Abstract
During my first semester at the university where I currently teach, one of my White female graduate students (whom I will call Lisa) approached me at the end of the second class and said, in the course of a brief exchange, "You're the first Black teacher I've ever had in my whole life." Somewhat taken aback by the comment, I responded, "Really, tell me about that." Obviously unprepared for my retort, Lisa stumbled through an answer that went something like this: "Well… you know … it's just that… I've lived all my life in New York City and I went to elementary school, high school, did a bachelor's degree, and now I'm doing my master's, and only now I have a Black teacher." To which I shot back, "Well, that's very telling, isn't it?"—a reply that I could see clearly made Lisa uncomfortabl. Lisa promptly tried to exit our conversation as politely as possible. It was an unsettling moment for both of us.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Color, Race, and English Language Teaching |
| Subtitle of host publication | Shades of Meaning |
| Publisher | Taylor and Francis |
| Pages | 23-36 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781134814947 |
| ISBN (Print) | 0805856609, 9780805856606 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2019 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Social Sciences