Special Education
” There’s kids who wanna leave and I encourage them. Go out and see the world, never return from. Yeah, you don’t come back until you learn some” – I’m Beaming, Lupe Fiasco
I chose the above quote by Lupe Fiasco because it really resonates my experience in America as a whole so far. I’m really fortunate with this whole Year Abroad experience because I’m able to really see American life and culture not only first hand through living here in Philadelphia and travelling to neighbour states but most importantly through the learning aspect.
What I’m learning and being introduced to here is influencing my thought process in so many ways, it really is mind-blowing and I’m having to alter my perceptions and pre-dispositions in order to allow these new ideas in and let them grow alongside my own thoughts. The beauty of the African American studies here at Temple is that it encompasses so many topics and angles in order to teach you about African American people and the black lived experience here in America.
There are classes that focus specifically on the African American and African in areas of Psychology, Philosophy, Literature, Music, Dance, Gender, Photography – you name it and I guarantee there is a subject through which you can explore the African American experience. People may criticise and say that’s way too much and why does it need such focus but in order to dissect a culture, you need all those angles.
I’ve just started my second and final semester at Temple and I know already that more than anything I’m going to miss the education aspect when I go back home.
Although I’ve just come off an extremely long, tiring and strenuous term and although it looks as if the upcoming one will be the same – this is the aspect I am truly going to miss the most. In my experience there is something quite unique about the way and the standard of teaching is conducted here. My opinions about this come heavily from being so involved and so in awe of the AAS department here as they have embraced me so heart-fully and in the case of some exceptional Professors taken the time to teach me outside in the classroom and educate me on Philadelphia life.
As well as that I do believe that the American way of things in education leads and is more susceptible to student contact and interaction and open-ness. I’m not saying come here and learn in America and you can suddenly feel liberated in education and have a great rapoor with your educators, that’s not it all. It’s just the American way of things that I have experienced at Temple is built more around student interaction and involvement. I think this is the first time I haven’t felt like I have a price tag over my head and that I am truly getting value for money – if I was paying these ridiculously priced fees. Here at Temple my breadth of knowledge has increased and I’m able to create and write things that I never could before.
I’ve made a documentary on and could possibly be writing my dissertation on the effects of sneaker culture – I mean come on! My ability to do both of these has come from being at Temple.
It may sound as if I’m totally bashing the British way of things but that is not my intention as certain parts of the American system are not all rosy and great. I’m purely commenting on the social,personal and intellectual level of teaching here because that’s what I crave for and what I have had to really hold onto as being the saving grace for this American college madness.
Lupe says, “Don’t come back until you learn some” and sometimes I feel like lying and saying I haven’t learnt a damn thing, in order to stay here longer. But I know there is a great benefit of being here for my third year as I can go back and approach my last year with tenacity and encompass all these new ideas, thoughts and approaches to my discipline.
I want to be as energised back home as I am here!