Impossible to Escape

It is impossible to completely do away with biases and perspectives. Everyone who writes, creates, records, etc, comes from a specific point of view with all the baggage of presuppositions and bias. This is why I desire to create a classroom that is aimed towards thinking critically. I want my students to KNOW that biases exist and I want them to be able to think for themselves and make their own decisions and come up with their own opinions. If I am forced to use a text book that only comes from a white man's perspective, I'll use it as a guide for discussion. I can use it to ask questions such as "Where is this point of view coming from?" "Whose story are you not hearing about?" "Can you think of any other perspectives?" It is impossible to have the perfect text book that pleases every student, every parent, every principal. This is why you guide your students in engaging with the text critically; teaching them to have their own minds and opinions. Thankfully, there is an abundance of resources for children to use online. The text book is not their only source of information.

In regards to students with disabilities and ESL students, they can be an aid to the classroom in discussing points of views and biases. Ask them for their point of view on topics. Ask an ESL student to share how an American text book makes them feel, as someone who is not native to America. Students with disabilities are capable of also engaging with the text critically and offering their own unique perspective to a situation. Text books will never be the only source in my classroom for information, so even students who have disabilities in reading can still learn through other resources, such as recordings/videos. By including ALL students in the classroom, it teaches  the class the importance of diversity and recognizing that there are multiple points of view on all topics. It also creates a classroom that represents diversity and tolerance, because the classroom is actually diverse and must learn to be tolerant and accepting of one another.