Chapter 1: Knowing Students Well

There were many aspects of chapter 1 which surprised me, yet I believe the idea of "Teacher Tours" was the most surprising. I thought it was fascinating that the students were so self empowering that they were willing to bring teachers into their neighborhoods and expose them to the lives which these students led. Although the students strictly stated that a teacher arriving at their home for conferences or to check in would be an invasion of their privacy, these students were more than willing to show teachers who they were on their own time. I found this wonderful as I never believed that students would be so willing to take control of their own lives. I would love to work toward my students trusting me in such a manner that they would wish for me to truly understand the lives they lead.

This portion of the text jumped out at me as it reminded me yet again that students will willingly trust their teachers if they believe the teacher will not betray that trust. Similar to other aspects of the text, this shows that students are not hesitant to allow teachers into their lives as long as this transition is not forced upon the student. Many of the interviewed students expressed interest in sharing their hobbies with teachers, yet they did not want these teachers to cross boundaries by attempting to fit into a very different lifestyle than their own. However, if a teacher can establish a strong yet appropriate bond between herself and her students than she will be capable of reaching these students on a whole new level.