Eric’s Comments (group member since Mar 18, 2014)

Eric’s comments from the #wellrED group.

Hello all! I hope I’m not too late to join the party.

My name is Eric Lundblade and I have crossed paths with Zac and Larissa and Ros a few times over my short career in education. I taught high school students at a neighborhood school in North Philadelphia, which has since been shut down. I am now teaching kids at a small Quaker boarding school in rural Ohio. Mostly I teach Humanities (US history and literature in a double-block). I strive to integrate the inquiry- and project-based curriculum I saw at SLA; and I also strive to integrate my many international students. Issues of cultural difference between myself and my students is - to use an old teacher’s “forbidden thesis” - “similar but different” to my time in North Philadelphia.

I read a few chapters of Delpit when I was getting my masters. And I always find it gratifying to return to seminal texts after a few years of experience. After a few years of teaching, I feel like I can see Delpit’s “good” and “bad” examples of teachers in clearer detail. I have a better understanding of both their motivations, their challenges, and their justifications. When I first read Delpit, I knew enough to view both as stereotypes. Now I can imagine more of the humane details.

One topic I am interested in exploring through this reading is the question of what legitimate authority looks like in a classroom. How do we as educators incorporate the languages, and cultures, and dialogues of our students, while still leading them forward in their goal of becoming conversant in multiple languages and codes? (Either “the language of power and privilege” or, simply, “conversational English”). I read "The Elements of Teaching" recently, and the chapter on compassionate, humane, and legitimate authority got me thinking about my own practice.

I am looking forward to participating the flesh this Wednesday!