Does “Midwest Nice” Belong in Classrooms? A Reflection for Educators
For many years, I believed I was serving all of my students equitably.
I taught middle school English Language Arts for twelve years and cared deeply about my students. I worked hard, built relationships, and tried to create a welcoming classroom. I assumed that being a caring teacher meant I was naturally being fair and inclusive.
But over time through my own learning and reflection, I realized something uncomfortable:
Good intentions do not automatically lead to equitable experiences.
That realization didn’t come from criticism or evaluation data. It came from examining how my own assumptions and background shaped the way I interacted with students.
The Culture We Don’t Realize We Carry
Every educator brings a cultural lens into the classroom.
Our upbringing influences what we think is respectful, responsible, or appropriate behavior. It shapes how we interpret things like:
- Participation
- Eye contact
- Time and deadlines
- Communication styles
- Authority and independence
Because these expectations feel normal to us, we often assume they are universal.
I grew up in small towns and growing suburbs across Wisconsin. Most of my neighbors, classmates, and teachers were similar to me: Christian, heterosexual, White, English-speaking, and able-bodied. When someone didn’t fit those categories, I noticed.
What I didn’t realize at the time was how much that environment shaped my understanding of the world.
Years later, someone asked me if I had any friends from different racial backgrounds growing up. I quickly said “no.” But weeks later I remembered two very close friends from college: one Mexican-American and one Asian-American.
I had known one of them since I was twelve.
She had become so “Americanized” in my mind that I had unconsciously categorized her as white. Our brains create shortcuts to make sense of the world. That’s human. But those shortcuts can also hide the assumptions we carry.
When “Midwest Nice” Creates Confusion
Growing up in the Midwest also shaped how I communicated with students.
I often started class by saying something like, “Would you please sit down? I’d like to start class.”
In my mind, that was a polite directive. But notice the wording; it’s actually phrased as a question.
Students from more direct households might hear that and think it’s optional and respond with something like, “No, I need to finish this.”
At that moment, I might have interpreted that response as disrespectful or defiant. But what if it was simply a cultural mismatch in communication?
I thought I was being clear and polite. Some students may have heard uncertainty or choice.
Without realizing it, my version of “Midwest nice” may have created confusion in my classroom.
The Difference Between Intent and Impact
Looking back, I know I wasn’t intentionally excluding or misjudging students.
But intention and impact are not the same thing.
If I interpreted certain behaviors as disrespectful when they were actually cultural differences in communication or expression, that could shape how I responded to those students including how often I corrected them, how I graded participation, or how I perceived their attitude.
Those small interpretations matter. Over time, they influence student experience and belonging.
Cultural Competence Is a Professional Skill
Teaching diverse learners requires more than caring about students. It requires awareness of the cultural lenses we bring into the classroom.
Cultural competence isn’t about knowing everything about every culture. It’s about developing the habit of reflection and curiosity.
Questions like:
- Why did I interpret that behavior the way I did?
- Could there be another explanation for what I’m seeing?
- How might this student’s cultural background shape their communication style or behavior?
- Are my expectations truly neutral, or are they based on my own upbringing?
These questions make us more responsive educators.
Growth Begins with Awareness
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is this: Being a good person and even being a caring teacher doesn’t automatically mean we are serving every student equitably.
Equity begins with awareness.
It requires the humility to acknowledge that our experiences shape our assumptions, and the curiosity to keep learning about how those assumptions show up in our practice.
Cultural competence isn’t about perfection. It’s about growth. Because once we begin to see the invisible influences shaping our classrooms, we gain the power to change them.
And that’s where more equitable learning environments begin.
