A Skinny White Kid Walks The Walk

A major part of new teacher training and “professional development” is not instruction on how to effectively teach and lead, it is mandatory diversity training.

One of the more memorable forced diversity training sessions I participated in was a “game” called Privilege Walk. Here’s how the game works:

Leader: “If you’re white, take two steps forward.”
(I take two steps forward.)

Leader: “If you’re non-white, take two steps back.”
(Some people step back.)

Leader: “If you came from a two-parent home, take three steps forward.”
(I take three steps forward and begin to notice that I’m starting to take a commanding lead. I wonder to myself, "Do they think I should feel bad about this?")

Leader: “If you’re heterosexual, take two steps forward.”
(I take two unabashed steps forward.)

It goes on like this for some time and touches on most of my cultural, political and religious background. Some people got very emotional over the game. I didn’t. I know myself quite well and am very proud of the things that make me who I am.

I put up with these sessions because they were necessary to get my certification, but isn’t there a better way to train adults for the challenges of urban teaching?

Certainly a major part of teaching is learning to understand and know the students you teach. I am a young white guy from a rural Midwestern state. I lived there for 18 years. My town, by many standards, would not be considered the most diverse place in America because the vast majority of the residents are white.

When I was interviewed by an African-American principal for a teaching gig in this city, where schools are predominantly African-American, it was clear to me that race was a factor in the hiring process. I was flat out told that the students would scare me because many of them would look older than me or be way bigger than me. Not only am I white, but I’m pretty skinny. “Why do you think you’ll be able to fit in and make it here?” I was asked.

I replied: “Because I’m tough, determined, and smart.”

There’s no doubt that one must have cultural awareness in order to succeed and act intelligently and work effectively. But aren’t most of us equipped with the tools to acknowledge this and make the right decisions? When you think of the state of public education in our country, I doubt your first thought is that teachers need more training in diversity.

I would much rather be learning how to teach my kids how to write better essays and glean more from the material they read. It is my job to get to know my students. If the administrators want to know if a young white kid who comes from a proud family and strong community can fit in and make it in a “diverse” environment, they need only open the door to my room and see:

I live to hear those kids groan when they come into my class because they know they’re about to get a pile of notes, lecture, grammar, essays, journals and reading. I know they are getting in my class what they would be getting at any “high-achieving” school where the achievement gap doesn’t exist. Now that's “diversity.”