Blog post 2: My 3 “Ah-Hah” moments

“Ah-Hah” moment 1: “I found out it was more important for me to stay in school and stuff because some people might doubt black people for being educated and stuff so its more important to me now to stay educated”

Each student in this video shared what they thought implicit bias was and they all shared an example of stereotypes they have experienced. The quote above stuck out to me most because this boy believes he needs to stay in school to prove a point that black children can be educated rather than being in school to learn and better himself. This was the ultimate “Ah-Hah” moment for me because it actually made me feel maddened to know that the majority of black students feel that they need to stay in school to prove a point and prove a stereotype that is put against them. We, as future educators must constantly stress to our students that they are worthy of an education and worthy of equality. Especially for our black and minority students, let them know they don’t have to prove anything to us except for believing in themselves.

“Ah-Hah” moment 2: A student is constantly drumming his fingers on his desk and bobbing his head to his beats. This gets my attention and seems like a distraction. Consider:

• Me – Am I the only one bothered by his drumming and moving?

• They – Is his behavior distracting him from working? Is it a habit he does without realizing? Does this actually help him focus?

• We – Does the class notice? Are the people around him distracted?

This tactic that is listed in this article is something that is actually really important to me. Students who tend to shake their leg, tap a pencil, or in this case play drums with their fingers are more than likely to have anxiety or ADHD and these are tactics to release anxiety or ADHD. I say this confidently because I am this type of person and student, I suffer from both anxiety and ADHD ever since I was little. I think this tactic is important because it doesn’t only take the teachers feelings into consideration but every student in the classroom as well. Don’t make a student stop doing something if it helping them focus.

“Ah-Hah” moment 3: “Instructors might treat students with physical disabilities as if they may also have mental disabilities, and thus require more attention”

As future educators we much not make assumptions about any student because assuming something about someone could make them feel inferior. As a perfect example, I had a teacher automatically make me go to a different class room to take tests because I had ADHD, this automatically made me feel for a better lack of words, stupid and less than the other students. Believe it or not, I was more distracted in a classroom alone versus with other students because I was worried about what my peers thought when I got special treatment when it came to testing days. This was an “Ah-Hah” moment for me because it teaches me that I should let my students come to me with their concerns rather than assuming something that could potentially harm their confidence when it comes to their education.