Broadening your circle is one of the most powerful ways as a person and educator to understand the perception/point of view of students in the classroom. The times I have been most challenged to grow and learn are when I have put myself in new situations where I feel people notice me because I am new, don’t belong, and do not fit in. For the most part, people are welcoming and not really thinking about me at all. It opens me to new conversations and windows into other cultures. Being the outsider is a huge challenge for all of us and I do well to remember this with my interactions with my students.
