This week’s readings took me through African and African American culture. While I noticed numerous themes in my readings I want to focus on the theme of identity. When learning about self-identity it is important to know where your roots are from and how your culture shapes your identity. By studying different cultures, we can learn about where we came from and understand where our neighbors came from. Understanding can bring unity when cultures interact and help to teach tolerance to multiple generations.
In the essay, Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin, the reader is transported into Harlem during the 1940’s. The story is written about Baldwin himself as a young, black man who has just lost his father. He is struggling to make sense of the father he despised with the knowledge that his father may not have been wrong after all. His awareness of his lack of understanding of oppression comes as he begins to see the world as his father saw it. One where an African American man is held at a lower standard than a Caucasian man. This education begins as he ages into manhood and begins to work with racists. Growing up in Harlem, the author had not witnessed the same oppression as his father, who was born in the south. He begins to understand his father’s plight after he is segregated time and again because of his blackness. This essay is raw and filled with emotion. The author goes through stages of anger and rage as he slowly realizes that it is those powerful emotions that can incite change by pushing people towards fighting against the injustices that they witness.
As a teacher you have an opportunity to teach tolerance to your students. We are a blended nation of many cultures. Teaching younger generations about different cultures can help unite us as Americans.
Lesson #1 – Learning about culture and individual identity.
1. Explain to your students what culture means and the importance of it in our society.
2. Have your students explore their own culture by filling out this worksheet.
3. Have each student create a project to share what they learned about their cultural roots and identity. This can be done as a poster board, slideshow, or short film. Allow the students to get creative with how they would like the share this information.
4. The students will then present their projects to the class. Allow other students to ask questions.
Lesson #2 – Watch Ted Talk with class.
After viewing the Ted Talk(s), ask your students what the word respect means to them. Now ask them what the words bias, stereotype, racism, and prejudice mean. Discuss how respect conflicts with the other words given. Ask them how these words affect them and their lives. Now discuss how these words may affect someone from another culture.
Readings for ENG-355 Topic 5: African and African American Literature in Norton Anthology of World Literature
Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin, Volume 2
Chike's School Days by Chinua Achebe, Volume 2
The Deep River by Bessie Head, Volume 2
To New York, Night in Sine, Prayer to the Masks, and Letter to a Poet by Leopold Sedar Senghor, Volume 2
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