Throughout my life there have been many components that make
up my concept of self. Self refers to the unique set of traits, behaviors, and
attitudes that distinguishes one person from the next (137). My family,
culture, and my schooling have all been agents of my socialization. These
different concepts have been steps in my socialization as a member in society.
I have taken on many roles that allow me to have different opportunities to
experience different things that I look back on as making me who I am.
My middle school: Crosswinds Arts and Science |
Education was an experience that is a big part of what
shapes who I am now. I am very passionate about my education and that comes
from the different schools that have taught me how to work hard for positive
results. I went to charter schools until I was in 11th grade and
through that I got a unique form of education that other students might not
have gotten if they went to public schools. Once I entered into public high
school I knew that I was on my way to college. I took college prep classes and
was on the higher level of the tracking system. A lot of what schools taught me
is how to act in a scholarly setting. They taught me behavioral concepts such
as raising my hand to answer questions and to sit and face the teacher while
they were talking. My charter schools were also big on teaching us morals, one
of the main ones being how to interact with others and how to be a substantial
member of a community. One thing that I did learn is that charter schools
taught me how to think more critically than my public high school. So I was
able to be exposed to two separate ways of analyzing things in a cultural standpoint.
It has been a big part of how I have been socialized into a successful college
student.
My Family |
I grew up in a lower middle class household. When I was
younger both of my parents had substantial jobs where we were not strapped for
money. In this I was spoiled a little through classes such as Korean dancing,
softball, and other extra activities. Needless to say we were living somewhat
comfortably and I was a child that got what I asked for most of the time. Then
my dad lost his job which made us shift our way of living. This shifted the way
we looked at money and we were not able to have as many luxuries as we had
before. I learned quickly that if I wanted something I had to earn it myself.
The fact that my parents did not have much money to spoil me anymore made me
realize that you have to work hard for what you want. This has brought me to
where I am now, where I am paying for my own college education and working two
jobs. Seeing my parents struggle financially has taught me that success comes
from working hard and relying on yourself to get there.
My childhood church: Hope Evangelical Free Church |
Although I am not religious, I grew up in a household where
religion was very important. My parents taught me to be thankful for what we
had because God was the one who brought it to us. I was also taught my morals
through religion. I had a very strong sense of what was right and what was
wrong according to what I learned at church services. This religious upbringing
had a substantial impact on my socialization because it impacted what my
parents exposed me to as a child. These experiences were formed around what the
church believed was socially acceptable. This resulted in a very sheltered
childhood and I was not exposed to very much. As I grew up and had other world
views shared with me, my viewpoints changed. Like Newman mentions religion does
not have as much hold on society as it did in the past. I grew up and grew out
of my religion but it still has a huge impact on who I am as a person because
of what I learned in the past.
These three agents of socialization play a huge part in my
sense of self. As I grew up my past experiences and how I was raised impact who
I am now. I am continually exposed to different forms of culture that may
affect my views in the future. I am constantly being resocialized into new sets
or norms, values, and expectations each time I leave behind old social contexts
or roles and enter new ones (142). All these components play a huge part in my
sense of identity and I will continue to expand my growth as a person in
society.
Taty,
ReplyDeleteThis is a good post because it really ties in concepts like self, agents of socialization ,and resocialization with the whole idea of how your sense of self has been influenced throughout your life.
Your post is definitely very organized with key examples from three of the many agents of socialization that Newman mentions in the text.
I also like how you do a good job linking these concepts to your own experience such as how your viewpoints changed after being exposed to viewpoints outside of your religious experience. Good work!
Awesome post! I found a couple spots where you missed some commas, but overall it was fun to read.
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