Rosalind’s Comments (group member since Feb 05, 2014)

Rosalind’s comments from the #wellrED group.

Hello everyone. My name is Rosalind. I teach students in Philly. Sometimes, when I write about things, I forget how much actual physical space the words I can cram into a minute of talking take up, so I apologize in advance if my comments seem long-winded. I also apologize for dangling modifiers. My mother would be horrified.

I read this book once a few years ago, and remember thinking, "Oh dear god, am I like the teachers she describes in the introduction?" (Scenes 1, 2, and 3). Even now, revisiting those words, I find myself combing over recent events at school, with my students, and performing a mini-inquisition on myself to try to examine my intentions, my words, my expectations, my actions.

I think that right there gets to the heart of what I am hoping to gain from reading this again and discussing it with such a fine group of educators. In the introduction, this quote particularly struck me: "Yet they are totally unable to perceive those different from themselves except through their own culturally clouded vision." I am hoping to gain clarity, or at least try to explore the things that may be clouding my vision, the assumptions I'm making, and better understand how to do what's best for my wonderful students, whether they be the ones Delpit examines specifically, or not.

I look forward to talking to you all.