Wednesday, April 22, 2009

from one of my former students, also the author of the famed paper 'if it weren't for stereotypes, I wouldn't know I am asian'*

Today seemed like a regular Wednesday while walking one of my 4th grade classes across campus towards the lab. Everything changed when one of my female students, Christine, raised her hand. Since I was walking right next to her, I looked at her and asked what she needed. "What do you need?"

"Mr. Lau, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

The question surprised me. I was laughing inside of my head because I don't think she would have asked any of her other teachers the same question. She doesn't think I am an adult?

I replied, "A super-hero."

She gave me a puzzled look and said, "....really?"

I grinned and said, "I don't know yet. What do you want to be when YOU grow up?" She said she did not know yet.

I guess I have a lot in common with a 4th grader. Age means nothing here.

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* If I remember the title correctly.

5 comments:

Landis said...

"If it weren't for stereotypes, I wouldn't even know I was Asian"

I had to go dig up my old paper to remember the exact wording myself! hahahah. Thanks for highlighting me in this!

Lotta K said...

You kept the file, or the actual paper?

The story is really lovely. I hope you write down everything that happens!

Landis said...

I still have the actual file on this computer. I wrote it in 2004! hahaha

Anonymous said...

I think something just went wrong with posting this the first time, so:

http://themaykazine.tumblr.com/post/100541690/stereotypes-are-seen-as-a-necessary-mechanism-for

Anonymous said...

Jag hade inte tänkt på att jag var från Skåne förrän jag flyttade till Linköping och ALLA, jag menar ALLA skulle kommentera min dialekt! Nu känner jag mig väldigt skånsk och är stolt över det - men vet inte om jag hade funderat så mycket över det om det inte hade påpekats så mycket...
På tal om din fd students uppsatstitel!