Read the article Transformation: Awareness and Consciousness. React to this essay.

First, I’d like to commend you Prof. McNair on an essay well written. I found this article one of the most enlightening and entertaining, so much so, that I took the time to share this essay, or parts of it, with my family. I particularly enjoyed the physics aspect of it all in the quanta segment. Second, there were a lot of interesting takes on the definition of awareness and consciousness. In the awareness section of the essay I found myself relating to Zetty’s definition of awareness. There have been a few times in my life where I have encountered that timeless and euphoric feeling. The feeling that everything in the universe is as it should be, “absolutely complete and perfect.” But for me it’s always fleeting. I stumble upon this epiphany, and as soon as I can make sense of it, once again I’m left in a little pit of unease and filled with even more questions than before. What I want to know is how can I keep that feeling with me longer, if not for the rest of my life? With me, it occurs in the most random of times. I may be riding the bus and looking out the window watching the world as it goes by. And suddenly I am filled with an unmistakable sense of peace and euphoria. Somehow, in my mind I know that where I am is where I’m supposed to be, along with everyone else on the planet. The feeling is one of a cosmic connection to everything. This brings me to Chopra’s vision of being one with the environment. We mistake space and boundaries for the beginning and ending of things. But Chopra doesn’t believe that is the case at all. For even when we are sitting outside, alone, and seemingly isolated when we breathe in, we are breathing in atoms that were once exhaled by someone or something else. We are connected to our environment and to each other on a molecular level, and we can’t even see it. The section on consciousness was also very informative. I hadn’t realized there were so many levels of consciousness. I did however know that awareness and consciousness were two very different terms, barer of two completely different meanings. Consciousness is more of a quality of the mind or a mental state. With this notion I agree. To explain the conscious state of mind Wilson’s eight levels of consciousness were discussed. One segment of the essay that had me seeing ZZZs. But not because of my lack of interest on the subject, instead because of the topic of sleep that was being discussed. I figured to grasp the concept more readily I’d do a little research of my own on REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.

How does the way your parents socialized you to understand your social class differ from the way the popular media does?

How about your understanding of your gender? How about your understanding of sexual relations?

According to the popular media, I am considered to be a middle class citizen. I live in an okay neighborhood close to a few public schools, a shopping center, and notable bus stops with actual benches to sit on and all. My income barely lasts me the week and if I weren’t living with my mother and sister would probably be living in poverty. Thankfully, my mother makes enough to take care of all of us. If we (my sister and I) weren’t around she’d probably be living it up in high class. To my mother, if she ever reads this: Thanks for not kicking us out of the nest! Social class is mainly based on total net worth in the popular media. Total net worth is pretty much what you are worth, monetarily speaking. If your credit is bad, if you live paycheck-to-paycheck, if you don’t own property you are considered to be a part of the lower or middle class, depending on the severity of your situation. But even though we aren’t at our optimum financial state, I never felt like I was missing out on anything. My family taught me true worth doesn’t lie in what you have, but instead in what you can give. If at any one point in your life you are able to give freely without wondering how it will affect you, then you can rest assure that you have all you need, no more no less. That is how my parents socialized me to understand my social class. If you ask me, I’m wealthier than most and almost always willing to give. I come from a Hispanic family. Hispanics are very strict when it comes to gender roles. When I was growing up, my father would jokingly suggest that my job as his daughter was to do laundry and specifically to wash his socks. I never did, and didn’t really understand why he couldn’t just do it himself. But as I take a look back, I realize that to some extent he did expect me to take the socks from him and to wash them. As a female of the household I was expected to learn these menial tasks. I never was much for domestic chores. Although, as I grew older these expectations made more sense when explained this way: Diana, you should learn to do laundry, cook, and clean properly if you hope to live on your own comfortably. You don’t want to depend on any one to do those things for you, whether it’s your boyfriend or a housekeeper. That gave much more meaning to household chores. The media’s take on gender roles has changed much since women began fighting for their rights, although there are times I wonder if that’s even true. I have a few sexist pigs as friends (males obviously) that there are times I want to clobber. Sexuality was always discussed openly amongst my family. Before my sister arrived I was given a book to read that explained “Where Did I Come From,” which is also the title of the book. After I read it my parents answered any questions I may have had. I have always been an objective observer of sexuality. I am most intrigued by it, but not on a lustful level. Sexuality, although uncomfortable for most, is not a topic to be ashamed of or to be considered taboo. And that is how my parents raised me to believe, although, my father was a little hesitant when speaking of such subjects with me. One thing I noticed, however, is that I was much more tolerant of sexual lifestyles other than my own, me being a heterosexual. I remember one heated discussion with my father when I told him I believed that everyone should be able to express without fear or remorse whom they loved be it opposite or same sex. The media however has exploited sex into a phrase very popular now, “sex sells.” Issues on sexual relations are everywhere, which star has a new porn video out, which two actors are sleeping together, even television programming has gotten quite steamy. I was taught sexual relations are intimate and should only be shared with the one whom you are being intimate with. I owe both my parents a million thanks for raising me the way they did, a balanced, open-minded individual. Through their lessons, and their mistakes, I have learned to be a better person.

Reflecting on Asili the Journal Blogspot: Raindrops, True Love, A Casual Look, Jamesetta on My Mind, and The Blues Had a Baby

Raindrops
One of my favorite pieces out of the five read. It’s short, simple, and sincere. The piece deals with gender roles in this society, and more specifically man grief. An ailment many men suffer from, but must not speak about. In this piece, man grief is expressed as an act of natural disaster, something Mother Nature concocted to keep men from loosing face. Men don’t cry, but instead water the earth with the raindrops that fall from their eyes. A phrase made popular by Dee Clark’s song Raindrops. A song I am very fond of. In the song, Dee Clark sings that a man isn’t supposed to cry, a belief that many hold true throughout all types of cultural backgrounds. So what’s falling from his eyes aren’t tears, but instead raindrops. The piece supports this idea by comparing the intensity of the emotions a man feels to the act of a natural disaster, like a flood. A flood created by the “unceasing torrent of raindrops falling from” his eyes, a flood so powerful that if caught in the down pour you run the risk of drowning in it. A powerful piece, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the music playing in the background.

True Love
An interesting piece and one I agree with. There is no love in a doo-wop song. There is only the remnant of an emotion once felt. When you first listen to a doo-wop song, or any song for that matter, that deals with the topic of love you must take into consideration (which many don’t) that the song is one filled with biased opinions and ideas of what constitutes love for them, the artist. An impressionable youth will take in all that the song has to offer, and convert it into a lens that will forever taint the way they see the world around them, especially, if they don’t have any one to turn to for clarification. This piece touches upon the topic of paradigms and frames, and how we see and interpret the world around us. What someone may consider to be true love, another may consider it to be an obsession. How many women stay in long term relationships with men that abuse them, all in the name of true love? Believing with every blow that grazes her cheek that this must be true love; that he acts this way because he really loves her; that it’s just the way he shows her that he cares. Songs just offer one glimpse, out of the many, on what true love is all about. And although we can find some comfort in their words, we should not let ourselves rely solely on their take of love.

A Casual Look
A concept I understand now, with age. But something I had no interest in as an adolescent. A Casual Look is a piece I can relate to now, having partaken in it and witnessed it amongst others. An act so simple, but bearing so much more than a causality to it. As adolescents we don’t realize the weight in our gaze. It is much more than a look. It offers a frank look into the eyes of someone who adores you, who pleas with you, who can see a future with you. I have come to realize that there is no such thing as a causal look, unless it’s a quick gaze into the face of someone you couldn’t help look at, whether it was there good looks that attracted you to them or not. A casual look amongst interested parties loses all casual feel to it. Like when you are across the room, and feel an odd sensation, a sort of tension running through your body, and when you look into the direction of that feeling you realize someone casually looking in your direction. There is nothing left to do but look back, and through that look express what it is that you are feeling. Discomfort will make you shift in your seat, and probably move. Interest will open you up, and make you turn to face your suitor, like a flower turning to face the sun, open, ready, and willing. Where this look will take you only time will tell. But only children start off with an innocent gaze. As we age, so does our gaze, and when a casual look is exchanged, well, like the song says “it can reveal just what you think.”

Jamesetta on My Mind
Wow. Definitely my second favorite out of the five read. At first this piece gives way to the feel that it was written primarily for and about Jamesetta (a wonderful singer and one I am looking forward to listening to again). Starting with feelings the author felt for the singer. Ah, to be young and infatuated. To learn of love through harmonious melodies from a voice that could melt the coldest of hearts. I remember being young and infatuated once. The feeling is sweet and indescribable, to feel a connection to this person without being connected in any way. That is why women read romance novels, and why ballads will never go out of style. These stories and songs create with their words an almost attainable future. To find true love at last, to see that happy endings do come true, that is the true allure of love. That is why we throw care to the wind time and time again, and why we never quite understand how something that started so sweet can turn so bitter. We let ourselves be swept up into their words and let their vision of love keep us in an enamored state, never once thinking realistically for a moment if this will work out. And then when it comes to an end, how can everything we read in books and heard on the radio about love be wrong? Did these creators of a perfect love lie to us? Or was it just an error on their behalf, they are human after all. When the love dies who is there to pick up the pieces? The stories and songs don’t explain that part of a relationship. Instead they move on, and create another picturesque look on love. All the while hooking us again to believe in the true power of love, a vicious cycle, and one that is necessary. For devoid of it I don’t think any one of us could move on without the ebb and flow of a rhythmic dose of hope and self-forgiveness.

The Blues Had a Baby
Read like a prose. I enjoyed it and the music very much, but with a title like The Blues Had a Baby that is just to be expected. Reading about the author’s own experience in love and growing up, made me realize how truly inexperienced I am. Most adolescents go through that phase, some at a much younger age and late bloomers soon after. But around that age I couldn’t even fathom such emotions. Growing up, I was always very blah about love, boys, and romance. I only ever had time for school, friends, and family. I figured it was a waste of time to be in a relationship at such a young age with no prospect of marriage. I always had one reason or another to push aside budding romances, and never really knew how to deal with someone when a situation would arise. I now realize that I had it all wrong. Being in a relationship with someone, especially at such a young age, isn’t necessarily just about love or romance. We are taking what we see and applying it with someone we cherish (even if it’s just at that moment). It is a wonderful way to learn life lessons not available through helpful words of advice, or taught at school, or even written in self-help books. Moments like those experienced during the first kiss are invaluable to the growth of each individual, like its own rite of passage. And one I unfortunately never traversed. Benched, like a player whom no one really believes can make the play, I now sit on the sidelines waiting for someone to call me into the game once again. To believe in me to make the winning play, but who am I waiting for? The man of my dreams, my future husband, or a guy who is willing to play the game right alongside me, cheering me on and believing in me to play the game fairly, honest, and with a little sportsmanship. Now, I really do wish I was a little more interested in boys while growing up.

Why are rites of passages important? What is the relationship of rites of passage to formal education?

Discuss Facing Mt Kenya, Sitting Quietly and the Sambia.

The rites of passage are an important marker in one’s life. Rites of passages are important because they usher in the new chapter in a person’s life. Mind you, no matter what, the person will always hit these markers in their life, from childhood to adulthood, from single to married, from conception to birth. These defining moments in person’s life will occur with or without the aid of these rites. But these ceremonies and rituals offer so much more than a celebration of the ever changing human life, it offers a time to learn and bond with those that have already traversed the threshold of a new beginning. That is what makes these rites of passage so important, at least in the articles that I read. This marker, going from childhood to adulthood, in a young person’s life isn’t being experienced alone. The youth isn’t isolated and left to grow up all by themselves. Instead their experience is shared with others like them that are going through the same changes, with others who have already undergone these changes, with family and friends and even neighbors. Their experiences are being shared with by the entire village, creating a strong bond between them (the initiates) and the community itself. In Facing Mt Kenya the biggest topic and hot button issue was the clitoridectomy. Clitoridectomy is the circumcision of a female. Now, I do not know all the details of a clitoridectomy. I don’t know if it has any detrimental lifelong effects (other than the difficulties that arise if the wound isn’t properly taken care of - mentioned in the article). But I do know that both the girls and boys from the Gikuyu tribe are circumcised. This custom is known as irua. This rite of passage is done to symbolize the youths’ movement from childhood to adulthood. I have read this article before and knew exactly what to expect. I stand firmly by my reactions of the first time I read the article. It is their custom, their belief, their religion. To ask them to stop this ceremony is to ask them to push aside all their belief systems and to render their way of living and their history obsolete. I understand the initiation of these girls is a little unnerving, but I am also aware of other tribes that have a much worse ritual of initiation; it can almost be considered torture. Those tribes are the ones whom the missionaries should first address with their concerns. Some methods used are crude and unseemly, such as the sewing of the vaginal lips together till the young woman is ready for marriage. Talk about a permanent chastity belt. In Sitting Quietly, the boys undergo the rites of passage separately from the girls. The boys attend a more formal institution for learning called the Poro Bush School. Now, the details of what occur in the school are shrouded in mystery because once they are done with their education there they are not allowed to speak of the going-ons in the Bush School. They are kept there for four years and are only visited by other males of the Kpelle tribe. It is a world of men, and the only woman to have access to this world is the head of the women’s Sande Society, a woman in the article named Noai. In this school the boys will learn to be men and will be trained by the men of the Kpelle tribe. They will learn the duties that must be carried out as an adult and how to relate to the opposite sex. The people of the article The Sambia have a similar approach in their rites of passage. They separate the boys from the girls. The boys are taken to a men’s house in the village and are kept there for about 10 years. This is where the boys will learn of the ritual secrets of the Sambian culture. One of these rituals is the filling of the male tingu, which is believed to be shriveled and dry from birth. The tingu is an internal organ that secretes sexual substance. For us, the scientifically savvy if not at least a little knowledgeable in anatomy, know that what they are talking about is the production of sperm and semen in the testes. But why would they think the tingu is shriveled and dry? And how do they make this assessment? Now, what the Sambia men do to rectify this ailment is a little unsettling. The boys, at first, are practically forced into fellatio relations with other older boys. For those not familiar with the term fellatio, it means oral stimulation of the penis. The Sambian culture believes that if the boys drink from the semen of older Sambia males that their tingu will fill and swell to the appropriate size needed to be considered a true man, and one that will bring forth an offspring. The Sambia are all about sexual reproduction. The effects of this rite of passage have been somewhat alarming and not at all what one would expect. The boys are brought up homosexually once they leave the homes of their mothers. Go through a period of bisexuality as young men, taking a wife and keeping a young boy on the side for fun. And finally come into heterosexuality as older men, only having relations with their wives. This custom is accepted by all and the males of this tribe move compliantly through the stages till they are left to live out their lives as a heterosexual. The relationship between the rites of passage and formal education lies in the purpose of both. During the rites of passage vital information, knowledge, and beliefs are being passed to the next generation. They are being prepared for the big changes their life will undergo. Formal education offers the same thing, preparation, but preparation for what? The American culture is all over the place. No matter how much we would like to be seen as one nation under God, the fact is that there are too many little discrepancies that tear the fabric of this nation. What we hoped to achieve with formal education in the United States was to offer a common base of knowledge to all. And by golly we’re trying. But with so many immigrants coming into this country, it’s getting increasingly more difficult to create a common base of knowledge. Official documents now come in three or four languages, communities are becoming more multicultural, and lifestyles are changing radically. For these small tribes, it is easy to teach the new generation of who they are, where they come from, and where they will go. But in a place pieced together from all sorts of cultural fabrics, how do we know what one specific tradition, custom, or ritual to instill in our future generations?

What new insights have you gained about culture and intercultural competence?

The essay Culture: What It Is had much information to impart, but maybe too much. It took me quite a few hours to get through the entire essay. Not because I couldn’t understand it, but instead because I had to find other ways to keep myself entertained (and awake) while I read it. But when I finally got through it I was more than pleased, I was enlightened. The essay expresses much more information on culture than I have ever been exposed to. Like multiple definitions of the word culture and the different time periods in which it emerged, a closer look at the properties that define culture, and even the positive and negative effects of cultural changes. I learned that it is going to take a lot more than a sweet face and soothing gestures to be able to communicate with others not a part of my own culture. There are a lot of different cultural aspects to take into consideration when trying to communicate with someone. I am definitely willing to become more inter-culturally competent. In Transformation: Creating Context, Part 2, a much more concise essay of intercultural acceptance and communication, I was able to see how truly unprepared I am to handle diversity. Well, maybe not unprepared, but I do need a little more work in this area of my life. I enjoyed this essay slightly more; it shared many anecdotes of cultural differences and made me think how I would have reacted if faced with the same situation. Before reading this article, I believed all I needed was to be open and attentive, and my good intentions would take me the rest of the way. But, no, that just will not do. I need to become even more culturally aware, maybe even undergo a little diversity training. Even with all my good intentions, if I so much as make an incorrect hand gesture I am liable to insult rather than to welcome. And since there are so many different cultures, especially here in the United States, one has to take into consideration that several characteristics that may be normal to you, might be completely abnormal to someone who doesn’t share your same cultural views. When communicating we have to be fully aware of our appearance, of our body movements, of our facial expressions, of our eye contact, and many other little things that we would never have taken notice of when communicating with a loved one or a friend. Unfortunately, not everyone is as open minded as I am about the cultures of others. Some decided that these differences are a reason for hatred and violence. I know these feelings spawn from the fact that we fear those things we do not understand, but I think it’s time we moved out of our comfort zone and into the world to greet our neighbors. Maybe, we should all enroll in diversity training.

How would you have liked to be one of the "Little Rock Nine?"

How do you think you would have reacted to the fact that you needed armed guards to enter school? How would you have reacted to the shouts and slurs of those on the streets who didn't want to see you in that building?

The courage the “Little Rock Nine” students displayed is unfathomable. I don’t think I would have had that type of courage. If, for whatever reason, I was found in their shoes I wouldn’t have liked to be a part of that courageous group of students. I am a very passive person, and will at all cost remain in a passive environment. The hostility those students must have faced, and for an entire school year, is not something I would have willingly put myself through. It is obvious they believed in the cause they were standing up for. But for goodness sake they had to be escorted by armed guards! That is no environment for a student, let alone an adolescent. Going to school for these students was more like an act of war, than just going somewhere to learn the ABCs of life. If I had to be escorted by armed guards my initial reaction would be, “Did I do something wrong?” Why am I being treated as if I am the one who is going to commit a crime? I imagine that this is the way a criminal must feel when being escorted to prison. My second reaction would be one undoubtedly of fear and unease. I am just another student looking to get an education, why would anyone want to cause me harm? I am being escorted, not because of what I might do to others, but instead because of what the others might do to me. I couldn’t function well in such a negative environment. I don’t tend to overstay my welcome where I’m not welcomed. I wasn’t really picked on in school, but when someone dared to challenge my good nature and laid back persona, I didn’t just sit there and take it. Like I said I will protect my passive environment at all cost, even if that cost can get me suspended. I wasn’t much of a fighter in high school, so I can’t say that I would have even given this option a second glance. Why choose to go to school in a place where it’s obvious no one wants you, when you can attend a school where you will be welcomed and accepted. And as far as the behavior of those people against the “Little Rock Nine” well, there are very few things that bother me. I am a very reasonable, grounded person. But one thing I will not tolerate is disrespect and offensive behavior from anyone. I don’t treat anyone like that, so no one has the right to treat me in that manner. Whether I would have lashed out or turned the other cheek, I’m not completely sure about. If pushed too hard, or cornered, well then there is only one thing left to say “live, and let live.”

What experiences have you had that might lead you to say that you are well-prepared for diversity? In what areas do you feel well-prepared?

Well, in the classroom I have very little, if any experience, with diversity. The class I volunteered with had an array of students all with very different backgrounds. But the maximum exposure I got with them was barely 15 hours. Now, that isn’t to say that I don’t believe I am well-prepared for diversity. On the contrary, I feel quite at ease when dealing with cultural diversity. See, currently I work for a bookstore in which we have clients come in from all over the world. Our location is optimal for coming in contact with many people from all walks of life. From South America, to Africa, to Europe, and occasionally Asia, dealing with cultural diversity is something I am faced with when I show up for work every day. I feel that I am well-prepared for diversity because I have learned to offer the best customer service possible when dealing with natives, non-natives, visitors from other countries, and even the disabled. Every day I work I come across someone whose background is severely different from mine. I make sure always to stay open-minded and respectful when dealing with cultural diversity. All cultures have their own set of norms, but there are unwritten rules that the human race abides by that transcend culture. If I come across a customer that does not speak English, but speaks Spanish instead, then I offer them customer service in Spanish. It really helps to be bilingual. If they speak another language I am not familiar with then I go slower to see if I can understand them, and they I. Sometimes, I am even able to find them someone who can speak their language. It’s all about establishing clear communication and being on the same page. And that is what I hope to bring to my class. Communication is very important, especially when we are all so diverse. I feel that communication is the area I am most well-prepared for, because I do it practically on a daily basis. Although, communication will obviously be different for everyone because of our backgrounds, that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. We are all capable of understanding one another, even if we don’t speak the same language, if we just take the time to truly listen and observe the other person communicating their message a mutual understanding will arise. The spoken word didn’t always exist. One can communicate volumes just by their body language. Remember the old adage “actions speak louder than words.”

What are paradigms? What is a paradigm shift? Have you had one? Why is it important for teachers to experience paradigm change?

A paradigm is the “lens” through which you view the world. They are like invisible glasses. Everything that you see through them is tainted with your beliefs, ideals, and experiences. Paradigms let you see the world as only you would be able to, representing your reality in a way that is understood by you. A paradigm shift arises when a person is no longer happy with or has changed the way they see themselves, others, or situations. During a paradigm shift you are taking your old lenses, or invisible glasses, and having the prescription changed. You no longer see the world through that paradigm, and decide it is time for a fresh look. You are shifting the way you see the world, and creating another lens in which to look through that better fulfills your needs. Fortunately, I can truly appreciate the assigned reading because I am currently going through a paradigm shift myself. I wasn’t necessarily unhappy with my life, but I grew restless with my existence. There are so many things I pictured for myself and began to think, “What am I waiting for?” I came to the understanding that all of my dreams weren’t going to magically happen, that if there is something I wanted I would need to go out there and get it. I want to create a healthier, more positive self image, I want to be financially stable, and I want to live a more creative life. I want all those things and more. Does that make me greedy? No, because I know that to achieve all of those things it is going to take me a lot of time and dedication. But that is a reasonable price to pay when learning to live the life I have always wanted to lead. When reading the portion on the personal paradigm shift, I was fully aware of what was being discussed. I saw myself in those passages. This strengthened the belief I have in myself to change, and made it all the more clear that this change will happen for me. As a teacher, this paradigm change is very important because you need to be able to see the broader scope of things, even if that means changing your own lenses every once in a while. And through your own ability of being able to see the big picture, students, especially the young ones, will want to share in your vision of the world. Students, I believe, go through the most paradigm shifts of all the people that make up this world. Every day they learn something new that adds or changes the way they see the world. As a teacher, we must understand the way their paradigms function. Knowing how our students envision the world is an extremely important skill to have. Being able to understand what they see can help us better understand how to teach them.

Read “Transformation: A Beginning” and “Transformation: Creating Context, Part 1.” React to the two articles.

Well, obviously, both articles have the same header, making them part of the same topic, Transformation. In the first article, A Beginning, we are introduced to the terminology transformation. I never realized how many other terms fall into the same category, like renovation, alteration, and even revolution. Transformations are a part of life like I wasn’t aware of; at least I wasn’t really aware of it on a cognitive level. To make the topic even more concrete the life of a butterfly is introduced into the essay, a great and magnificent homage to the term transformation itself. The caterpillar isolates itself in a chrysalis, only to emerge from it weeks later as a completely different entity. It’s funny that an article like this would be assigned for me to read, like an unspoken prayer being answered. Recently, I have been looking to do something with my life, to reinvent myself completely. Last week, I made the conscious decision to become an educator and to specialize in art education. But I don’t just want to teach art, I want to live art. I am at a point in my life where I need to undergo some personal transformations of my own. In my mind’s eye I am far from where I need to be, physically, intellectually, and artistically. I am ready to leave my caterpillar state and to emerge from my chrysalis a glorious butterfly. Unfortunately, I can’t just drop everything I’m doing to cocoon myself in my room while I undergo changes, maybe not as severe as liquefaction, but something just as messy. For change may not always be easy, but it is most necessary, how else do you think we got to where we are now? In the second article, Creating Context Part 1, it continues with the topic of transformation and goes specifically into reinventing ourselves. Self esteem, a somewhat sensitive topic for some, is addressed in the article. How we see ourselves is much more important than how others see us. No amount of flattery can ever undo a negative self concept that has been engraved into our very being. As educators, especially of young impressionable children, we must strive to create a constructive atmosphere, one that will encourage positive self concepts. Because when the students are confidant and secure within themselves, the capacity to accept and embrace differences among other students is made all the more easier. And then my brain made the connection. From the first article, I read the story of a homophobic man. He underwent a transformation as well, and may now be a better person for it. But to change he had to look into himself for the answer of why he was homophobic and against homosexuality all together. It took time, patience, and effort, but he came to terms with all of it, including himself. He came to accept and tolerate people with a lifestyle much different than his own. Finding that he could be respectful and compassionate towards homosexuals, because in the end we all share one very important trait, we are all people. The classroom is the best place for a student to learn acceptance, tolerance, and compassion. From the very beginning they will be exposed to students and teachers from all walks of life. It is our job, as educators, to make these interactions positive ones, because not only do we teach them their ABCs, but we also teach them how to interact with others. A little something educators often forget, but still manage to pass on.