*update at bottom*
It is so humid. I'm all sticky and icky.
Now a choppy transition into a completely different topic. Sometimes my students say things and I have no idea how to respond. Today's example is an extreme case.
The kids had sureys to fill out in pairs, finding out some similarities and differences between them. One question was "What kind of people do you dislike?" Some of the answers I saw were things like 'rude, proud, unfriendly, people who give me homework' etc. Nothing too noteworthy. Then one of my girls - about 11 years old, I believe - appraoches me.
"How do you say... those people with black face? All black skin?"
Now, I didn't want to assume anything. And knowing that white is considered so beautiful here, that the Chinese always strive to have whiter skin and they carry parasols to keep out of the sun, I thought, 'maybe she just means people who are very tanned from being out in the sun too much'. Wishful hoping, yes.
"No, no. Not the sun. Black skin, black hair. They live in the forrest." Quickly she asks the Chinese TA something, then turns back to me, adding "They live in Africa". No confusion over what she means. What do I say? This was not the time or place to sit her down and try to explain racism and the equality of mankind. Besides, I'd had a similar discussion with another young student who said that black people were ugly. I tried to explain that that wasn's a nice thing to say, that there were many very beautiful people of all races etc. But it was futile. She had her notion of beauty, and dark skin was not it. So, I didn't say anything, except that calling them black people was okay. Is that terribly politically incorrect of me?
There is very little exposure to black people here. White people are uncommon, but spotting a black person is a rare sighting indeed. It shocks me to see the ignorance and innocent bigotry displayed towards them. But I don't feel incensed at these attitudes, China just seems to be several decades behind. And with such a sheltered country, where people often seem to know very little about the world beyond the borders, it's no wonder they view certain foreign people so backwardly.
Here is a picture of a popular toothpaste in China. At least they've made some improvements in the name.
*UPDATE IN RESPONSE TO EVERYONE'S COMMENTS*
First of all, I didn't write the questions, and this specific question was to get kids using some of the "negative" adjectives they'd learned - greedy, evil, proud, selfish etc.
Everyone is suggesting I use this as an opportunity to teach about racism and to change the kids' views about other cultures. That is so easy to say when you really have no idea what it's like here. Yes, ideally I would love to open their minds, bring them into the 21st century and create an attitude of acceptance and understanding. But you're talking about altering generations of ingrained beliefs!
I will and do tell them that black people do not live in the forest, that they are not like monkeys, that they are no different from anyone else. But I am not expecting enlightenment.
As far as beauty goes, I could show them stacks and stacks of gorgeous photos, it wouldn't matter. You can't change someone's notion of aesthetics. I don't think having dozens of piercings in your face is beautiful, or big stretched out lips and ears, or wearing excessive make-up or being hugely overweight. It doesn't matter how many pictures you show me or how passionately you assert that they ARE beautiful, I won't see it.
I am not trying to be passive on the issue. But you have to understand what it's like here. Come live in China for a few months, see just how sheltered it is, how little most people know about the outside world, how little they care to know about it, and how stubborn people can be with what they believe. Then tell me to educate these kids on racism.
29 comments:
That is so tough. How sad. A tough situation because you can tell them one thing and they will go home and be told an entirely different thing.
Ok here is what i think..(again).You have a position where you can possibly make a difference. Start teaching them about looking past appearances. It\'s normal to be aprehensive about appearances sometimes, but that strong people can get past that. I would absolutely bring up racism. Not necissarily just to the one child, but have a talk about it with your class.
WOW.....I have nothing to say! It\'s one thing for me here in Canada to sit a child down and try to have the discussion with them that u wanted to have with your student....but, I can\'t imagine how impossible it would be in a foreign country. The toothpaste thing blows me away!
the toothpaste thing is definately harsh! i wonder though, what is culturally appropriate in the area of china you are in as far as racism is concerned? is it a norm? after all an 11 year old has been given these ideas by authoritive figures in her life, perhaps peers although it doesn\'t sound likely from what you have described. the idea of opening it up to a class discussion seems logical. it would make it much easier for this girl in particular to not feel singled out or ashamed, and perhaps (and hopefully) her peers will have helpful and healthy attitudes towards the topic leaving \'teaching\' or worse, \'lecturing\', out of the picture. it sounds like you are in a difficult position. i hope it can become a great opportunity.smiles, michy.
Hmmm...Do you have any opportunity in class to discuss authors, civil rights leaders, etc? I wonder if it\'d be possible to present the kids with images of people of all different races in a positive light...Just a thought. You\'re in a tough spot, I know. I used to live in an area where a little boy would want to come over to play with my son, and that little boy had an extremely racist father, so you can imagine the kinds of comments that would come tumbling out of the kid\'s mouth. He really had no idea that WE might actually ACCEPT people of other races. *sigh* What a shock it must have been to that dad when we let another one of my son\'s friends (who is black) stay with us the last several weeks of school. Hah! I have to admit that the other little kid sure didn\'t come around all that much after that. ;)Good luck!
Wow... that is scary...It amazes me how no one is happy with who they are... we used to have a lot of young Korean girls come into the store I was a beauty advisor at... looking for those whitening creams. Then the white girls come in looking for something to make them darker. Then the black ladies are just looking for anything that doesn\'t make them look chalky... how sad.
Well seeing as the area you\'re in seems to be several decades behind the times I assume corporal punishment is still okay. Take advantage! But seriously, that\'s a shitty position to be in. Good luck finding a remedy to decades of ingrained beliefs and prejudices. Not an easy situation.
It must be so tough for you to not live in a place where everyone is the same...When I lived in PA I didn\'t realize how much I missed the diversity of people until I heard a new york accent on the radio coming home..And had people of all races around me in the store... Not having that can be really Boring! take care mand...
This blog can relate almost to mine, about why do terrorists attack, which is based on predjuce people. What would happen if you had a black person go to school with you, and introduce himself to the children. Would they get a new perspective on the race because that is depressing.
It does seem like just a matter of lack of expsoure. The idea to have a class on the topic seems good. Maybe even bring in a few photos of beautiful black people and talk about specific people and there accomplishments. I almost seems it\'s more of a superficial dislike though like someone saying I don\'t like red hair.
Without the exposure to real people, there\'s nothing to contradict any mythology that pervades (\'living in forests\', The \'Sambo\' icon on its toothpaste imported from us, etc.)But the Chinese mindset is pretty well equipped for cross-cultural encounters---these are folks who know how to keep their mouth shut at great pains for the sake of being civilized. With that skill latently awaiting tits introduction to he world, there will be a rapid building of relationships of all ethnicities when their society opens up.For some reason, "Hawley and Hazel" doesn\'t sound very Tawainese to me. I wonder....
Yes, that was suppose to be "its"...
I feel a preachy moment coming on...... perhaps leave the question off the list next time- the kids shouldn\'t really be encouraged to dislike "types" anyway.
ok i didnt read all the comment..and btw i dono you..i jus saw u on 1 of the new updates n i thought u were 1 of my friend..anyways i can totally understand your point of view. i go to school in canada and im 15 next month, but i used to live in japan til i was ten n my parents brought me back to china ever year to visit my grandparent n i can understand how its like in china. first of all people in china, the way their brain works is diferent from north america. its like..about how to um stand out, be rich, be smart, and make lots of business and be beautiful and things. like when u meet someone new, most often then first thing they would say is oh my goodnes you\'re so beautiful, wow ur skin is so white, and so on. the notion of making a difference, equality, and looking past appearance and such thing does not exist yet. i agree with the author of this webpage or whatever that theyre living a few decades behind. and to introduce the history of the old um...civil leaders? i believe the students would find it odd, thats their teacher is teaching them history, at such young age, which happened in ANOTHER country and in ANOTHER continent. although i think a way you can reach them and show how beautiful black people are, is by showing really beautiful african womans. like models, such as naomi, tyra banks, and other americans next top model finalists are black people. and they\'re beautiful. if u can get your hands on some magazines from the states and show it to your class they might realize the black people are actually quite "popular" in other countries. and you know what? form my point of view, if anyone cares about popularity, i believe the black folks have it all. and all the basketball players. i think chinese people have the image of the old black people where they used to wear dirty clothings and messy hair with a dirty face, back when they used to serve white people. i think maybe you can show all the blings that they have now and how successful some are. haha i dono this is just and 15 yr old girls opinion and i was REALLY bored hehe anyways im in shanghai now..wow u travel alot im going to singapore TOMORROW hehehe by the way..ur picture paralizes me 0.0
HEHE I MAKE LOTS OF GRAMMAR AND TYPING MISTAKES..im only 15 T.T gimme a break x]
you, as a teacher in china ,i can say that you dont totally understand chinese.......pity...
Hi Mander, I hope you will have a good weekend. Try to be nice to people, that is all that really matters in the end. You can\'t change how other people feel or think, all you can really do is try and be a good person yourself, and hope that others will do the same.
Hmm, perhaps I\'m rascist. I\'ve read a lot of feedsites that deal with Africa. The movie the Interpreter is a good one to check out. African politics is very backward, just like the native university here in my city. Sounds like I\'m rascist right? The native university president fires some of his staff for no reason. The RCMP (police) are investigating. In Africa a dictator suspects people of starting a rebellion and closes the Red Cross, and shuts down a shanty town, forcing people to destroy all their personal belongings. More than 50% of the money an uncorrupt African governments surplus goes to pay the interest accrued by foriegn governments. Are we really naive when we say we\'re helping when all we do is hurt? To be a little more critical what you might want to say to your students is the rain forest the black people are living in is being destroyed to make way for white peoples houses, so things are indeed changing....For the better. Naaah, I\'m just grumpy and rascist.
Graceful Dreaming...who totally understands anyone?EVERYBODY has a blindspot on EVERY subject somewhere. Your comment was sanctimonious and rude, and had no possible constructive reading whatsoever---Are you giving yourself credit for the profundity of a Zen Koan?Pity.If you have a specific criticism, have the decency to say it instead of hurling a cryptic insult and hiding behind such a vaguery as a juvenile would.
thanks Niles!
I dont mean any rude here. i just want want to say that we like white skin because our traditional logic frome our ancestor. you can check the histroy book about the four famousbeautiful women named" 沉鱼""落雁""闭月""羞花".they all have whiteskin like the moonlight.the black skin dont fit facial features of chinese. our face seems without third dimension, there is not racism here.sorry for my poor english,have a good weekend!
and ,amanda: you have lot of friends to condemn me, their word is really what" rude" means!
hey amanda...just wanted to let you know that i totally understand... the stubborness and unwillingness to see another\'s viewpoint (or logic). it reminds me of the story of "more canadians are left-handed". you haven\'t used that as a blog entry yet, eh? but anyway... i won\'t give you any lesson advice, cause i wouldn\'t know what to do myself.well... it\'s 5am, and i\'m wiped! time for bed. :) ~ jennie
Hey girl...I totally get that.... you\'re there to teach english... not unlearn decades of ignorance. Especially in a country as state controlled and volitile as china...Keep doing what you\'re doing... Happy Belated Canada Day!
That toothpaste is the best. You could try to teach them about racism, but it will undoubtedly lead to someone\'s parents causing trouble for you, I\'d be subtle about it REALLY subtle, and talk about acceptance of all different creatures or something in the animal kingdom, nothing directly relating to people, I mean, you\'re going to have to teach them about the Japanese too... where does it end? Be careful, or do nothing... unless the apathy bothers you... you do have a position to mold children\'s minds though, anyway, i\'m glad i\'m not in your shoes right now.
I agree with you. You cannot change their attitude. I\'m glad you added that bit with what you find not beautiful and nothing can change your mind.People think that just saying words can correct this problem but that is so wrong. I feel for you. People should liken this to foods they refuse to eat. They would never ever want to eat certain things. No matter what someone says. They learned somewhere along the way that they do not like this food and there\'s no changing their mind.
Hi, I find it strange as i was reading some of the comments that people decided that this prediciment was your fault, for some wrong doing you do. That is totally ridiculous. You are there to teach these children, and anyone that has had any experience with children before knows that they are so unpredictable and will say what is on their mind, to whom ever they choose. I think it is the parents job to teach about racsism, and political correctness, not their teacher. Just thought I would give you my 2 cents, I would have done the same thing that you did. Take care girl!
Wow- I actually read 27 comments! That has to be a record for me.If you\'d like my two cents- I think you handled the situation with as much grace as possible. And you at least exposed the kids to a different opinion.
hi its ok bye
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