Many of my students don’t have internet at home. They occasionally will use their wireless data and Google Docs on their phones to catch up on missing work. I have never experienced anything like this, so I decided to walk in their literal footsteps.
I gave myself an at-home essay assignment and while I could have written it by hand, typing just seemed like a better option. So, I did what I had to do, I started walking. My students typically do not have rides to get places after school, so I decided to walk as they would. Upon reaching the library, logging in with my library card number (another hurdle some of them might face), and settling down to type, I realized a few things. One. Getting anything done in that library is a challenge. I felt uncomfortable sitting next to people I didn’t know, seeing people in the library that I did know, and not getting distracted by the conversations of others. If I were a student, I would have to really focus. Two. Even though my students don’t receive electronic homework assignments, they might have questions that only the internet may be available to solve. This definitely gives an advantage to students who have this technology at their fingertips. I gained a lot of empathy in regards to what it is like for some of my students. I think I will start trying to provide students more time to ask questions when they have a homework assignment.
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Teaching in a small, rural community, my students do not have much perspective of beliefs, experiences, and cultures that are outside of or different from their own.
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Jennifer StirlingThis is my #MAET journey! Thanks for reading! Archives
August 2020
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