Kono Reflection Thursday July 7th

In our discussion on Thursday, I could not help but continually return to Fanon's idea of cultural mummification as an aspect and byproduct of colonization. In present culture, with our close examination of racism and oppression at all levels, I find myself consistently concerned about some kind of manifestation of cultural mummification in our classrooms and schools. As teachers of specific subjects, but also as teachers of our students at a more general level, where do we begin to ensure (and how!) that our students are developing and feeding their cultural identities, yet also finding their place in American society? It is undeniable that society has placed very specific expectations on high schools students (however unreasonable they are), and it seems that our role as teachers includes, to some degree, a concern for our students cultural vibrancy and a protection from any kind of mummification. This is particularly important in our urban settings, as we will surely have students from a variety of cultural backgrounds that are historically susceptible to Fanon's ideas of this mummification.