A New Concept

It's funny to discover whats in and whats out in kids' world as well as the things that they don't quite get...yet.

First of all I should say that this conversation that happened wasn't totally off subject. But my kids definitely know how to get me off on a rabbit trail. They're filled with curious questions, and then when you add an American teacher, Filipino and Korean students to the mix we're always asking each other questions.

I was sitting with a small group of students and we were doing a guided reading group (where we read a book together and I ask them questions helping them to search deeper into a text). This week we were talking about connections and reading a book about Cesar Chavez who was a union worker during the 60s. We were talking about how during that time America was prejudiced against people with darker skin and it was so funny to hear the kids asking questions like, "why would they think that people with dark skin are bad?" or "why did they have to use different bathrooms?" This concept was so foreign to these kids and they had obviously never really talked about racism (some of them had never heard of the term).

Then one of my Filipino boys started talking about he was getting darker. I looked at him waiting for a further explanation when he proceeded to tell me about how every morning he scrubs himself with his whitening bar soap but nothing happens. I asked him why he wanted to be whiter and he couldn't answer. Then one of the other students asked, "Miss Cosper I heard that Americans want to be dark, is that true?" Haha I was like, "Why yes they think your guys' skin is beautiful and would love to look more like you!" They all laughed and replied, "well why don't you care about being dark Miss C?"... "How do you know I don't care?" I wondered. "Well your not dark..." I explained to them that it was nearly impossible for me to get any darker than I was now. This was kind of hard for these kids to understand. They have grown up in the sun and have never had to worry about burning.

While living in the Phils I have not had to worry about being tan at all! I am no longer looked down upon for being so pasty white, in fact I find people staring at my white skin! haha I have discovered though that I need to be careful when I'm buying soap because there are so many that are made in order to whiten the skin, and Lord forbif my skin getting any whiter!