As a teacher, I find myself really having to fight against stereotyping my students. Whether it's from their physical appearance or early academic performance, it's tempting to typecast teenagers as trouble-makers, or geeks, or annoying, or air-headed, or lazy (the list goes on). Before I even get to know some of these kids and their stories, I unfairly judge them and paint them into a corner they can't get out of, because I won't allow them. My stereotyping usually doesn't affect how I teach, but it definitely affects how I respond and interact with students. I might roll my eyes when the kid who doesn't listen asks another question I've already answered if he was only paying attention. I might not be as helpful to the struggling student who has missed his last three homework assignments because I don't think he/she is trying. I might get into a sarcastic argument with that "thug" student who seems to go out of their way to be difficult.
Obviously, those are my low moments as a teacher. I'm not proud of myself. Sadly, some teachers don't feel guilty about stereotyping. I've heard them talk in the teacher's lounge about students in such a negative manner, but then figuratively shake their heads as if there's nothing that can be done to change the child. As a parent myself, I would never want my son or daughter's teacher making assumptions about their abilities or character. Plus, students must know when teachers have stereotyped them and it only makes school harder for them!
I will never forget a student I had a few years ago named Nicholas. He entered my class in the middle of the year because he was expelled from his former district. He was 12 years old and his file was already full of run-ins with police, gang-related activity, rumors of drug use and weapons brought on campus, and a reputation for being very disrespectful with teachers. I tried to keep an open mind, but within the first few weeks, he was challenging me in class in front of others, instigating, and trying to "look cool." It wasn't long before I just gave up on Nicholas, assumed he couldn't be reached and decided to challenge him back (yeah, because that's a solid plan that was going to work...take note of my sarcasm). To this day, Nicholas is my biggest regret. I often wonder what has happened to him and how I could have handled things differently. He was probably used to teachers holding his past and reputation against him. If I had approached him with a clean slate in mind and not been so quick to stereotype and quit as a teacher, perhaps it would have made a difference. Maybe not, but as teachers often encourage their students: you'll never know unless you try.
In a way, stereotyping students is being pessimistic about them. It also demonstrates laziness on the teacher's part. I need to be willing to go the extra mile for students even if they have had problems in the past. I need to be willing to see past appearances because they can be deceiving. I need to be willing to be surprised by students who prove my assumptions wrong. If they had continued to stereotype, Zack and Stacey would have never loved each other, or Zack and Slater would have never become best friends with that cool handshake, or Zack would have never dated the handicapped girl, plus-size girl, or wrestling girl (why did those girls always disappear after one episode...no high school has that many transfers!)
i enjoyed reading this, thanks! :)
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