Different Shoes!
World Thinking Day is a day to show appreciation for diversity in our community and around the world. It is a day to accept differences between people of all cultures and backgrounds and to recognize that our similarities are greater than our differences. With this day near the beginning of my year working at SMK Labis, I took the opportunity to teach my students about diversity and the importance of accepting people’s differences and similarities.
Although we are all physically different, we are also all the same. I have light skin; you have darker skin. I am from the United States; you are from Malaysia. I am American; you are Malay, Indian, Chinese, Orang Asli. We may look different and act different, but we can still work together. We can still understand each other and learn from each other. We can be friends and value each other for who we are, for both our differences and our similarities.
The thought came to me on Monday night. With World Thinking Day occurring on Friday in the United States, I knew I needed to work quickly. That night I drafted a letter for my school’s headmaster and in the morning I requested his permission to implement this project with the students. With permission granted, I began preparations. I had two of my classes make flyers to post around the school promoting World Thinking Day. Throughout the week, I taught my students about diversity and culture, World Thinking Day, and why and how we would be celebrating the day this year.
A key feature of World Thinking Day is the wearing of two different shoes, hence the day also being known as Different Shoe Day. On Friday, all of my students were supposed to wear two different colored shoes as a visual representation of diversity. They also had to sign an agreement to value differences between all people on this day and every day.
Students participating in World Thinking Day
My fellow English teachers
Over 125 students and 10 teachers, including all of the English teachers, came to school wearing different shoes on Friday, 22 February 2013, daring to overcome any embarrassment and discomfort by doing something unusual. Since I do not teach every class in the school, many students were not aware of World Thinking Day and the reasoning behind wearing different colored shoes. Thus, my students had to explain the significance of the day and of wearing two different types of shoes. Many students could not believe I would make them do such a strange thing, but in the end, I think they understood and were willing to share the importance of the day with their friends.
Malaysia is a very diverse country. Every day the students must interact with individuals of different races, religions, beliefs, and customs. And yet every day we see cooperation, friendship, communication, and acceptance. Every class I teach has Malay, Chinese, and Indian students; Muslim, Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist students; students of different shapes and sizes, interests and hobbies; yet every day we work together. This is the message I wish to share with my students all year – even though we are different in many ways, we have just as many similarities.
Pledging to Accept Differences
Agreement to Value Differences
To those of you who are different from me,
I promise:
To learn about you,
To understand you,
To befriend you,
To value you and your differences,
And to appreciate that our
Similarities are larger than our differences.
Students participating in World Thinking Day
My class Form 4A
Click here to watch a short video about World Thinking Day at SMK Labis
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