR/><BR/>I don't believe in the idea that children are born loving and open to everything--then they learn racism from their parents. <BR/><BR/>I think children DO notice differences. They DO judge based on appearances. <BR/><BR/>I remember a four-year-old telling me she didn't like/feared the director of the preschool I worked at. I asked why.<BR/><BR/>The answer was that the director was ugly.<BR/><BR/>I think though that the difference between children and adults is that skin color is no more of a big deal than wearing glasses, being a different size/age, watching the "wrong" cartoon, having a crooked tooth, etc.<BR/><BR/>Children do notice these things, and they can be very cruel about it.<BR/><BR/>I don't think it's just about racism. Little elements of prejudice are everywhere and I think we have to counteract them with discussion.<BR/><BR/>An example would be Disney movies. The princess are always thin and beautiful. The female villains are usually physically unattractive. I think it's important to teach kids that just because someone is pretty, it doesn't mean they're "bad."<BR/><BR/>I think it's great about how you talked about the candy cane...and how that would make a nonwhite person feel. A lot of times we fail to think about these things.<BR/><BR/>I don't think prejudice is something that's taught. I think we're all born with it. I think we need to learn how to deal with it and overcome it so a simple prejudice doesn't turn into something awful like discrimination, cruelty, or genocide.Dina Roberts https://www.blogger.com/profile/05558115658079175456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29783395.post-11514871672199255112008-11-25T21:19:00.000+11:002008-11-25T21:19:00.000+11:00Wow, I didn't know it was a genuine urban myth.Is ...Wow, I didn't know it was a genuine urban myth.<BR/><BR/>Is there also a religious explanation for the tradition of photocopying your butt at the office Christmas party?Arianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17977679825245376111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29783395.post-41357858116169075842008-11-25T21:12:00.000+11:002008-11-25T21:12:00.000+11:00Wow. Oh my... Wow.That's breathtakingly awful. You...Wow. Oh my... Wow.<BR/><BR/>That's breathtakingly awful. <BR/><BR/>You could write a thank you note with a recommendation for a visit to <A HREF="http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/candycane.asp" REL="nofollow">Snopes</A>.mimbleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10907569024689875694noreply@blogger.com