C.Aloe- 7/19 Reflection

I attended a suburban public school district from K-12, so our initial discussion about the various "isms" was very informative. Even though I am committed to teaching in urban schools, I cannot help but reflect on my experiences attending public school in the suburbs. With that said, perhaps we, as urban educators, need to take a step back and reevaluate our own perceptions of rural and suburban environments. I am certainly guilty of possessing negative perceptions of all 3 school environments, but the key is to acknowledge those biases. Our cohort frequently reiterates the importance of self-understanding, so let's continue to challenge each other to be honest with ourselves. Dr. Narcisse's presentation offered a critical perspective on the realities of confronting the social, racial, and economic issues plaguing the education system, but he did not linger on the problems. Instead he offered advice on how to put idealism into practice... and two words resonate with me above all else: "know thyself."