1 Kevin Graham EPS 512 July 16, 2012 Identity Reflection Throughout my undergraduate work in the education department

at Loyola University Chicago, one question seemed to come up more often than any other: Who am I as a teacher? I have had plenty of time to reflect on this question through many papers, assignments, and through my student teaching experience. Even though I have done much reflecting about my identity in the past, I still believe that it is very important to continue to reflect on my identity so I always know who I am as an educator. I was raised in a small town with a population of around 19,000 people. This town was, and for the most part still is, predominately white and middle class. Like the vast majority of the other residents in my hometown, I was also raised in a white, middle class, Catholic family. The expectations and norms in my hometown were to be family oriented, get good grades, go on to college, and fit in. I attended Catholic school from when I was in preschool until I graduated from high school. All of my friends during grade school and high school were the same as me: white and middle class. There was not much diversity in my high school; I could count on two hands the number of African American and Hispanic students who attended my high school. Of the African American students, most were adopted or raised by white parents. High school did not allow me to experience any sort of diversity.

2 While I was in school I was a model of what a good student is. I received good grades, graduated in the top ten of my class, played multiple sports, was a part of several student organizations, and had lots of friends. There was no question of whether or not I would be accepted into college and then graduate four years later with honors, which I did. I wanted to do well in grade school, high school, and college. I want to do well in all areas of life, and I also want the same for others. I strive for setting goals and them meeting them. I do not give up easily. Attending college in Chicago was the first time I really experienced diversity. So many of the other students were from different cultures that were alien to me. While living in the dormitories, I was able to interact and make friends with students from backgrounds different from myself. It was both a wakeup and refreshing. I was no longer in a small town where I knew all of the norms and expectations that others would have. I had to learn how each culture places different values on things. For example, some cultures place family before all else, while others place more emphasis on be successful and working hard. I realized that it is always important to know who I am and who the person I am interacting with is. It is important to know your audience. I also realized that because of my status of white and middle class, I was often privileged to more opportunities than individuals from other cultures, races, religions, etc. While I was growing up, the sky was the limit; there was nothing that I would not be able to because of my race, culture, religion, etc. I was born into the privileged majority.

3 After graduating from college, I decided not to leave Chicago. I had had my taste of diversity and did not want to go back to a place that was seriously lacking in diversity. I enjoy interacting with people from all different cultures, religions, lifestyles, etc. One of the main reasons I decided to become a teacher in Chicago was so I could work with many diverse students. Teaching is one way that I will always have the opportunity to work directly with people from other walks of life. I believe that it will be difficult for me to relate to my students while teaching in an urban school. I was raised in a place that is almost the complete opposite of where many students are raised in Chicago. I was offered many more opportunities when I was growing up because I was born into a white, middle class family. Many of the students I will teach will most likely not have been offered any of these opportunities. I will most likely not have the luxury of being able to relate to my students through having common cultures, race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, etc. This means that I will have to work extra hard on finding other ways to relate to my students. I will have to learn who each student is as an individual before I am able to truly relate in some way. Once I find ways to relate to my students, I believe that I will be much more effective as a teacher. However, I also need to let students know who I am and where I came from. The students must realize that although I am from a different place, culture, race, or religion, we can still relate.