Bilgrami 2001 What Might Be Thesis

Total Length: 869 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 0

Page 1 of 3

Bringing up the aspects of personhood that help create identity can help start a dialogue and encourage critical and creative thinking in the class. Teachers can raise issues related to race, class, gender, religion, and power in a sensitive, culturally competent manner and then perhaps create lessons that encourage students to explore their own backgrounds and identities. However, when individual students or a group of students are unaware of some aspects of their identity, teachers have a tougher job.

In many cases, those aspects of a student's identity that he or she does not recognize will not be related to race, class, gender, or power. They may be personality traits or biases. In other cases, students might echo the prejudicial beliefs of their parents. Teachers have a responsibility to expose prejudice and bias for what they are, but in a way that does not offend students. As students mature and reach puberty, issues related to sexual identity and gender orientation will come up, further complicating teachers' responsibilities to their students.

3. What might be the ramifications of a teacher not recognizing aspects of his or her own identity?

The ramifications of a teacher not recognizing aspects of his or her own identity are often insignificant: such as personality quirks or eccentricities. Students and coworkers might whisper behind that teacher's back because of the hidden aspects of identity, as many times the quirks are comedic.
The teacher might dress funny or say certain things that betray their identities even though those quirks are ironically hidden from the teacher.

However, aspects of a teacher's identity that are repressed or denied can emerge in more serious ways such as in biases in lessons and curricula. The teacher could select material that reflected his or her subconscious identity without knowing. That part of the teacher's identity might coincide with prejudices or biases. The teacher might unconsciously omit lessons on areas that betray their identity but not realize they are doing so.

The teacher might even treat students differently because of those objective facets of identity that the teacher is yet to be aware of. Much of the racism and prejudice against other cultures or sexual orientations extant today are due to aspects of identity that are apparent to outsiders but not to the individual. Regardless of whether they are malicious or not, parts of the teacher's identity that are hidden from him or her are bound to affect the way that professional communicates and acts. If the teacher is experiencing an identity crisis, then the ramifications of not recognizing aspects of identity could require some….....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Bilgrami 2001 What Might Be" (2008, October 17) Retrieved May 17, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/bilgrami-2001-27562

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Bilgrami 2001 What Might Be" 17 October 2008. Web.17 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/bilgrami-2001-27562>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Bilgrami 2001 What Might Be", 17 October 2008, Accessed.17 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/bilgrami-2001-27562