First week visits

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This week we have the unique opportunity to visit several VERY different schools in both urban and rural settings. We've seen many types of students and teachers, ways schools operate, different school climates, etc. But how much of how we perceive about these schools is shaped by our own experiences, or lack thereof? How is our judgment reflected because of our experience?

-- Thomas D. Peacock (tpeacock@d.umn.edu), May 27, 1998

Answers

I believe our judgements of the school, teachers, and students we have visited this week are strongly reflected by our own experiences.

For example, many of us feared going to some of the inner-city schools because of what we have learned through the media and hear-say. Our perception was much different than our experience. On the other hand, once we had the opportunity to visit such settings, many of us were quick to make judgements on the other side of the pendulum (more positively) about inner-city schools. Some were quick to assume our experience at Patrick Henry was the usual case.

I think for students who had the needed support for their education it can be more difficult to understand the struggles of those students who lack that support. As in many situations it can be difficult to understand what you have not experienced yourself. I don't think this makes one a better teacher by any means, but the awareness that students come from different backgrounds and different family lives is crucial. The ability for teachers to recognize and work around those differences is a must.

-- Sheila Nyback (snyback@d.umn.edu), May 29, 1998.


In my opnion stated above, my intensions were not to speak for anyone else in the class and their personal experience. I should have used "my" and "I" instead of "we, most, or us". My apologies for my poor journalism. Sheila

-- Sheila Nyback (snyback@d.umn.edu), May 30, 1998.

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