Week #5 Reflection

Identity & Belonging

• I think a point from the paper that really resonated with me is balancing the identities of being Muslim, culturally Arab, and being assimilated into American culture. I learned that this balancing act between identities and communities we belong to actually has a term and it's called “cultural pluralism.” Cultural pluralism is a theory that revolves around diversity and unity. As a mentor, this theory is critical to understand as our students come from so many different backgrounds and will be going into more secular and American environments.

School Environment & Power

• The paper made a really good point about how teachers can sometimes be insensitive. To be specific, it mentions an example of a girl who’s PE teacher announced to the class she would be wearing long pants because she’s Muslim, then was treated as an outcast by her peers. While the teacher may not have intended to embarrass her, their actions still resulted in the girl being ostracized and subsequently harmed her motivation to go to school and participate with her peers. From the perspective of a mentor, it’s important to be culturally sensitive because even though we may say things with good intention, it can still lead to harm and it’s important to be cognizant of that and take accountability.

Support Systems & Community

•  On a better note, the interviews seemed to conclude that even though students felt their American teachers and classmates didn’t have a proper understanding of the Muslim community and Islam, they still felt they were able to develop healthy and trusting relationships with school officials. Nonetheless, they still requested that their school officials try to help push a more positive narrative of Islam as they can be outcast for being Muslim. Once again, as a mentor, it’s important that we make personable connections with our students outside of ‘surface level’ identity traits and do our best to understand what struggles they face.  

A. Continuity

What is something Muslim students are still navigating today that this paper captured?

• Muslim students are still trying to navigate and set boundaries that align with their beliefs, traditions, and the communities they are assimilating into. When I was in high school, I was the only Muslim in my grade so this was something I struggled with a lot. Sometimes setting boundaries or explaining traditions is met with defensiveness and prejudice. As such,  it’s important to deconstruct misconceptions people have when explaining our differences so we can work to create a more welcoming community. 

B. Change

What’s something you think Muslim students today experience differently than students in 2003?

• The paper mentions how school curriculums used to focus a lot on White Anglo-Saxon perspective. I think this has changed as I know there are now courses for high school students being offered that teach about diverse perspectives such as the recent implementation of AP African American History. Recently, my old school district also added in a graduation requirement that students must take a class on diversity. There is definitely also a shift in teachers’ priorities when it comes to whose perspective they teach.