I make assumptions about people, do you? It’s impossible NOT to make assumptions about people in one way or another (in my opinion), based on clothing, actions, grades, religion, ideas, gender, race or ethnicity, hobbies, etc. Sometimes I think that assuming things about people is our human way of trying to “fit” that person into a box to help us understand them better. You wear Tommy Hilfiger jeans? Oh, you must have money. You get straight A’s? Oh, you must be smart. You’re a proclaiming Christian? Oh, you must be either some crazy Jesus freak (to some people) or maybe you’re kind and forgiving. You act out in class? Oh, you must have problems at home. You didn’t understand this concept? Oh, you must have a learning disability of some sort. You’re a girl. Oh, you must be emotional. You’re funny and like to tell jokes? Oh, you must be the class clown that likes attention and the one I’m going to have to keep my eye on…
My first impression of one particular student was the latter. Class clown, joke-teller, crazy dancer= up to no good. Only senior among my mixed freshman/sophomore class=slacker. Needless to say, I was not exactly looking forward to teaching this student. As I have gotten to know him, I have appreciated his crazy sense of humor, his fun and light-hearted personality, and his laugh. Additionally, he is one of my top students and I often find him helping the other students around him when I am unavailable. Needless to say, I was humbled.
So when are these assumptions bad? Perhaps…
• when they are so solidified in your mind that you can’t/won’t change them, no matter what other “evidence” may be thrown at you
• when you act upon these assumptions
• when your assumptions negatively affect others
• ??
What are your thoughts?
Karly!! Okay, this is so cool, because my students wrote and shared journals this week on assumptions! They wrote about a time someone assumed something about them that wasn't true. (The novel we're reading in class deals with assumptions and being prejudice.) Anyway, I must say, those are some of my favorite journals of the year. They openly shared with classmates things like -- "Everyone thinks I go home and study but I actually like to play computer games." Or today, my whole class exploded in applause after one student shared that sometimes people assume he's not very smart, because it takes him more time to do his work -- and how that isn't true. So yeah, may we assume the best about those around us and if it's not true, maybe we can at least encourage them to make it so! :) Thanks for the post! :D
ReplyDeleteyes, i think this is very easy to do and something that as teachers (and obviously, as christians) we need to really fight. thanks for posting this! -kelly
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