The next section of the book focused on the role and relevance of race and relationship. It included a case study in which a white male teacher was teaching in the context of an urban school. Mr. Hall, a science teacher, described how he quickly realized that he couldn't teach content until he understood and acknowledged the students to whom he was teaching and the social context they were a part of (Milner, 2010, p. 50). He focused a large amount of effort on building relationships with each student and connecting to each student in a way appropriate for them. With some students it was harder than others. The book describes that one of the hardest things for Mr. Hall was to help his students understand that he was not attacking them personally, but that he was attacking their behavior (Milner, 2010, p. 51). Often, in his case, students would raise their voice and accuse him of not understanding or being racist. He noted that when students express their perceptions, they're expressing their realities (Milner, 2010, p. 51). One of Mr. Hall's strengths was responding to realities of students after gauging their perceptions. He had to listen to his students and knew that listening was an essential part of building a relationship with them. Another part of building relationships with his students was finding a way for students to connect with him (Milner, 2010, p. 53). Mr. Hall found that it was powerful to share personal stories that connected his own life to course content (Milner, 2010, p. 68).
One portion of Mr. Hall's case study that I connected with was the idea of being real with students. Mr. Hall told students that not every day is sunshine and roses. He was real about bad days, struggles, and recognizing those things within the classroom context (Milner, 2010, p. 54). When I think about the adults I have connected with most growing up, I realized that the adults I have trusted and built the closest relationships with are the ones who didn't sugar coat everything, but instead shared their real struggles with me. They did this in an appropriate way, of course, but regardless, I knew they were genuine. Our relationship included listening on both ends. In and outside of school these relationships were the ones I cherished the most and learned the most from. When I evaluate the relationships I have made with professors in college, it becomes clear that the professors who were real with me were the professors who got to hear about my real feelings, struggles, and hopes.
Regardless of students' struggles, bad days, misbehaviors, and outbursts, Mr. Hall commented that he made sure students knew that every day in his classroom was a new slate (Milner, 2010, p. 63). This statement immediately reminded me Lamentations 3:22-23 which says, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." In striving to love my students with a Christ-like love, following this example is essential. Looking past students negative moments and extending grace and mercy to them each day, continuing to strive to see them as God sees them is essential. When students receive this love, they will certainly recognize its difference in comparison to unforgiving parts of our world. Being consistent in this value will become a consistent presence of the love of God in the classroom.
I like that your book is a book and that it isn't seen in a textbook style diversity charge. I liked the way that the teacher in your book dealt with the situations in his classroom, by looking at the realities instead of the accusations that were mentioned above. This is something that we can all learn from. Understanding how to respond when students are yelling and fighting our help is important. Why even today a I had to discipline a student and so they decided to shut down instead of getting the help they needed. But after addressing the behavior and giving the student a chance to show competence the students confidence was back and they understood the material. This reminded me of how the teacher took a reality of what seem to the student as accusation. I like that the teacher made sure to remind the students that everyday they were given a new slate. Thats the kind of Grace that God has given us. The teacher here is showing the students love that they aren't used to in the form of Grace. Where as the author of my book makes the reader feel like they have done something wrong instead of recognizing Gods beauty in diversity. With the situation in the response above my author would agree with how the school setting was arranged, but would not understand how the teacher can take sure a low socioeconomic place and turn it into a place of grace.
ReplyDelete