Recognizing Diversity on Campus

For my Diverse and Exceptional Learner class, I attended a discussion group facillitated by the diversity center about Asian Americans in today's society and what it means to be Asian. The discussion was a small group of students but every individual had a unique view on this topic which I think is very importan to talk about. Being a teacher, it is crucial to be aware of different students' backgrounds and cultures, since I attended this lecture/discussion, I feel that it helps me on my self reflection process which is important for teachers to think about their role in facilitating discussion on different cultures.

We talked alot about what it means to be Asian and students shared their family background and customs that are important to them. We also further explored to what it means to be Asian at Luther College as well as what it means to be Asian American. I think it is important to recognize that Asia is a continent that is comprised of many different cultures and being Japanese or Indian are completley different however when the term "asian" is used, many people associate people from Asia with certain stereotypes. This discussion was important to reflect on the different cultural backgrounds with in the United States and as a teacher to make sure all cultures are respected within the school.