Who Am I?

The reading for class this week dealt with social concern, and how to cultivated it in a diverse world. One of the methods was through self-concept activities. These activities allow students to asses their personal beliefs, and how they relate to the real world.

I think these tools can be helpful when first meeting the students, and learning about them, to help students understand either current events, or what they are currently studying, and also as a way of reflecting on what was learned at the end of the school year. These activities, which include cultural autobiographies, or letters can help teachers learn about students, because they show the various things that have affected that student before you even start teaching them. Also, these assignments allow students the time to reflect on why they believe what they do, and how it shapes their perception of the world.

We live in an increasingly connected world, and helping students understand their beliefs can help them better relate to the world. Before we help students learn about others, they need to learn about themselves. If we create students who are very self-aware, we can create students who will do well when learning about new concepts that seem strange to them, but are considered normal elsewhere.