In our world today we are faced with many challenges that we must work to overcome. One of them includes our biases and how we act on them. Whether we accept it or not, we all have bias that affect our daily lives. Bias is a part of society and if we don't work to accept our biases, we fall into a pit of judgement that affects all of our relationships.
As a teacher, one of the most important things I have to do is recognize my bias. As a white female educator who attended an all-female school from kindergarten through twelfth grade, I found myself expressing bias when it came to a girls right to education. While I do believe girls deserve an education, I also believe all have the right towards an education to and it became even more important for me to recognize where I was coming from to ensure I was not showing judgement in my teaching.
When I hear comments from teachers or parents about the way we should discipline their students or the "challenges" their students have I try to look at where they may be coming from to further understand. A student may be seen as aggressive in school when in reality they may be misunderstood. By speaking with the teacher and showing them the value of positive discipline and understanding their student's background we are often able to achieve an education for the student that allows for their success and works to exclude judgement. If we do not work to speak about our biases and understand others through open communication, we cannot achieve a holistic education that is open to all and allows for greater inclusion in society.
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