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!) I think poems such as the one mentioned in the scenario certainly have educational value even if a teacher or student happens to agree or disagree with their message. One of the wonderful things about poetry and literature is its ability to accurately convey emotion and spark discussion and debate. While it may be difficult or uncomfortable for a white teacher in a predominantly black inner-city school to approach an issue like this, in my own experience (which was very similar... minus the poetry) the sooner a teacher can demonstrate to students of different backgrounds that they are open to their perspectives, the sooner they will develop a relationship and real learning can begin. I don't personally feel that any teacher should worry about their legitimacy as a teacher for any reason beyond their competence as a teacher. While there are often initial bumps and barriers between teachers and students of different backgrounds, once students figure out that their teacher knows what they are doing and will bend over backwards to help them be successful, those issues tend to dissipate. Being open and understanding in situations like the one mentioned above doesn't hurt either.