Culturally Aware: My experiences with Islamic Culture

During a time of increased Islamaphobia, it is vital for an educator to be aware of such discriminatory views and ensure they are checked at the door. Unintentionally, I have attended a series of workshops and presentations centered around cultural awareness pertaining to Islamic culture.

My very first exposure to this topic was freshman year with the professional development workshop, "Teaching Islam and Muslims in the Contemporary World." This workshop was presented by a retired elementary school teacher who was a practicing Muslim, hijab and all, so her religious beliefs could not (and would not) be hidden. The focus of her workshop was on educating teachers on the Islamic religion and the culture surrounding it. She placed emphasis on the the ways teachers could use pieces of information to educate/expose their students to Islam. Our presenter explained fear is rooted in the unknown, so if we can give our students a better understanding of Islamic culture the fear will dissipate 

The next was a "Schools of Faith" tour with the N.C. State Teaching & Principal Fellows programs. The very first school stop was an Islamic school, located in the Raleigh Islamic Community Center. This school, like most schools of faith, integrate the Islamic religion into the daily lives and lessons of their students and teachers. It was interesting to walk through the school and see students embracing their own culture. This trip helped me to further understand the values of Muslims in the classroom--the same as everybody else's, to be in an accepting environment where learning is valued above everything else.

My third experience was the Cultural Awareness seminar, which focus was on being aware of the culture of your students. The seminar itself discussed a World History lesson on Islam and then a discussion on the building of a Mosque at ground-zero. While some would assume a "cultural awareness" workshop would be filled with gushy, feel-good lessons, my take away was quite different. Our presenters' thesis was to be aware of your students' culture. This simple, yet so difficult, task is multi-faceted. As educators we must look to all of our students and respect their backgrounds, plain and simple. Now this is not -- beyond popular belief of administration -- to say we as teachers must forget our own cultural identity, but merely we must be devoted to learning (like all of our students) in creating a welcoming environment for education.

The final event was "Beyond the Veil," which showcased a panel of Muslim women sharing their experiences of wearing the hijab (or headscarf). This event was enlightening, because the women talked of the personal decision of faith surrounding their first time putting on the hijab. Yet another cultural misconception.

Perhaps my greatest experience with the Muslim world, is my work relationship with the Technician's Viewpoint editor, Ahmed. Ahmed and I have worked together for a couple of years and have shared a wealth of experiences and opinions with each other. Many of our opinions differ on political -- not religious -- basis. However, because we have taken the time to develop a relationship, we respect one another's opinions. Who knew that was the key!

All of these experiences have led me to the same conclusion when thinking of cultural diversity/awareness in the classroom: The "Golden Rule." We must be accepting and respectful to our students, which will in return foster respect throughout our classrooms, which will result in the respect of our students. It's that simple.