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I am a city girl, raised on the coast of Virginia. My husband is very much a country boy, born and raised in the mountains of southwestern Virginia. Though we do not have children yet, where we will ultimately "settle" can lead to some contentious discussions in our house (as does where our basketball loyalties lie-- I bleed Carolina blue, whereas he is a Dukie).

My Cultural Identity Concept Map

Family "History"

Big Family, Single Mom

For five summers, I worked at a Christian summer camp in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. Being a coal mining town, the majority of the population lives at or below the poverty level. In addition, many of these children were in the foster care system or lacked discipline at home. These five summers exposed me to a socioeconomic class I had never been exposed to until that time.

Stage of Ethnic Identity

BRAINSTORM

I have always been the tallest female in my family at 5'7". I come complete with my mothers dark brown hair and my father's hazel eyes.

Family History

Because of this experience, I was able to see beyond my own upbringing. It was possible for me to commiserate and understand a different side of life. My global perspective and worldview was broadened as I was able to witness and experience these childhoods being carried out. It has also made me more aware and sensitive to the growing plight of poverty and the very lack luster foster care system.

Significant Differences

I grew up in a household where, although my mother had to work extremely hard, my brothers, sisters, and I were all very well provided for. Because of this, I was shocked when the first round of campers rolled in that first Monday morning. I had a cabin of nine ten-year-old girls in that first cabin. The difference in our economic upbringing made it difficult for me to connect with those girls in the beginning. This also made it hard for those girls to trust me and, therefore, that first group of campers I was in charge of did not get everything out of their week of camp that was possible.

ELEMENTS

I stand out amongst the crowd in Lexington, KY because I am definitely not a part of Big Blue Nation. I was born a Tar Heel. I will die a Tar Heel. My granddaddy would have disowned me had I chosen any other path. I love most sports, however, my husband and I can be found glued to any NFL or college football game in the fall and college basketball during the colder months.

Aspects of Ethnicity

Stage of Ethnic Identity

Implications for Teaching

Significant Differences

Connecting with students- Continuing diversity education allows a teacher to better connect with students in the classroom. Understanding where the students come from or what experiences they may have had helps a teacher to connect with students,

Altering Curriculum- Keeping up with diversity education enables educators to incorporate this knowledge into a curriculum. This makes it possible to teach certain topics in a way that would be more applicable to students, helping students to retain what they learn.

Promoting Tolerance- Educators keeping themselves abreast of differences and changes in diversity can help teachers to understand differences within the school community. Teachers can implement this in the classroom and pass the education regarding diversity onto students.

I am an "outgoing introvert," meaning I am extremely reserved and quiet in new social settings, especially those involving large groups (of adults; I am fine with groups of children). For this reason, some people believe me to be cold and distant when they first meet me. However, once I am comfortable with those around me, I tend to become the sarcastic jokester of the group.

I grew up in a Caucasian, Christian home. My mother worked two or three jobs at a time as a single mother. However, she was involved in every aspect of our lives. She was always present, aware, and interested in what we had going on.

Because my husband and I grew up in areas of Virginia, we have different beliefs and perceptions of what is normal. For instance, small town gossip runs ramp in and around his hometown. So when we visit his family, hearing what is happening to everyone in town is normal. For me, with over 250,000 people in my hometown, it's impossible to know everyone. For this reason, our communication styles in our hometowns are very different.

Aspects of Ethnicity

I was exposed to many different cultures attending a large public school in a large city. This made me much more tolerant of others and their beliefs in social situations. This will, in turn, carry over into my own classroom as an educator.

I attended a very diverse school, though. My direct surrounding neighborhood was mostly white, but in order to keep the "correct ratios," students were bussed in from different parts of the city.

Larger class sizes made it difficult to have "individual time" with a teacher. This lead to my drive as an independent learner. I was able to teach myself and figure out more on my own. This is evident in my now preference for online coursework.

My father was in and out of my life growing up. This lead to a deep mistrust of most men throughout most of my life. It also caused problems with fears of abandonment during the beginning of my marriage.

Being 1 of 7 children, we did not have a lot of "extras". We had to work for things we wanted. As a result, I have had a job since 15 and have been " on my own" since 17. I am not afraid of working long and hard to achieve goals.

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