Teaching Asian American Students
By: Janny Kim
Embedded Files
At the end of the lesson students will be able to…
At the end of the lesson students will be able to…
- Readers should be able to tell the differences in Identity, Culture and Ethnicity.
- readers will Understand the different Varieties in ethnicities within Asian American communities along with common cultural ideals.
- The types of stereotypes and adversity Asian American students face in and out of the classroom.
- Additional knowledge grab! - How teachers can help Asian American students with strategies of being culturally responsive teachers.
“Being too Asian for the States (United States), and not being Asian enough for people in my culture.
What is your Identity?
Exercise to practice- Take a mirror (Phone or physical mirror) - While looking and reflecting on yourself. Choose 3 words that would describe your identity.
Now for the second part- Make a list and describe three words that others would describe your identity. (Do they match up? or do they differ?)
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Identity can come from all shapes and sizes, from your gender, your religion, principles of lifestyles, culture, and ethnicity. Checking off a box when a document requires you to list your ethnicity. Where "we are truly from" not belonging to the United States, but not Asian enough for the origins of our ancestors as some might want to put it.
A Breakdown of common geographical countries used in identifying your ethnicity……
East Asians- Japan, China, South Korea
Southeastern Asian- Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam
Pacific Islander- Hawaii, Polynesian
Southern Asians- India
Interesting facts! -Asian Americans recorded the fastest population growth rate among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States between 2000 and 2019, Roughly around 18.9 million people (Budiman, 2021).
cultural ideals common in Asian American Students
respect for elders, deferred gratification, and discipline, are a strong influence (Jianhua, 1994).
Asian-American parents teach their children to value educational achievement, respect authority, feel responsibility for relatives, and show self-control
Grades are a reflection on one's will power, and not one's ability
"I am Not Your Asian Stereotype"
Stereotyping Asian American Students inside the classroom and outside the classroom
“Model Minority Mythology used to describe Asian American students (Goodwin, 2020). (What do you think this phrase means to the Asian American community? What kind of person do you think this describes?)
This phrase is used commonly for stereotyping Asian Americans students to be good students that doesn’t cause trouble in the classroom and is good at math (Stanley, 1999).
Asian American students feel the pressures of their cultural upbringings values who they are as students, and not by their own merits alone.
Interesting Facts! - Recently due to the Coronavirus breakout, and the stigma of the origins of the virus being from China. A study was done in 2021 that showed that Asian Americans were faced with 31% more violence, and racial slurs towards their community (Budiman, 2021).
Please review the video, about an Asian American student viewpoint on growing up Asian American, and the stereotypes and reflection on her identity.
Ask yourself - Am I part of the problem? and what might an Asian American student face in and out of our classrooms.
Overview of Video - "I am not your Asian Stereotype"-Canwen Xu
"A blend of two cultures "- Moved to the United States at 2 years old, and feels her identity is both Asian and American.
Conform to the stereotype that was expected of her or conform to the "whiteness" that was surrounding her.
She felt that her identity was formed around the fact that she was different and being Asian was the only thing that was special about her.
To reject one's identity and culture helped her conform, but she lost her cultural upbringings and was confused about her identity.
Not quite similar to be accepted, but not different enough to be loathed.
What can we do as teachers?
Multiple Choice Questions
1) What should a teacher be aware of when understanding a culture of a student?
a) all Asian students are the same
b) all Asian American students come from different ethnicities and be consciously aware to promote diversity in the classrooms
c) Listening to students is sufficient
D) A students culture only defines who they are, and not their own merits
2) What are ways to help the self-esteem of those students' facing pressures from their environment, or own understanding as a student?
a) affirming cultural diversity and allowing students being authentically them
b) teaching all students about Asian American history and diversity importance in the classroom
c) Affirming their cultural upbringings are a part of who they are, but not the only thing that a student should value themselves on
D) All of the above
References Budiman, A., & Ruiz, N. G. (2021, May 16). Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the U.S. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/09/asian-americans-are-the-fastest-growing-racial-or-ethnic-group-in-the-u-s/ Goodwin, A. L. (2020). Curriculum as colonizer: (Asian) American education in the current US context. Teachers College Record, Vol. 112, Iss. 12. Jianhua, F. & ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education Urbana IL. (1994, June). Asian-American Children: What Teachers Should Know. SearchERIC. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from http://searcheric.org/digests/ed369577.html Stanley, C. A., Texas A&M University, Rohdieck, S. V., Tang, L., & Ohio State University. (1999, November 1). Teaching Concerns of Asian American Students | Tomorrow’s Professor Postings. Stanford University. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/244 Villegas, A. M., & Lucas, T. (2002). The culturally responsive teacher - ASCD. The Culturally Responsive Teacher. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://pdo.ascd.org/lmscourses/PD13OC002/media/Module6_CulturallyResponsiveTeacher.pdf
ANSWERS TO MULTIPLE CHOICE
1) B- all Asian American students come from different ethnicities and be consciously aware to promote diversity in the classrooms
2) D) All of the above
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