Archive for December, 2011
Compass – Cultural Clarity
In order to truly appreciate our differences, we must first have an awareness of our personal culture. We often think of a group of people when we consider culture; however, every individual has his or her own unique cultural perspective. You probably already have an awareness of the ways your age, gender, race, ethnic background [...]
Arts – Live a Life of Contrast
Hello. My name is Micah. What I have come to realize is that quite frequently, we define ourselves just as much by what we are not, as by what we affirm ourselves to be. We define ourselves through contrast. It has occurred to me that my life has basically been one gigantic refutation. A refutation [...]
Arts – Celebrating Developmental Differences
Learning that you have a child with a disability is enough to stop you dead in your tracks. Coming to grips with how I was going to overcome this successfully was daunting. Making sense of something as life altering as having a child with Mental Retardation was intimidating. Together, our family learned to ask questions [...]
Parenting – Positive Conditioning
Every aspect of raising children, from toilet training to feeding is influenced by cultural beliefs and personal values. Children, in turn ascertain who they are and what they do through these practices. As the cliché states: “Children are like sponges.” They absorb routines, traditions, languages or identities and if properly directed, can grow to be [...]
Parenting – Embracing Cultural Differences
For any immigrant, moving and leaving one’s homeland to settle in another country is always a very difficult and challenging experience. At first, the thought of settling and starting a new life in another country sounds exciting and adventurous. These feelings are soon replaced by confusion, bitterness and sadness as the challenges mount and come [...]
Cause – Celebrating Adolescents’ Strengths
I fell easily in the trap in which many privileged educators and healers often fall; I assumed that encouraging youths to go to school was the full-proof plan for their success. Even though I made sure to remain mindful of the differences between their culture and mine, I overlooked the bias that my road to [...]
Psychology – Who is The Fairest of Them All?
In a world of 6 billion people, there are an infinite number of ways to be different, to stand out from the crowd, to pave your own path. And yet many of us struggle with balancing the need to fit in with the need to be unique. Our sense of self is not always just [...]
Nutrition – The Best Lessons Come From Watching Others
I spend my days working for a nutrition program for adults living with HIV and AIDS. Last winter we were approached by Jin, a health counselor and personal chef who wanted to volunteer his time teaching our clients about macrobiotic cooking and nutrition. Rather than a diet or regimented eating plan, macrobiotics is a nutritional [...]
Education – Emphasizing Assets to Overcome Deficits
In my career as a Literacy Coach, Intervention Specialist and a Classroom Teacher, I have had many opportunities to teach in a variety of classrooms where I would often start my lessons by saying, “raise your hand if you believe that you are on your way to College.” I was always amazed at the responses. [...]
