Reflection #5 EDF 1005

Rites of passage are phases people in a society go through in order to advance into the next stage of their lives. They can be experienced gradually and without exuding much excitement, but some cultures patiently step this ratification. This experience varies from culture to culture; Hispanics grandly celebrate girl’s turning fifteen, Baptism among Christians, and Bat Mitzvah at the age of 13 in the Jewish community.

As a Teacher one must stand in a classroom made up of a diverse group of students from different cultures, beliefs and values. The ability to embrace their different views will come in handy so that the teaching environment won’t be affected greatly. It is important to know how to approach the unfamiliar customs of a student because it might affect the acceptance of other kids in the class. Children tend to be judging, I can tell from personal experience that they normally won’t approach a fellow student who doesn’t look or talk the same way they do. Imagine being in a class and receiving a new student who is wearing all white and colorful necklaces. This is part of a religion called Santeria, where the devotee must dress in all white during a period of time; it’s mostly practiced in West Africa and the Caribbean. With no previous knowledge of why the kid is dressed like that, a teacher must overlook the physical appearance and welcome the beliefs of another culture. If the teacher is accepting and shows the class how to embrace the values of other people it will influence students to learn and practice the same principles. Learning about rites of passage provides great understanding for teachers and gives them knowledge about the values of other cultures. No matter how awkward or weird someone’s customs might be embracing all that is different helps someone become tolerant. Children are not born with the notion of discrimination but it is later inculcate by the adults around because they don’t understand that everyone is different. I consider myself to be very understanding of the beliefs and values of other but I couldn’t help to find it weird the kinds of passages some cultures go through, as expressed in the reading of the Sambia. Reading about the ritual of those individuals teaches one to expect the unexpected, we might never encounter someone from their tribes but it is essential to have an open mind and to know that the things described in the article do occur. Just because their practices seem weird to me it doesn’t mean that they are wrong.