Race can affect our perceptions, expectations and behaviors, even if we are not prejudiced.
Race often influences the way we see the world and the people around us, and those perceptions can inform our behaviors in subtle, and not-so-subtle, ways. Race is related to culture, which has its own rituals, language and social norms. These cultural practices influence how community members interpret, understand and perceive events around them, affecting their reactions and behaviors. Those behaviors can have real-world implications. For teachers, racial misperceptions can lead to skewed expectations for diverse students. Teachers' interpretations of student behavior also can be influenced by race: Who is perceived as "eager" and who is perceived as "disruptive"? This form of racial bias has a particularly negative effect on black male students who are subjected to disciplinary action that removes them from learning opportunities at rates far higher than white students.
Take a closer look at the influence of race on perceptions, expectations and behaviors by exploring the following resources.
Learning Resources and Activities
- Jennifer Holladay describes how stereotypes undermine test scores.
- University of Massachusetts, Amherst, professor Sonia Nieto shares a personal story about how others' perceptions of Puerto Ricans and Spanish-speakers affected her first teaching assignment, and her daughter's school experiences.
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- Jeannie Oakes of the Ford Foundation talks about how the practice of American education unfairly advantages white students and creates the false perception that students of color can't achieve at the same levels.
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- Psychologist Robert Slavin encourages teachers to examine their reactions to their students, cautioning them to identify biases that may impact their perceptions.
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