Katie Kingston

Archeology of Self
735 - 001

“Who am I?” is a question that we as people ask ourselves often. Society through its

particular cultures, customs, institutions, and “hierarchy status” encourages us to use language

and labels in order to characterize certain attributes among ourselves and others. These labels

being based upon identity factors such as race, gender, ability, religion, socioeconomic status,

and sexual orientation dictate how we as people navigate and see the world. To grow as an

individual, you must first examine the ways in which your identity has been constructed and

reconstructed throughout your life. Reflecting on your own beliefs allows you to increase

yourself awareness.

The ways in which we see ourselves is directly linked to the ways in which we see others.

Thus, we must strengthen this relationship between ourselves and society. Most of the early

information I received about society, and the people who make up society, past and present, I

receive from others. Oftentimes this information I receive was distorted, shaped by cultural

stereotypes that do not provide me with the full narrative. Society is structured through a system

of advantages, derived from different elements such as privilege, prejudice, intersectionality, and

oppression. These societal influences and mainstream culture greatly impact how we see and

perceive the world.

As a white, cis gendered, abled bodied, straight women, I am privileged within the

society I live in. The materials, curriculum, and media that I was exposed to in school reflected

my own narrative. My identity factors were valued among society and education. As a student, I

was so eager to engage with the materials; texts, movies, tv shows, and toys provided to me

because I, myself, was reflected in the content. While looking at my literacy experiences through
a more complex and analytical lens, I discovered that my literacy journey was heavily influenced

by the adult figures in my life, as well as the narratives that were important to them. When I

think back to my first true experience with literacy, or one that I remember, the tradition of

reading the Night Before Christmas by Jane Brett every December 24th is one that brought

comfort and ease. Reflecting now, it is interesting to note that one of my most prominent

memories of literacy is tied to a book about Christmas. This heavily relates to my own identity

and upbringing as a child. When I was younger, I was so unaware of the other holidays that

many of my classmates celebrated. I never even questioned all of these celebrations because

Christmas was the only holiday that my school district and teachers seemed to care about. This

parlayed into my negligence regarding other cultures and religions. As a future educator, I want

my students to share the same experience that I had, having a book that centers around tradition

and joy; however, it is imperative that their own holidays are represented within the classroom

and the school. Knowing about my student’s home life and their background is crucial when

compiling my own school library. Materials you have in your classroom must reflect your

student’s identity. This parlays into Gholdy Muhammad’s (2020) notion of cultivating identity

within literacy learning, “youth need opportunities in school to explore multiple facets of

selfhood, but also learn about the identities of others who may differ” (p 67). When students see

themselves reflected within the classroom and school community, they are able to feel this

comfort and ease, knowing that they are seen and valued. Fostering a sense of cultural awareness

within the classroom can start with the types of materials you provide to your students as well as

present them with.

However, it is crucial that the materials are historically and culturally responsive. As I

myself am not a part of a marginalized community, I must be cognizant of the ways in which my
own literacy development has been honored, and reflect on how I can create instructional literacy

practice that values all identities within the classroom. I truly did not understand my identity

fully and the privilege that came with it until college. I was exposed to so many other identities

and heard stories from others that were much different from my own, it was only then when I

was truly able to deeply reflect. However, as Muhammad (2020) emphasizes “it is our job as

educators to not just teach skills, but to teach students to know, validate, and celebrate who they

are” (p 69). Getting to know my students on a personal level, asking them questions about where

and when they engage with literacy, how they read the world (Freire, 1987), and what they are

interested in reading will allow me to gain a better understanding about their relationship with

literacy. It is also important to note that all your materials; articles, posters, videos, photos, etc

are reflective of your students. Many factors contribute to the disproportionate representation

within classroom communities. Race, ethnicity, language background, socioeconomic status,

gender, etc are often seen and labeled by institutions regarding their relation to students.

Therefore, educators need to evaluate their success at addressing this issue. Again, reflecting on

my own experiences, I was never exposed to other identities different from my own, through

literature or otherwise. Therefore, it is crucial that I continue to examine my own unconscious

biases that may still be present and actively combat them within my life and in my classroom.
 Reference:

Freire, P. (1987). The Importance of The Act of Reading. In P. Freire & D. Macedo (Eds.),

Literacy: Reading the word and the world (pp. 29-36). South Hadley, MA: Bergin

and Garvey.

Muhammad, G. (2020). Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and

Historically Responsive Literacy. Scholastic Incorporated.