While discussing a text about Indigenous boarding schools, I asked the class to think about any similarities they noticed between what they were reading and modern day schooling practices. One of the more popular students spoke up, directly addressing her classmates, stating "no offense, but you all try to act white or dress white to act cool." This was not the response I had anticipated, and I felt out of my depth facilitating a discussion about how whiteness impacts my students of color. Though the theme of whiteness connected the student’s comment to Indigenous boarding schools, the comment also felt like a personal attack on her classmates. I was conflicted as to whether I should redirect the discussion or allow it to continue. Clearly, other students were engaged by this comment. Yet, I worried it would be hard to bring the discussion back to Indigenous boarding schools.
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Sigal
10th Grade
US History
Third Year Teaching
Unpack This Teacher’s Dilemma
- What is the teacher's dilemma? Consider the teacher's goals, possible actions, beliefs about the situation and the students, and their own self-perceptions.
- Complete or modify the following sentence in a way that captures the teacher's central tension in the situation: "While on the one hand, the teacher believed/wanted/felt/did , on the other hand, they believed/wanted/felt/did ."
Unpack Your Own Dilemma
- Thinking about your own classroom, how do you respond when students’ comments become too personal and threaten your instructional goals?
- As you navigate similar dilemmas, what are your goals, beliefs, self-perceptions and the possible actions you can take?