20. Multicultural Education: White Privilege

This was one of the most informative topics for me in this class because I was able to learn about something I knew little about. Privilege, whether in terms of race, gender, sexuality, or class, is "an invisible package of unearned assets" that a person "can count on cashing in each day", but of which most privileged people are entirely unaware of because they take these privileges for granted. Many students have difficulty perceiving that because of their socially valued physical, economic, or cultural characteristics, that they can experience a privileged place in society. This explains the importance in understanding the definition of privilege, as best described above.

Helping to bring the awareness of privilege to people’s attention will not only reduce their unconsciousness on that topic, but also raise awareness on the topic of oppression. As an adult education instructor, it is important to make sure that I do not give privilege or favoritism to certain students based upon their race and other factors. I should not assume that because a student is white, that he will be smarter. Or that a male student feels more comfortable speaking up in class. Posters, maps, and drawings help the teacher demonstrate the importance of different ethnic groups to overall human civilization and its knowledge and culture. I am very thankful that I could learn about this topic that I had little knowledge on because it is very important and will help make me a better person in higher education.