Daniel Zatarain

December 8th, 2017

ED 360
Positionality Paper
As I come to the close of my first semester as a student teacher, it is quite clear that no

social interaction is inherently true. Each person or parties’ racial background, class, language,

gender, age, sexual orientation, position of power, etc. cause us to change how we interact,

playing on portions of our background to suit the social needs of the now, influencing how others

see us. These interactions especially permeate the realm of teaching but is ignored by some

teachers’ their color-blind eyes and teaching practices that “treats all students the same.” I refuse

to fall into this category, choosing to explore my positionality as a white passing, middle class,

male to prevent the further marginalization of my students in the institution of education.

Entering any room, the most salient portion of my positionality is my Caucasian skin

tone. Although I am half Mexican and half white, everyone I meet assumes that I am just some

white person. This idea that I was only white, regardless of my father’s heritage, was further

reinforced by living in a predominately white suburb. Growing up, other students would look in

disbelief when I told them of my racial background. White classmates would respond with, “I

don’t believe you, show me a picture of your family,” and when I showed them a picture, they

claimed I just found that. These beliefs were not limited to my white peers, classmates of color

responded in a similar manner. Although not being recognized for my lineage was tough at

times, the privilege gained by being white passing was evident. Everywhere in school I saw

people who looked such as I do, giving me the impression that I could achieve whatever I

dreamed of. My teachers too reinforced this idea, praising me as gifted and letting minor
interruptions I caused in class slide. Now, student teaching in an urban area composed of people

of color, I must make sure that I do not mirror my teachers and marginalize my students.

Walking into the classroom my first day teaching I was met with the same response I

have had most of my life when I told people my racial background. Although I looked like just

another white teacher, I needed to make sure that I did not teach like a white teacher. Teaching

the same way my teachers growing up did would “just shoving white supremacy down their

throats” (Montgomery 2013). Working with my partner teacher, we tried to create lessons

relevant to the cultural background of our students to empower their cultures and not show the

superiority of white culture. I made sure to see the positives in every student and express what

made them great. Everyday I talked to my students and built relationships with them to find ways

to change class to better suit their learning needs. By recognizing this portion of my

positionality, I was able to change my teaching style to prevent the reinforcement of the idea that

my students were lesser because they did not act like students of the dominant culture.

Another portion of my positionality I must be aware of is my middle-class upbringing.

Growing up my family had a comfortable life. My parents made sure there was always food in

the kitchen, someone to watch my siblings and I when they were not home, and made sure that

we were cared for in other aspects of our lives. My job as a child was to do well in school so that

I could possibly achieve a better living and life than my parents. If an issue arose that might

prevent me from doing well in school, my parents made sure to provide me the support to rid

myself of the impediment to my duties. From this upbringing, I had the idea that my classmates

who were not doing well were just not motivated or were lazy. I did not consider what might be

going on in their lives or facets of the institution of the education system that might be affecting
them at school. As a student teacher, I had to throw away these ideas and understand that my

students might have a different idea about what their role as a child is.

Understanding the privilege, I had growing up in middle class, I could not use my power

as a teacher to impose this idea that all my students’ main focus had to be school and that if it

was not, they would not achieve success in my class. While teaching, I had to get to know each

of my students and learn to make compromises and not be so rigid with my classroom

management. I had to see that school might not be their main priority, it could be taking care of

their siblings, working to make more money for their family, or getting something to eat. Instead

of yelling at my students who may be nodding off or turning in work late or incomplete as I did

while subbing, I started to ask them what was causing this behavior. After I found out the cause,

we worked together to find a compromise in the classroom. By using my positionality to subvert

this middle-class ideal for students, I can hopefully prevent my students from believing that they

are the bad students that society says that they are. Instead of shaming my students, I can find a

way to work with them and help them make progress towards whatever goal they have for the

future.

Another part of my background I bring every day teaching is being a male. Growing up, I

was always a sensitive child. My mother always recounts how sweet it was that while she was in

the dentist’s office getting a root canal I looked concerned and asked if they were hurting her.

My father did not have the same appreciation for this. Being Mexican and engrained in the

Latino machismo, any time I shed a tear I would be punished. Talking about emotions or feelings

with him were completely off limits as well. Internalizing this idea that feelings were bad

because I was a boy, I began to shut out my emotions. It was not until I went to college that I
began to reject these male ideals and started to express my emotions through dance, writing, and

conversations with friends.

Teaching in a science classroom as a male has some implications for my students due to

my position. As a male teacher, I set one of many examples of how adult males act. Furthermore,

being a man in science is considered the norm, so when my students see me teaching, they might

be internalizing this belief as well. However, being aware of this implication, I had to actively try

and subvert this idea. During circle my partner teacher, who is also male, and I would express

my feeling son any topic to change the idea that men must be stoic and emotionless. This was

especially important when a student at the school passed away, as many of the boys in my class

were holding their emotions inside. It was much harder to have my students see that not only

men were able to do science when the two science teachers in the classroom are both male. I

made sure to mention my girlfriend’s experience in science, talking about her whenever

something related to her experience in grad school was relevant. Moreover, my partner teacher

and I tried to limit the amount of men we talk about in science to prevent the women in the class

from continuing to be marginalized.

Teachers have more than the power to help students learn, we have the power to shape a

students’ entire identity at school. By further understanding my positionality, I can understand

how each portion of it can affect my student’s identity. If I am to truly become a social justice

educator, I must prevent my white middle class ideals from continuing to marginalize my

students, instead understanding my students and finding ways to work with all the parts of their

positionality to help the create a positive self-identity in my classroom and in school.