Overcoming Bias

Describe how and why you believe you are at this stage in the continuum. I believe I am at the acceptance stage because I appreciate cultures and diversity. Even though my family is predominantly white Americans we have some ancestry diversity I have mentioned in the past including Cherokee and Judaism lineage. I do not like to associate myself with the Europeans who stole land and slaughtered the natives Americans, as well as the Jews. I do not believe one race is superior to others and we will only succeed when we work together. I am very accepting of different ethnicities/cultures. Being a Messianic Jew the orthodox Jew would probably find me insulting or offensive, but I have been able to collide both beliefs. Also I may not believe the same as someone who is Islamic but I accept and understand them just as I would hope they do with me.

What are some things you might do to enhance your intercultural competence? Study and learn more about different cultures, and understand there is not one dominant race, culture, etc. Overcoming ethnocentrism and be willing to adapt. However this is easier said than done I believe it takes years of immersing yourself in a culture to fully be educated enough to communicate effectively.

What are somethings you can do as a teacher to help develop the intercultural competence of your students? First the teacher should learn the students own cultures very well, then you can see what cultures are represented. Possibly make the class room an area where the students can feel at home, maybe post different language signs, the flags represented, that way the students can be constantly exposed to the different cultures and not be shocked by it when they see it outside school. It starts in the young classes because I believe that is the prime phase when students minds are easily molded.