Reflection #4

Unfortunately stereotyping is something that everyone does. It doesn't matter who you are at some point in your life you have judged a certain individual or group of people based on their appearance, religion, or some other factor. Teachers are human and they are not immune to this. I have seen stereotyping in the classroom and around the school before. One example is that we got a new student a few months ago. The student's father was in the office and covered in tattoos and wearing torn up jeans with a cut off shirt. The student looked close to the same with a crew cut, torn up jeans, and a cut off shirt. Many teachers, including myself, were a little concerned when we saw this and we automatically assumed that the student would be a problem in the classroom. The student didn't stay but for a few days and I only talked to him in athletics. We didn't get a chance to know him but the fact is we were judging him based off of his appearance and we shouldn't have been. I think it is important that we try to not make assumptions about our students. It is important that we pay more attention to the actions of the student rather than making assumptions about them. There is one student who most of the teachers seem to avoid. The student was busted for drugs last semester and most of the teachers seem to assume that this is still an issue for him. I have this student in my athletic period and I have watched him work hard and take his punishment for the offense that he committed. The student has projected nothing to me other than a hard working, respectful young man. And I treat him as any other hard working student who has shown a desire to improve themselves, regardless of past mistakes.