Identity and Learning

I assume that everyone’s life story isn’t complete without a perceptual saga to carry around to shape us as a beings.

Lately, I have been delving deep into my memories and developing associated meanings around the significant experiences I have had in my life. 

This process has made me realize that I have not fully acknowledged certain events in my life and by not doing so, I have been living a life that has been personally filtered by my own discretions (in that I let myself come to terms with only the things I consciously want to come to terms with).  Thus, I have potentially created a superficial lens through which I view the world at times.

Thinking of this revelation in terms of what it means for me as a teacher, I believe it means that it is important for me to understand this happenstance in the context of my students' lives.  Maybe they at times, don't acknowledge certain experiences (or lack thereof) in their life which  inherently guide the choices they make when it comes to their learning.  Conversely, perhaps they bring a perspective of themselves into the classroom that is a result of over-acknowledging experiences.   

It seems that this can be quite complicated, but overall, I think it is important for my students to be in tune with who they are, how they interact with others, and how they learn as a result of all of their experiences throughout life.   It is important for me to provide opportunities for them to be both reflective and accountable as learners in the classroom but also to let them know that the person they are, created through the good, the bad and the ugly happenings in life, is just the person they are suppose to be.