Reference no: EM132185900

To be prejudice against someone means to form have a belief, thought, feeling or attitude or to pre-judge them in an emotional and unchanging manner. Prejudice is not formed from experiences. Racism is an action or attitude displayed by someone because they believe they are superior or inferior to someone else based on race. A person can be consciously or unconsciously racist. Racism is a stronger form of prejudice, and racism can be used to advantage the majority group and disadvantage the minority group. Racism, discrimination, and prejudice are often used interchangeably, but they are very different. While they all have to do with race, religion, or ethnicity, they have different meanings. Being prejudice is to form an opinion of someone prior to ever meeting them. Racism is the same thing as prejudice but with power. Individuals who are racist believe that they are inferior or superior to someone based on their race. Discrimination is taking action of those feelings or negative opinions of others.   Some of the tenets of CRT include the following: first, that racism is part and parcel of our everyday lives and not an aberration; second, that it serves important material and psychological purposes, that is, that some people inevitably benefit from it; third, that race is a social construct not a biological one; and fourth, that people of color have a unique voice and unique experiences that can communicate the reality of people of color in a way that White people cannot.” (Hardin 63) I will be able to use this information in my classroom to help teach students about their difference, and also to learn how to be accepting of one another’s differences. I can make the similarities and differences of my students a part of my curriculum. I can decorate my classroom to include posters, artwork, maps, and flags from countries around the world. Doing things like this will help me to show my students that it is okay to be proud of their individuals cultures, but it is also important to be accepting of others as well. I think it was a great idea for Marisa to not only teach a part of history that is often overlooked but also try to relate the information to students lives in the present. It is so much more meaningful to students when they learn information that they can relate or use in real life. I also loved that Marisa worked with her students to create letters and other activities that they could give to influential leaders in the community. She taught the students to be understanding of the pain and hardships that the Native Americans faced which helped students to understand why using Native Americans and pieces of their heritage such as a tomahawk for a mascot could be so offensive. I applaud the news paper for taking the time to interview the students. I think that the students were already plenty motivated to take a stand, but having their hard work displayed in the news paper was probably even more motivation. Aside from the Native Americans, there are many other parts of history that are often overlooked. As a teacher, I could find ways to include those pieces of history in to my curriculum to show my students how to take a stand for what is right and be accepting of others and their heritage.