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!) Explain to your sister that yes the poem has educational value. Students have to understand where they came from to be able to understand where they are going. This poem was painting a picture of the oppression of African Americans by the Europeans which is something that really did happen and is an important part of our history as well as the history of African Americans. Also explain to your sister that he poem should not have any effect on her legitimacy as a white teacher. Would she feel this way at a majority white school? Probaly not. As educators it is very important to stay focused on our task and not allow are emotions to get in the way of doing our job successfully because there are times when we as educators we will be put in situations that make us feel uncormfortable. Since she is an aspiring teacher she needs your support to help her stay positive during this time