Reflection Journal

1. Read: Tatum, B. (2017) “Chapter 9: Identity Development in Multiracial Families” (pp. 299-327)

Watch: Will Multiracial Kids End Racism? | Decoded | MTV (5:45)Part 1: For this journal entry, first refer back to the Summary of Stages of Racial Identity Development  (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oO42QQhHL6JZanPI9KNOA5iQmtPBAa7O/view))handout that proposes several, research-based psychological models of racial identity development:

Reflect on two stages of whichever model best fits your identity (the stage you were last in and the stage you are currently in). Write a paragraph explaining an example of an event, encounter, or dynamic in your life that helps to place you in each of those two stages.

Remember that these stages can happen out of order and that you can go “back” to early stages throughout your life. Also remember that none of these stages are “bad” or “good,” but rather, they reflect different points in our awareness and understanding.

Part 2: After you have written a paragraph describing your connection with the two stages, synthesize your learning about this race and identity unit as well as think ahead to the upcoming Social Construction of Race Reflection paper.

Write a second paragraph in which you reflect on the experience of taking the Harvard Implicit Associations Tests by responding to the following questions:

• Which tests did you take and why did you select these?
• What feelings or reactions did you have upon seeing the outcome of the IAT tests?
• Reflect on your life experiences that may have influenced your results. Consider your childhood and family upbringing; the neighborhoods in which you’ve lived; elements of your career path; media messages; your family and peer networks; etc. How might these experiences have shaped your biases, with or without your conscious awareness?
• How might knowing your IAT results affect your future actions and decisions, both in your role at your workplace and in other aspects of your life?

In an article entitled, “The Problematic Nature of Racial and Ethnic Categories in Higher Education”, the ACE deliberates where categorizing by ethnicity and race are helpful or hurtful to educational institutions. Is it stated,

At the same time, the history of racial and ethnic categorization in society, and in higher education, demands a systematic examination of how these categories are created and deployed. It is necessary to acknowledge the historical and contemporary relationship between racial categories and racial hierarchies as we seek to disrupt notions that race does not matter in higher education. Substantial evidence in research, theoretical framing, practice, and policies make it clear that American higher education is not color-blind, nor is larger society.

Posts should be at least 3-4 sentences per question.

Prompt

Is the practice of counting and classifying children on the basis of race and ethnicity helpful or hurtful to our democracy? Consider the ways that children  (and educators) may be counted or classified by race:

• Enrollment (who attends the school and who leaves)
• Discipline records (who is disciplined, for what reason, and the outcome)
• Enrollment in honors and advanced programming
• Participation in sports and other extracurricular activities
• Educator recruitment and retention (who is hired, who stays, and who leaves)

Posts should be at least 3-4 sentences per question.

Q1: Using the Tatum excerpt, what are some of the myths, and misconceptions about individuals from this group?

What evidence (e.g., studies, statistics, etc.) challenge these myths and misconceptions?

Q2: What are some socially imposed issues and challenges that individuals from this group may face? How do you think these issues could affect a student’s educational  experiences?

Q3: What central arguments and important findings are presented in the supplemental readings/media? How do the supplemental readings/media add to or complicate your understanding about individuals from this group?

Q4: What themes did you find most resonant? What tensions did you experience as you completed this module’s readings/media