Nathan Lazickas

11/15
Social and Cultural Foundations of Education
Reading Reflection
Identity and Education

The past month or so on Ithaca Colleges campus and many other campuses across the

nation many students of color have made it very aware that they do not always feel comfortable

while in a learning environment. Many students are speaking up about a lack of inclusion and a

perpetuation of an oppressive system with a more privileged dominant culture. The recent forms

of protest and activism are impressive because they are calling for a more inclusive environment

in academic institutions and also are creating a movement of acceptance of identity.

Before we delve into the complexities of identity in education, I feel the definition and

explanation of identity as it will be discussed in this paper is necessary. For the purposes of this

essay, identity will be defined as personal characterization shaped by individual characteristics,

family dynamics, historical factors, and social and political contexts. (Tatum 2003 pg. 18) In her

book, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Tatum (2003) goes on to say

that identity stems from a conglomeration of being told who we are from different facets of our

lives. For example I may get my sense of identity from being told I am white from friends of

color who may be reminding me of my privilege. I am classified as a heterosexual because of the

fact that I am a male who is attracted to people who are biologically female. I am from the

greater Buffalo, New York area so people call me a Buffalonian. I play rugby so I am known

around campus as a rugby player. I am known to be verbal so people tell me I talk a lot. So if

asked about my identity, I would likely respond with I am a white male rugby player who talks

a lot from Buffalo. This identity may change depending on who I am with, when I am at Ithaca

College I may identify as that, although if I return to my small town outside of Buffalo I may

identify as a Lazickas twin, a former wrestler and Eagle Scout. The difference of my identity
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Social and Cultural Foundations of Education
Reading Reflection
in my home town versus college depends on individual characteristics as well as historical

perspectives and social contexts. People at Ithaca College know a different Nate than maybe

residents of my hometown because of the different circumstances. Identity can be different

across situations and change with audience. Another aspect about identity that should be

recognized that a person can feel very strongly about their identity, for example being from

Buffalo I am an avid Buffalo Bills fan and if I hear someone disparaging the hometown team I

will step up and defend them. I am from Buffalo and being a Bills Fan is part my identity and

when someone insults the Bills, they have just insulted part of me. Identity is complex and

dynamic yet critically important when dealing with people.

Identity in an educational setting is very important for both educators and also students

for a variety of reasons. Identity comes from a variety of places in a students background as

mentioned above, and when trying to teach the educator should remember that not all of their

students have similar identities. Geneva Gay (2010) writes about creating a culturally responsive

classroom. She validates Tatums definition of identity in her writing and give teachers tips on

how to teach to student identities in order to maximize understanding. One of these tenants is

that education should be validating, meaning that the educator should see cultural differences as

assets, not as obstacles. (Gay 2010 pg. 31) The students of color at Ithaca College see the

absence of this idea on campus in regards to the administration, and when identities are not

affirmed are in turn ignored. In classroom education a teacher can affirm the fact that their

students have an identity and accept and adapt curriculum to it. Both Tatum and Gay speak about

identity and culturally responsive education as multidimensional, which makes sense. In order

for a teacher to acknowledge identities as well as teach with the knowledge of differences among

students, an educator would have to be multidimensional. Some students may come from a
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Social and Cultural Foundations of Education
Reading Reflection
culture where speaking aloud could be viewed as rude or being too talkative. Other students may

be more musical in nature and others may be a more social student. To accommodate all these

different styles of learning a teacher could be incorporating song and dance, a quiet written

assignment or a small group project. Doing all that is much different from a typical lecture style

classroom.

Another way teaching and identity go hand in hand is that sometimes teachers are role

models in many different ways, some unintentional. Bryan (2012) describes identity much more

simply than mentioned above, she says that identity is who you are. (Bryan 2012 pg. 318) As

a teacher one has the opportunity to be an influence on your students, and can have a profound

effect on students thoughts. For example a teacher can show a student content which could

transform their life, when I first learned about the alternate history of wars in high school I was

instantly hooked and knew almost immediately that I was going to be teacher because of it. It

was such a new and novel way of learning that I wanted to give other people that same

experience, I told my teacher and he validated my claim, telling me that I had just inspired him to

be a better teacher. Hearing that made me want to teach twice as much as before. Bryan (2012)

tells stories of teachers deciding whether or not to tell students if they are homosexual or not.

One story tells of a teacher sending an essay about her teaching philosophy and how being a

lesbian and a teacher has affected it. She went for affirmation to her principal and received a

warning to Be careful. (Bryan 2012 pg 323) Imagine a LGBTQIA student hearing a teacher

identify as lesbian or gay, if that student struggles with that aspect of their identity the

affirmation of the teachers admittance could give that student hope and courage to be them self.

As mentioned in previous paragraphs affirmation of identity is an important aspect of people

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Reading Reflection
being comfortable in an environment. Comfortability can play a huge role in teaching or learning

so affirmation can help a student discover more about their identity.

Teachers have to be aware of their identity and the effect it may have on a student and

also aware of student identities as well. A classroom can be a place where real personal growth

and learning occurs if educators allow for students to be themselves and learn the way they learn

best. If a teacher gets real with the students and offers a curriculum that makes them think and

develop through tough and comprehensive material like Gay (2010) advises and allows students

to use that information to examine themselves and their backgrounds to help them shape their

thinking, then a students identity should be seen flourishing and obvious in the classroom. Just as

Tatum (2003) says Who am I? The answer depends in large part on who the world around me

says I am, students look to teachers to tell them who they are. (Tatum 2003 pg 180) It may not

be implicit, but if they are told they are a bad student then they very well could identify as a bad

student, but they can just as easily identify as a good student. Educators should always

remember how we teach matters.

Works Cited
Nathan Lazickas
11/15
Social and Cultural Foundations of Education
Reading Reflection
Bryan, J. (2012). Personal and Professional Identity in GSD Education. In From the dress-up

corner to the senior prom: Navigating gender and sexuality diversity in preK-12 schools.

Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education.

Gay, G. (2010). Pedagogical Potential of Cultural Responsiveness. In Culturally responsive

teaching: Theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). New York: Teachers College.

Tatum, B. (2003). The Complexity of Identity. In "Why are all the Black kids sitting together in

the cafeteria?": And other conversations about race. New York, NY: Basic Books.