In this unit one thing that we have learned is that racism is not a distant thing. The reflections that we did were definitely proof of that as we all had a story. I don’t think that my ideas have changed that much because although I haven’t experienced prejudice myself, I never have been protected from it. I think that my knowledge of racism is due to the fact that my parents came from Apartheid South Africa and even though I haven’t lived there, I have undoubtedly seen it when I go there. I think that because I have never been protected from it I don’t have new ideas. The reason I say that is because this unit is different than lots of other units which just teach about the civil rights or slavery. This unit makes you think about what it really is and I have seen it and I truly know what it can be.

Race should never define your identity however, more often than not it sadly does. Race, even if people do not judge it in a derogatory way will usually lend itself to pre-judgments. It really comes down to assumptions about a persons background. I don’t think that there is anything wrong with that, but the fact of the matter is that it is true, and just about everyone does it. The trouble with this is that it could be rooted in something so much more than a first impression and where ever you might be you might judge other people in your head in a harmless way, however, it goes deeper than what you might think at first. People often judge themselves in that they might be thinking about what they should be doing, not based on what you want to do, but what you are expected to do. The “pre-judgement’ of race can run a lot deeper than one might think.

My main problem in the competence unit was not studying properly. I was not used to having such independent unit in the way of studying. I had the mindset that I could delay working on it until the end and just study at the last minute thinking, when I finish my notes I’m done. I was obviously very wrong. Next time, I really need to have the right mindset, and not cram. I should spread the work over time to better absorb the information.

Next time I want to prepare very differently. I was trying to make different things like brain frames to study better and I forgot to do the key thing. That was review. I did not review my notes enough. I simply made them and read over them once or twice. Next time I really need to make the notes early and focus on learning the information bit by bit.