Showing posts with label stereotypes. Show all posts
Does Culture Affect School Performance?
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| Photo Credits: Ryan Mcguire |
At school, when Asian kids get an “A” in a math test,
other classmates explain it as: “because they’re Asian.” I think it has nothing
to do with races. Just because they are Asian, it doesn’t mean that they don’t
work hard to get good grades. Getting good grades rely heavily on the hard
work. They work hard so they deserve higher grades.
But you don’t have to be a “stereotype” to do well in
school. Different people value education differently. They have
different studying philosophies, each with its own advantage and disadvantage. Most people
in Asia think that more homework means more practices, which leads to better
grades. But students will be stressed from heavy work load. They don’t get
any practical work. So it will be hard for them to get a job in the future. On
the other hand, people in Western Countries prefer more extracurricular
activities outside of school. So students can have time to explore their possible career options and just enjoy their free time. The disadvantage is that students in Western
Country grew up in a friendly environment, so they are not as disciplined as
the Asian Students. Some students don’t take studying seriously. In conclusion,
it’s important to learn from each other.
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| Photo Credits: Ryan Mcguire |
One disadvantage of being a stereotypical Asian kid is
that you are pressured from parents and relatives. It’s really common to see
parents comparing their children with the other parents. Even when you are
young, they will ask you to plan your future. Parents expect their kids to be a
doctor, an engineer, etc. I think it’s really unnecessary. Kids should have
their freedom of perusing what they love. So when talking about stereotypical youth immigrants, you have to think about their stereotypical parents as well.
People tend to think of
stereotypical youth immigrants as well-disciplined and hard working. And I think
that is a good thing. By having those good habits, we can succeed in school and
have a bright future.
Make Yourself
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| Source: Rob Hogeslag |
On July 2013, My family and I went to a road tip to Edmonton. The halfway city and a usual pit stop is a town called Jasper, an old city where many tourists stop by to gas up, have a quick break, or use the washroom. In my family's case, we had to do the last one. So when my dad parked the van, I got out and ran to the closest washroom. When I entered the men's room, I saw a Caucasian man with his 5 year old daughter with him. Of course I didn't care much about the girl because she was only a kid and her dad was with her anyway. So I proceeded to continue to a stall to let all the water in me out. On my way there, I overheard the dad say to her daughter, "don't mind him; he's here to clean the washroom." That got me so mad, I almost said things I would have said if there weren't a kid in the room. So I let it go, gave him a smug smile, and kept my rage to myself.
Trying to Solve the Problems of Stereotypes
According to the Oxford Dictionary, stereotypes is a "widely held but fixed and oversimplified
image or idea of a particular type of person or thing".
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| Photo Credits: Matthew Wiebe |
And yet, people have been trying to get rid
of stereotypes for the better part of a decade. Why? Because stereotypes limit
us. Stereotypes can be something that ties people together, yet also cages us.
It is easy to let who we are determine what we like, instead of the other way
around. And the obvious answer: set yourself free. Don’t let stereotypes trap
you. Don’t be boggled down with what others expect of you, want from you, and
see you as.
If only it were that easy.
If only it were that easy.
Stereotypes still exist only because we want
and we feel the need to “fit in”. We can be the personality clones, wearing
different faces, inside our little cliques. Or we could all be radical
individuals, lonely yet special. But honestly, neither of those sounds very
appealing. So we want both, or to be somewhere in the middle. But how? How do
we conform to a group, yet still retain that vital individuality?
I don’t know.
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| Photo Credits: Viktor Hanacek |
A stereotype is identifying a person/group by
one of their aspect. So let’s flip the board around. If it was not the
projection that had the problem, then perhaps it’s the projector itself we have
to focus on.
If we stop recognizing and categorizing
people based on race, gender….then we really wouldn’t have the whole stereotype
problem. Yes, stereotypes exist. But as long as we, ourselves, remember that
everyone (yes everyone) is more than just what you see of them, then we would
have a much easier time actually getting to know each other.
By understanding that we are actually all
different people, with different likes, dislikes, ideals…then slowly
stereotypes are broken. You discover the Asian raps, the jock is into science.
The world turns from being well….stereotypical…to a 3-D, exciting, living
place.
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| Photo Credits: Lee Scott |
Perhaps by now you would think I’ve gone on
and on without really giving a solution. But really, if there was such an easy
way out, why would there still be a problem? So cliques and stereotypes are a
process. If we see a direction, we head towards it. We take two steps forwards
and one step back. Perhaps there never will be a solution. Perhaps between here
and there, the struggles we face, that’s what makes life worth living. And who
knows, maybe at the end, the world will be a much prettier place.
- Selena
