Like me, I don’t even go outside after school, my mom and my dad they kinda old fashioned; they say, “well, you sit in the house Monday thru Friday, and Sunday.”

There was a lot to digest in this week’s readings but I chose this passage as it resonated most with me and my experiences as a learner. Growing up in Queens and reflecting as a young adult in high school, I would always throw blame on my parents for “not allowing me to have friends”. All throughout elementary school we were locked down to “never leave the block”; having friends over only existed in our imaginations. Because of this, the pattern extended for an embarrassing length of time into young adulthood. But just like in the reading, me and my brothers managed to get by in school without ever getting into trouble – it ended up being helpful.

This caused me to think deeply on how, just like in language, context means everything. While some kids are raised in ways I might not agree with, it might actually be better than the alternative given appropriate context. I might not be able to hide my initial reactions to certain things but I hope to develop an open-mind to the possibilities – a mindset that can only help form the kind of student-teacher bond that played a role in keeping those students on track.

Murray, C., & Naranjo, J. (2008). Poor, Black, learning disabled, and graduating. Remedial and Special Education, 29(3), 145-160.