Carrying our biases with us...

Talking about biases is scary, but maybe we're at a place where we can comfortably voice these biases without fear of judgement. I won't sit here and say I've never thought about my personal biases, because I have...not in great detail, of course, but I've at least come to the realization that I have them.

I believe that I have a bias of educated people being more intelligent, social, and able to succeed in life. Education is a value of mine, therefore, I sometimes view uneducated people in a different light. Of course, there are reasons why some people are undecuated such as poverty, social class, and personal values. Still, I hold this bias due to my own upbringing and social surroundings throughout my life.

I grew up in a small town where every friend of mine had parents who had either Bachelor degrees or higher. For example: my best friend's dad was a professor, a woman I worked for was a doctor, many parents were teachers with Master degrees...etc etc. My father went to an Ivy League school, as did his entire family. My Aunt is a professor and researcher at Columbia. Needless to say, I have been conditioned to believe that an education reaps many benefits. I link it to good jobs, intelligence, social skills...I can't really help that I do this. Many people don't have the means to a good education, I just happen to come from a family who does.

Working in schools exposes you to a variety of children from many settings. Many of them have young parents, parents who didn't attend college, and these children have no desire to further their education. I guess when I hear this, I am blown away and slightly saddened. Perhaps I can be someone to reinforce to these kids how important an education is, and not just because it will "land you a job." Education is much more than that.

I'm not sure that I'll ever rid myself of this bias, and that's okay. I can't change how I was raised, and people become who they are partly (mostly?) because of their life experiences. I don't doubt that I'll carry this for life, and it's just something I'll have to work with if it gets in the way.

Age-Biased Article from Psychology.com

Great Ideas

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

 

(check out above link to another SKR talk)

 

 

The talk by Sir Ken Robinson that we saw in class on Tuesday was awesome. He has a lot of lectures on TED.com, and I have already used this website to see many other great "ideas worth spreading." He is well-spoken, humorous, and knowledgable. Of course, implementing his ideas is a whole different story. However, I say who cares? His ideas are great to listen to, and in my mind, they are right on the money.

I feel as if my education has brought me to a great place. I like who I am, what I have become, and what I have accomplished. Not only did I learn math and science, but I was exposed to art through weekly art classes, choir in middle school and then on to an internationally awarded women's chamber choir, and some drama here and there. If not for my exposure to these creative outlets, I wouldn't be who I am right now. I have the ability to think freely, come up with original ideas, and let my mind wander in a constructive way. If not for the ability to do this, how would any one decide what they truly want to do in life? In another talk by Sir Ken Robinson, he states how most adults are not doing what they really want to be doing (for work, mainly). Adults think that they have no choice in the matter, and that they are stuck doing something unfulfilling. Why is this so? It's because adults have lost the power to dig deep within themselves to find out what makes them feel comfortable, happy, and passionate. Typically, someone will flourish at a career that they feel comfortable in. Nevertheless, adults day in and day out go to their desk and sit angrily tapping at their computer and feeling out of place. The connection to children, is that children have the ability to explore with no fear of failure. Somewhere along the line, we all lose this ability because the education system shuffles us along in pre-determined ways.

Our system needs to allow children to continue to explore, create, and imagine. Designated times to do this in class will help children develop ideas, and an identity! This will help them later in life. It seems like most adults are uhappy these days, what with the economy, unknown future, and the overall fast pace of life. None of this will change, but what has to change, is our outlook on things. Perhaps going back to our childhood creativity will help us reach the happiness that we have lost.