One microaggression that happened recently was in
my classroom with the students. A group
of boys were playing with animals and a girl came and tried to start playing
with them. One of the boys told her she couldn’t
play because she wouldn’t understand what game they were playing. She felt that because she was a girl she didn’t
know how to play the “right” way. I
explained to the children that there was no right or wrong way of playing, that
we could all play in our own way.
Microaggressions happen very often to many people; however,
they usually avoid talking about them because they involve friends or
colleagues. People practice
discrimination, prejudice and stereotypes regularly without noticing because of
their biases. This week’s observations
have affected me because I am more aware of the negative effects of microaggressions. I am motivated to pay more attention to what I say in order not to hurt anyone's feelings; I am also motivated to teach my students to pay more attention to their friends' feelings and to be careful not to hurt them with words. Children need to learn to put their biases aside while talking to their friends. This can be done by teaching the children about each other's differences and how these differences can become benefits.
Thank you for sharing. I am wondering, did the little girl express to you that she felt this way? That only boys know how to play right?
ReplyDeleteI believe we have all been encouraged to recognize any bias within our school settings. I've been encouraged to understand more about how to decipher the difference between an adult understanding a child's communication as bias and if the child feels the same way as their development isn't as diverse.
Ghayna,
ReplyDeleteYour post points out the benefits of directing children's microaggression into positive and acceptable terms and actions. If we are to become a society of acceptance, hurtful words and actions must be addressed at all levels.
Hello Ghayna
ReplyDeleteThank you for providing an example of micoragressions in children. As they can be egocentric, children often respond to each other based upon lookism. If they are not made aware of the impact of their behaviors, they will not be able to change their attitudes.
Hi Ghayna,
ReplyDeleteYour post truly speaks to the heart of microaggression and the importance of addressing it in children. Children are taught how to act by what they see and hear and they respond to this either in positive or negative ways. When teachers can help them to see the importance of responding in positive ways, it helps them to work through their issues without aggression. Microaggression is a new vocabulary word for me and one that I will use when training new preschool teachers.