As the semester is winding down, and I am becoming steps closer to being a real life teacher, conversations like the ones that I was able to have tonight are a great reminder that I am not alone. During the first portion of the class where we took some time to reflect on areas that we feel we are weak in, I was a little bit worried that others would not feel the same way about the topics that I had chosen. I was quick to speak up and self identify the areas that I feel I am weakest in and found that I was not alone. Personally, it was a good reminder that I may assume others have a better handle on something than they really do, and the only way to know that they also have questions is to speak up.
Considering again the type of bias that I may bring to a situation, I was reminded tonight that I consistently need to be self evaluating how I am walking into any situation. As someone who is not against working in a Title I school, I need to be extremely aware of the cultural differences that I may have from the moment I step foot into the community. Helpful reminders like the conversations tonight are a great way to see the areas that I have to grow and learn in!
Caroline, I loved reading your reflection. What was most powerful to me is you realizing that you are not alone in your insecurities! I wish more people could find the strength you noted in not feeling like you are the only one! So many of us (me included) feel this way sometimes and the negative power of this holds us back. I am also glad that you are more cognizant of the inherent bias you bring to the classroom. We cannot help it! We all have backgrounds that are different from each other. The best thing to do is to own that fact and be open and accepting of what is around us. We learn from each other this way.