We all have our own optics that we look at things with. It is a good idea to take a step back and consider other vantage points. This creates understanding before we pass judgement on something or someone we know very little about (the single story). We have so many ways to access information, yet we often only consume one point of view on a story. Stay informed and listen to everything before you form an opinion. Often times that opinion begins to form before you hear the entire story.The simplest step is to eliminate your assumptions and generalities that “All like like ____” I use the example of a snow day or winter break. Maybe a student has a troubled home life and does not want to go home, or maybe something traumatic happened over that holiday break.
We need to be very careful not to assume.The same goes for rushing to judgement. Imagine you are collecting homework and the first 5 students say, “oops I forgot to do it” and the 6th student doesn’t have it but you don’t ask..you have heard enough and assume everyone forgot (your single story of what your students did) but this student may have had to watch their newborn brother last night, may have not slept at home last night. I have learned you do not have to see just one side or have one point of view on a task or event.
We need to be very careful not to assume.The same goes for rushing to judgement. Imagine you are collecting homework and the first 5 students say, “oops I forgot to do it” and the 6th student doesn’t have it but you don’t ask..you have heard enough and assume everyone forgot (your single story of what your students did) but this student may have had to watch their newborn brother last night, may have not slept at home last night. I have learned you do not have to see just one side or have one point of view on a task or event.