I am a 17-year-old Inuit girl. My
people are indigenous to the Americas but that does not make us Native
Americans. There are many different groups of people that are native to the
Americas. We all live in very different environment with a just as unique culture.
To call us all by the name Native Americans is like saying we are all the same.
I am a senior in high school. Today in physical education, my teacher had an
activity that’s name offended me. It was called and Indian run. Our
teacher had the class line up in a line. Then we began to run around the gym in
a big circle. Finally, the person at the end of the line would sprint to the
front of the line. My teachers have also told me to sit Indian style, which
makes no sense to me. I don’t know any of my people or any one from India who
has a cultural reason for sitting cross-legged. Even my peers make comments
such as “Oh those Indians are such drunks” They also whisper behind my back
“There goes the girl who lives in an igloo”. For the record I live in a house
just like they do.
Teachers need to remember always
that they have a diverse classroom. The author of Brave Warrior states
that certain words such as Indian warriors should be used cautiously in modern
education materials. When naming activities you must also consider your
students. Avoid naming your activities things like Indian run. Instead, call
the activity train run or switcheroo. Something as simple as telling
students to sit Indian style can offend some students in your classroom. Instead,
you can tell students to sit cross-legged. I even have heard some one refer to
it as sitting criss cross applesauce. Students need to develop the most
unbiased understanding of different cultures. Cultural biases such as all Inuit
live in Igloos can lead to problems in the classroom. Incorporating culture
into lessons can help students develop an understanding for everyone in the
world around them. Culture can be incorporated into any classroom. You can make
bulletin boards about a student each week. Teach students about different
holidays such as Hanukah, kwanza, etc. You could even teach students about the
Santa Clauses around the world. I would divide my students into groups and
assign a topic about a culture for them to research and then present to the class.
Understanding that your students come from a variety of different backgrounds
is important to understand when developing a proper learning environment for
all your students.
Reference
Koppelman, Kent L.
(2011). Perspectives on Human Differences. Boston: Pearson
Education, Inc.
