Teaching Philosophy And Next Steps - 2124 Words

Teaching Philosophy and Next Steps Part I: Cultural Autobiographical Narrative My family immigrated to the United States from Egypt in 1976 when I was three years old. Growing up as a Muslim, I have always considered myself more of a Muslim-American than an Egyptian-American. Even though the majority of Egyptians are Muslim, not all cultural practices necessarily adhere to Islam. Therefore, as I am very familiar with Egyptian culture, my family’s values and beliefs were mainly shaped by religion more than they were by culture. I was raised in an education driven environment. My parents, although their professional background is in accounting and finance, dedicated the latter portion of their careers running a private school†¦show more content†¦Being exposed to several cultures in the school environment helped me better understand diversity and provided me with skills to optimize teaching experiences for students. Growing up, my parents have taught me many values that are religiously driven. One import ant core value emphasized is related to equality, where we are all equal regardless of color, race, religion, language, or gender. Understanding this underlying fundamental value contributes to the appreciation of the human race. As my faith addresses every aspect of my life, I feel that my values and beliefs are fundamental sources of strength for me. I was taught gratitude, patience, and the courage to stand up for justice, even if it was an inconvenience for me. I was always encouraged to recognize and value people’s diversity. Understanding and appreciating people’s differences may reduce or even remove barriers between groups of people. This of course does not mean that I must or will agree with all the topics addressed in class. One such topic that is shaped by my beliefs is the subject of homosexuality. Just as eating pork or drinking alcohol is forbidden for me, so is homosexuality. Even though I do not agree with the act, I am able to separate the action from the person. My perspective is that people that differ from me in one or more aspect are my fellow human beings and that I am required to treat them with compassion, justice, and dignity. Unfortunately,