The Contact Zone

I think that Reinventing English is a book I will have to buy. The first chapter was so easy to read and motivating that I can't imagine what the rest of the book is like. At first, I didn't know what was meant by "contact zone" when it first appeared on our syllabus and in our class, but having this chapter as some background, it makes a little more sense. Students need to be pushed and their views need to be expanded, but they need to feel like they are in a safe, healthy environment before they do so. I think the only time I ever experienced learning like this was in a World Literature course my senior year of high school. There were maybe 12 students in my class and we had this very strange kind of bond and understanding. Our class discussions were on-going and I hated when the class was over. I loved everything we read and I bought all the books. Some of them I really want to teach because they discuss different cultures and emphasis different social values. I think the idea of the contact zone makes sense. I want students to feel like they can change and munipulate and learn about themselves and their beliefs and values. I think all people want that. I think that a classroom is a great place for that to happen. I had a teacher who helped me with that and I want to be that teacher for someone.