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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!) As an African American teacher, I feel that it is hard to tell Gina what to do in this situation. I do not think that Gina should worry about her legitimacy as a White teacher because what's more important is what's in her heart. If Gina loves teaching and working in a predominately Black school, that's all that matters. Gina could take the opportunity to teach students about difference and help them students embrace diversity. Just because the poem painted a picture of oppression and moved Gina, I don't think she needs to question anything; Gina should continue to do her job and maintain the level of optimism and purpose she had when she initially accepted the position. Gina shouldn't let anything or anyone make her doubt her purpose. |
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