Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: White Intern in a Black inner-city school My sister, Gina, who is a young White girl, started her student teaching in a predominantly Black school in inner-city America. She initially approached her job with optimism and purpose. However, she began to experience her first doubts with the presentation of an emotionally charged poetry reading at an all-school assembly. The poem painted a picture of the oppression of the African Americans by the European American majority. My sister was moved by the poem and accepted the historical truth of its message. At the same, she said she wondered what educational effects of the poem were and whether it would affect her legitimacy as a White teacher in a Black school. She talked to me about her experience. I am an experienced teacher, but I could not answer whether poems like that have any educational value, and whether or not my sister should worry about her legitimacy as a White teacher. I don't what she should do in this specific situation. Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) This is a case that allows the importance of understanding and knowing others culture. Poetry and music are key forms of literature in the African American culture. Poetry allows the individuals to expression the emotions and feeling through writing. I would explain to her that this is a typical form of writing and expression in African American culture and that this is a great start to build upon the student's prior knowledge. For example, a great activity for students is to write an appropriate rap or song about particular educational retable topics that relate to the world. She should not emphasize on the topic or the meaning of that particular poem because it was just a merely expression of emotions about the historical truth African Americans faced and suffered during that time frame. I would then explain to her that she need to research the background of African American culture and understand that the students may be resistance during the initial meeting with her, but that has nothing to do with the reading of the poem. This is how majority of the students view authority, because so many teachers have taken for granted the authority role. I would then explain how to decrease the resistance by stating that allowing the students to help develop the expectations and procedures of the class is the foundation for creating positive learning environment.