Self-Assessment

As this semester draws to a conclusion, I am inclined to consider what I have learned in the previous fifteen weeks in terms of myself, public education and teaching. Coming into this class I had put little or no thought into the former, while my opinions in regard the latter two have been to various extents both reinforced and challenged.

In terms of myself, I have realized more and more the extent to which my own unique culture will impact the kind of teacher I become. As an outsider I have always known that this will play a role in the classroom, however I always anticipated it would be a challenge to be overcome, rather than a positive force. I have learned that not appearing as part of “the system” can potentially impact upon my ability to relate to my future students.

Similarly, my work on the Community Inquiry Project has opened my eyes up to both the problems facing urban areas, but also the challenges faced by immigrants and English language learners. From something I had never really considered, to a factor at the forefront of my mind as I enter the teaching profession, it has had a major impact on me. I have learned that I want to do whatever I can to make a difference. To begin with, I would very much like to work in a school district with a substantial number of immigrants or children of immigrants, whether urban or suburban. After years of joking that I could barely speak English, so why bother trying to learn another language, I am putting serious thought into taking up lessons in one. Without this class and the research project, I would never have considered it. As it stands, I am currently torn between Spanish and Hindi given that most immigrants into New Jersey come from either Latin American countries or India.

In terms of public education and teaching, I have learned just how severe the problems faced by urban schools are, but also that all is not lost. The Schultz book, Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way, revealed that turning things around and empowering students is not something that only happens in feel-good movies. Nevertheless, I have a greater awareness of what I would face were I to find work in an urban school. The Fruchter text was certainly an eye-opener in terms of the challenges both schools and individual teachers face, while LaRue’s Unequal Childhoods made me realize the extent to which students face vastly different problems. It is one thing to say that all students are unique, but I think that this work hit home the point that each of my future students will face very different challenges that I will have the opportunity to guide them through while I am teaching them.

In fact, I have learned in far more stark terms than I have previously considered the importance of being a mentor as well as an educator is to the role of a teacher. It is something that I will take into any classroom – if I can not only give students knowledge, but also a sense of community and security, I will have done a pretty good job.

One of the initial things I pondered upon beginning this class was whether or not I would consider myself able to work in an urban environment. Given all the clichés and stereotypes that I encountered only in the form of television and movies (and, some time later, from discussing things with current urban teachers) I came into the class somewhat cynical about this. Four months later I do not think I can offer a solid rebuttal to my initial qualms, but I am certainly a lot more open-minded. Were I to find myself placed in an urban school for my student teaching, I would, perhaps, be more inclined to see a positive challenge than a cause for panic. That, I suppose, is a step in the right direction.