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BethMac
Joined: 23 Dec 2003
Posts: 79
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 Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2004 8:55 pm Post subject: Racist jokes/comments/attitudes |
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What is your policy on racist jokes or comments in the classroom?
What about outside the classroom? |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2004 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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I feel it would be inconsistent to have two policies for this. Therefore, I make racist comments and jokes in particular both in and out of the classroom.
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2004 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Only tell them if they help explain the grammar! |
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BethMac
Joined: 23 Dec 2003
Posts: 79
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| Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 1:43 am Post subject: |
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Hmmm..... 
So you have never had to deal with students making racist comments or telling racist jokes in your classes? Surely I'm not the only one who has experienced this. |
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Lynn
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 696
Location: in between
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| Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 3:47 am Post subject: |
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Hi BethMac,
We recently had a discussion like this. I forgot the thread title, but I know Leeroy created it. I'll see if I can find it. |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 6:41 am Post subject: |
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| BethMac wrote: |
Hmmm.....
So you have never had to deal with students making racist comments or telling racist jokes in your classes? Surely I'm not the only one who has experienced this. |
Oh gosh yes. All the time. I am due to leave for Korea within a month. Last Wednesday a student tells me, "Be careful because always [pause to glance at electronic dictionary she's been playing with for the last two minutes] martial law." Then she tells me the streets are wide in Seoul to enable B52s to land there to bomb N. Korea etc etc all narrow-minded xenophobia.
I've had other people tell me stuff that is far more shocking and hateful than this about foreign nationals.
What can I do? Personally, I let it slide with maybe an offhand comment unless a) it is regular (which I've yet to experience) or b) I can come up with an activity in class which will allow for a debate, discussion or whatever on the issue concerned.
Dealing with students' hangups is out of my league as an English teacher. For example, last week discussing gay marriage one of my students says "Gay people have a mental disease and need treatment from a doctor." How do I respond? I simply said, "Some people would be very offended by you saying that." What does he then say? Absolutely nothing. He just carried on talking. He doesn't care. He is Japanese in Japan and that justifies his viewpoint.
Obviously this is all from the viewpoint of monolingual/racial/cultural classes in Japan. I guess in a situation such as Lynn's or Leeroys, you might have to be much more proactive.
Outside class is a whole different ball game by the way  |
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