Remember that song they used to sing on Sesame Street 'One of these things is not like the other one, one of these things just doesn't belong'? Well that was what was going through my head yesterday as I caught a subway into the Bronx Borough of New York. Tom, who I am staying with, works as a Maths Consultant for about 10 schools located in the Bronx and he had invited me to come with him and visit a school. On the ride there I became increasingly aware that I was the palest skinned, blondest person in our subway car. This became even more obvious as we left the subway and walked down Fordham Rd, the main Strret of the Bronx. I was conscius of how I looked, how I walked and how I spoke. I was accuetely aware that I had stepped out of my comfort zone. Once we got to school and made it through the metal detectors I was signed in and introduced around. Staff members were very friendly and welcoming and were happy to have me visit their classes. Inside these classes I witnessed some of the best teaching I have seen in my career. Great practictioners who have created fantastic learning environments for their students and believe me the students are rising to meet the high expectations being set. One of the campuses of the school I visited was called 'The West Bronx Academy for the Future'. What a great name for a school!
When I finally left the school and walked (by myself) back up Fordham Rd to the subway station I did not feel as awkward or out of place. I moved beyond my own sense of strangeness and instead saw this as the community of those children, the Community that they will grow up in, the community that they will help to shape in the future. Suddenly it didn't seem so foreign any more.
No comments:
Post a Comment