The article speaks about how adults stereotype teens and believe that the youth should not be leaders, they do not have the capability. The way the author described how past teens were treated reminded me as a caged animal. That is such a horrific perspective to view teens but that was the reality of the past. Do I believe in certain ways that teens are still being treated this way? My answer would be yes, it could be from a caretaker or even an educator. Young people have the power to speak up and become leaders. There is a statement that I agree with the author, “Youth development is not in stages: it is culturally and socially defined by the surroundings and experience of each young adult. Facilitating youth to become socially aware and ethical leaders requires a deep read of the lived world of each young man or woman.” (p.273, Steinberg). We as educators must adapt to the young people’s environment and become role models
The YouTube video speaks about adultification bias. Young black girls were viewed differently compared to their white classmates, the video starts by saying “black girls are seen less innocent and more adult like than their white peers.” They give different examples and share stories on how young black girls are viewed.
Between the article and the video the three stereotypes that are mentioned are racial profiling, group of individuals and culture. These three stereotypes are impacted by race, class, gender and sexuality.
Race: In the video young black girls were viewed differently compared to their white classmates, the video starts by saying “black girls are seen less innocent and more adult like than their white peers.” Also one girl shares her story on how the nurse asked her aunt if she was socially active but did not ask her white friend.
Class: In the article they inform on how if a young person is from a low income area they are most likely to be in gangs or a minority,sexually active and doing illegal activities.
Gender: if you are a male you are dominant and a female is viewed as weak and
Sexuality: if you identify yourself as part if the LGBTQ+ community you are group of individual
Growing up as a young person I viewed the world as an ocean, I was this tiny fish trying to fit in and find the right ‘school’ or in other terms the right clique to be in. I believed that finding the right group is what defines yourself as a person and a student. I remember in high school you could clearly differentiate each group. I did fit in any of the groups such as the Spanish clique, the cheerleaders clique and the upperclassmen clique. I always felt cautious around my teachers with who I was seen talking or sitting with because of the reputation. Being in an all white school stereotypes was huge. The cheerleaders were viewed as clueless and careless and the upperclassmen were seen as dropouts and or rebels. The Spanish clique were seen loud, annoying, wild, drinking, doing drug, having sex and or viewed as an adult. In my case I felt that I was viewed as the Adult Spanish cheerleader,the girl that did not need protection, did not need second chances, viewed as an adult and sexually active. A little background of myself: I stayed back in the first grade because of the language barrier and I started school late because of my birth date so by the time I was a junior in high school I was 18 years old. I always talk about my experience with my guidance counselor. A guidance counselor should be a person that brings you comfort and makes you feel hopeful for the future education wise. In my case my guidance counselor was the opposite. When I would go into her office I never felt that I could be a successful student. I remember when she said that she was proud of me for completing high school because there's always a high percentage of minorities dropping out, she also said that I wasn't going to get into a good college.
Hi Milary,
ReplyDeleteI like how you compare your own experience of being insulted as a young learner to high school along with adultification bias. In ways, you also show how stereotyping can be offensive. You show how Youth have good experience and should become leaders. You compare yourself as a Latina with a Black-American student from the video. The video was showing how Most Black girls end up getting into trouble more times than white girls and were less likely to succeed. You mention "Staying back in first grade for having different language barrier and by the time of you finished high school your guidance counselor told you something negative" as a way for you to feel oppressed and you felt as if you were someone being left behind. Even in society today, we must view every young learner as a brave/smart student and hold high potentials for them by showing them they can succeed and not feel bad for being different to other people. Their is experience they might have which no one else does, which might make you that person, which would be being someone speaking a different language at home and have strategies that I may not have. You are also right about "Youth Development is not a stage". What it really is a support guide for youth or young learners to feel ready for their futures and have opportunities to work with people of all different diversities/backgrounds and become better in their own society.
I also wanted to add where it says "There is experience they might have which no one else does". There are skills you have which I would consider to be awesome and when being in a setting as the only Hispanic/Latino student, it can be challenging to work with people with different assets, but you can be yourself and stand up for yourself by showing people who you are and why you are here with a lot of great experience being someone that no one else is. I also agree with you that "We as educators must adapt to the young people's environments and become role models". We want to be there to support them and help them solve their issues when they are experiencing anything that has to do with stereotypes or being the minority in a certain setting.
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree with you that stereotyping starts with adults and that children learn that behavior from their parents or adults they are around. Children are not born with the knowledge to stereotype other people, which is why this behavior must be taught by adults.
ReplyDeletePowerful post, Milary. Thanks for sharing!!
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