Tuesday July 26th Reflection (Kono)

I found our discussion on the role of families in the educational setting as well as the gender differences in classrooms to be one of the most engaging and thought-provoking in out class thus far. I particularly enjoyed our small-group considerations of the particular effects in of differences of urban school settings on those same topics. I think that the readings were entirely applicable and provided a basis of knowledge that we could then apply to what we believe our experience will be as teachers. I found it particularly helpful to hear the contributions of the rest of the class regarding ways to engage parents more fully in the education of their students and in the school in general.

The video further provided necessary insight into school inequality that often passes by in our analysis of schools today. It is often easy for us to recognize what needs to be fixed now in schools, but I think we less often take into consideration the inequality of the past and utilize it in a beneficial and productive manner. Clearly, many of the issues we face right now stem from issues that were first brought to light long ago. The fact that we continue to seek solutions to these significant problems speaks to two things - 1) the ingrained attitudes that pervade school systems and 2) the energy and work that will be necessary to actively change them at a large and deep level. I know that we all possess it right now and the trick will clearly be to try to influence others because we will not be able to do it all alone.