Caitlin Sherlock April 14, 2013 Community Walk Before I began my residency at Orr Academy High School, my co-resident

and I walked around the neighborhood in order to complete our first community walk assignment. Before we wet on our walk, I was warned by several people, inside and outside of the AUSL program, that the community was extremely dangerous and that it was not safe to be walking around there. Naturally, the warnings about the neighborhood instilled some fear and hesitation; however, I tried very hard to not go into the community or the school with negative preconceived notions. When my coresident and I were walking around the neighborhood, I was more concerned about getting the information I needed for the project and then leaving. I did not notice any major communal assets or positive aspects of the neighborhood, but I believe the reason for that is because I let others opinions obstruct my view of the positive. In addition to dwelling on the negative, I also failed to really see the connection between the community and my future students. I never really acknowledged that this is where my students are coming from. Failing to see that connection caused some major disconnect in the beginning of the year. I was unaware on how to best plan instruction for my students and it took experience from community involvement to do so. On the contrary, when Steve Lin and I completed the second community walk, it was a whole new realization and more meaningful. Now that I have created respectful and successful relationships with my students, seeing the neighborhood where they come from puts me in the learners position. Since the beginning of the year, I am more

familiar with the community organizations and hang outs of the students. For example, knowing the effort that the students put forth at the YMCA for service learning adds a new appreciation and now I see the YMCA as a crucial communal asset. Also, during the first community walk, I viewed the Burger King as being a lousy place with terrible food; however, I learned that the Burger King is where our students go to socialize and a few do homework there after school. Through the second community walk, I was reminded on how grateful I am for my students and how proud I am of them. The first community walk was deluded by others bias and nave thoughts ; as a result, I am extremely thankful for the opportunity for a second community walk because it made me make the true connections between the community and students. After this community walk, I realized that the community could have a significant impact on school reform. As mentioned, the YMCA is a successful and meaningful way to get students involved in service learning. If the neighborhood provided more opportunities for students, community members, and faculty to bond and learn from each other, it would be making the right steps in the right direction for school reform. An asset that I may capitalize on in order to build a strong classroom and community relationship is to continue implementing community based programs like CeaseFire and BuildOn in my instruction. Orr Academy High School has done a fantastic job in creating relationship with community-based organizations and I believe that it is important to continue those relationships for the students and the community. A barrier that I may work through is trying to find a way to inform people of the progression Orr

Academy High School has made, so that what happened to me before the first community walk does not happen to anyone else.