Journal 1
1. In what type of family structure were you raised? What was the role/status of each member of the
family? How were decisions made? What social issues impacted your family? What other issues, if
any, affected the family?
2. What FUNDS OF KNOWLEDGE did you acquire from your family? (See p. 4-6 in your text.) Describe at
least 3 in detail. Which member of your family most influenced that knowledge? If you know your
Grandparents, do you believe this knowledge was passed down from them?
3. What experiences and influences have either helped or hindered your awareness and understanding of
diversity? Did you interact with people who did not share your
culture, language, religion, socioeconomic status, etc?
4. What is your IDENTITY? Today, who are you? What groups do you belong to? (Yes, you
ARE a member of several groups at least. Think about it.)
I was raised in a two-parent home, where my dad worked, and my mother was a stay at home mom. I
have one brother and one sister, and I am the oldest from my siblings. My mom would take me and my
brother to daycare and pick us up. My dad would come home from work around 5 and spend the rest of
the day with us. I remember waking up and my dad is already at work, my mom would make us
breakfast and then take us to school, and when she picked us up to go back home she would have lunch
and dinner ready for when everyone got home. I feel that both of my parents made decisions and who
ever made a better point, it went their way. It wasn’t where one always made a decision and the other
followed. A social issue that I believe impacted our family was unemployment. The company my dad
was working for in Germany, shutdown and a lot of people were laid off. Shortly after that my family
decided to move to the US in hopes of starting his own business.
Being the oldest of my siblings, I feel that more work was put on me than on my siblings. My parents
raised me to be independent by allowing me to go to the playground alone and come back home at a
pre-set time. They also taught me to be helpful by reminding me that my younger sister might not be
able “to tie her shoe yet” and that I should ask if she wants me to help her. Being sympathetic was also
taught by reminding me that my little brother might want “a bar of chocolate” as well and that I should
offer to split what I have. I feel that both my parents tried to teach me, but I think my mom was a bigger
college attending parent group. I believe that all the experiences I been through in life shaped who I
became today and put me in the groups I currently consider myself a part of.