The Absolutely True Dairy of a Part Time Indian

What struck me about this book was the way that Junior transitions when he switches back from Reardan and his home. He has a personality in Reardan that is drastically different than his personality on the reservation. Even his name changes (Arnold-Junior). But that isn't uncommon for students in our schools, especially in minority populations. These students often are expected to act "white" in schools. Not that they are literally expected to change their skin color, but students are often expected to act in line with the American ideal of intelligent and engaged students. Some teachers don't acknowledge that students can show what they know without being the picture-perfect ideal of intelligence. Often, cultures are not as forceful as Americans are, instead relying on wait time or thinking time, before formulating an answer. And sometimes they don't answer out of respect.
I think the most important thing I can take from this book is that my students don't need to fit my view of intelligence and that my view of intelligence and engaged students needs to meet students where they are. I need to allow for student culture in the classroom, and not only allow but encourage it. Students have valuable experiences that need to be shared and acknowledged. And my job is to build a space where students can share and value each other's experiences, helping the Socio-Emotional Learning that is important that my students learn.

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