Where are you really from?

 

I based my digital storytelling project on something that was really relatable to me, and that was being asked the question, “Where are you really from?” as a follow up question to my statement that I was from Canada. As an Asian- Canadian I have received this question on many occasions. While I do not find this personally insulting, I believe that this wording of a question has deeper implications. When asking someone who does not look Caucasian where they are really from, one has the subconscious concept that to be Canadian means to belong to a certain race; have a certain image. This in turn has the implication that those who are not of that race do not belong. However, Canada is a pluralistic country, its constitution is grounded in multiculturalism, therefore displaying that the Canadian identity is not based on being a certain race.

This project connects to my developing teacher identity because it has reaffirmed my beliefs in critical discussion, where common phrases and social norms should be discussed in a classroom to reveal some of the underlying issues in our current society. This will help to develop the students’ critical thinking skills as they grow up in this world and encounter different issues in their own lives. This project demonstrates my developing teacher competency 1: To act as a professional inheritor, critic and interpreter of knowledge or culture when teaching students. By going more in-depth myself into this issue, I will be more able to present this topic to my students and become a better interpreter of knowledge and culture. This project has also helped me to develop competency 5: To evaluate student progress in learning the subject content and mastering the related competencies. This was developed in the making of the rubric. This project connects to the broad themes of the course because it uses media to represent and address a social issue that is relevant to students today. This video is a creative digital artifact meant to address an issue that is in our society today. There are many creative videos addressing different issues on the Internet, and after viewing, students could be then led to make their own creative digital content.