DiversityDiscussion

Using
Writing to Learn and Learning to Write by James Britton
Growth through English Revisted by Peter Smagorinsky

I think that for many students in Maine, diversity is an extremely uncomfortable thing to talk about since
they know that racial prejudices exist (and they may have racial prejudices). English is one of the few
places students really seem like they are able to learn about diversity (apart from Social Studies, of
course), and it is through writing and reading so it does come up a lot.

Like Peter Smagorinsky, Ive had similar experiences with teaching Of Mice and Men and To Kill a
Mockingbird, and I notice that some students are uncomfortable reading the novel and having open
discussion about it because they are unsure how to approach topics about diversity and racism. Ive also
had students do a research speech over the Holocaust that offended others because she didnt fully
complete her research the way she should have. The student argued that Hitler was a successful leader
(trying to prove that he accomplished what he wanted), but in doing so, she made it seem like she
agreed with Hitlers choices (which was not her intention). She was really just trying to show how he
successfully gained power. However, she really had to get her wording right. I also think there are
problems with diversity concerning mental disabilities. Some students are aware of students who think
differently and some students are aware of IEPs and 504s so theyll make comments saying they want an
IEP or a 504 so they can do less work, not realizing that there are students around them who likely have
an IEP or 504. Sometimes students also dont know that what they are doing or saying is offensive. They
just think they are expressing their opinion and its okay.

Last year, we had a couple of students flying the Confederate Flag in the back of their vehicle at school.
They know it as the Confederate Flag, but they dont quite know that it symbolizes slavery and white
supremacy. However, for obvious reasons, this was offensive to a group of students (from a few
different races) at our school. Once many the kids who were flying the flag at our school were spoken to
about the meaning of the flag, they took it down, but there are still some kids who wont. This is an
ongoing battle in our school for a few different reasons, but I think this example still show that students
are being offensive without realizing it at times.

I think writing can be a great way to work through these uncomfortable situations, and it is all in how
the teacher creates a classroom environment. A teacher can also read student writing and conference
about it before the student shares it. I think we can use writing to originally express ideas and concerns
(read by only the teacher originally), and then discuss why people have the ideas they do about diversity
and how to move forward. Ultimately, diversity is something that needs to be discussed in order to
move forward, so even though its going to bring uncomfortable situations into the classroom, it needs
to be done. In the end, its all about how the teacher created the classroom environment and fosters
student discussion and writing.
I think something to remember is that student identity/individuality is fluid. Who a student comes to
freshman year as is completely different than the person they graduate as. Teachers influence who that
person becomes to a certain extent, and these conversations and lessons are part of that.

**Not really sure Ive answered the question that was asked, but this was my best shot.