Michael+W.

Phase I: Who Am I? What's My Place?

If I had to describe myself in a few words, they would be: Honest, Creative, Compassionate, Inspired, Determined, and Open-Minded. I'm an American, and I like to think that I embody all the contradictions, sense of hopeful purpose and desire to not only accept change, but embrace change, that this country is and endeavors to be. I'm not religious, but I'm not without faith. I am keenly interested in developing my spirituality and fostering a relationship with God - who or whatever he/she may be.
 * What really makes up your identity?

In a local sense, I come from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, but a little village along the Delaware River called Byram in New Jersey is the source of the spring from which my sense of identify and place flows. It's a small community where everyone along the strip knows your name, and knows your family. Many of the people are in fact your family. It was a warm and familiar place that my heart - to this day - feels intensely connected to. In a broader sense, I'm an American - and everything that being an American involves. Not the flag waving, chest pumping shoot-first-ask-questions-later type of American that so much of the world (sadly) sees, or chooses to see. I'm an imperfect, idealistic, hopeful, progressive realist that seeks to better not only myself, but the people of my country. So many different cultures make up The United States, and its that diversity and difference of background and perspective that make this country so rich and full of promise.
 * What really makes up your sense of place?

I was born in the United States, but I have been abroad several times in my life. I've spent a significant amount of time in southern Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula, I've been to Guatemala, Peru, Ireland, and Canada - does Canada count? :) I believe in the awareness, involvement, and connection **to** all peoples in the world, **from** all peoples from around the world. Like the global community, I am proud of who I am, but realize I have a lot to learn from other people - particularly those who come from backgrounds dramatically different from my own.
 * What roles do your identity and sense of place play when you work with others in a group project?

I have strong affinity and connection to blue-collar values. I believe in honesty, hard work, and keeping an open-mind - and all of these things are important in doing a project of any kind - group-based or otherwise. I think that my perspective is unique to my experiences and believe they are and will prove valuable to any and all discussion upon which my group chooses to engage.
 * What are the qualities that you bring to the GLIP conversation that will help you make a contribution to your global group?

Well right now, I live and work in a rural community in North Carolina called Henderson. It's a low-income community and this is my 3rd school year here. If I could address one problem in this community that I'd like to address, it's community pride and involvement within the school system. Because it's a relatively impoverished area, there seems to be - from some people, not all - a dark cloud that hovers over the psyche of the folks that live here. You've got houses that are abandoned, condemned, and otherwise falling apart in almost every direction you look, you've got children growing up in an area where violence and criminal actives are commonplace, and you've got a cohort of students that simply don't believe in themselves - at least in an authentic sense. As a teacher, individually I can do the most with that last one in terms of helping these children believe not only in themselves, but believe what they have to offer is valuable and important. As a community of teachers, we can do this on a wide scale as well. As a group involved in this GLIP project, it will help me to gain a better understanding of how to go about approaching people that may not necessarily be a part of the culture in which you were raised - even if that culture is within the same country.
 * What is one local problem (where you live) that you believe needs to be addressed? Suggest some steps could you take to try to solve it?

You need a sense of purpose, determination and belief that things CAN change for the better. You've got to be organized, but willing to go with the flow, you need to make connections, but in a meaningful and non-condescending way. I'm not superman, and I'm not trying to save anyone. I'm simply trying to gain a perspective with which I'm not familiar with, and perhaps give the people of this community a sense of my own.
 * Finally, some problems have been around for a long time. What qualities do you think a person must have to step up and try to solve them?

Phase II: Sense of Place

Upload image (s) here:



This picture represents who I am, and my sense of place - but is not in fact the place where I grew up, or even the place to which I have such a strong affinity (Byram, NJ) This is a photograph I took of Falls Lake in Raleigh, NC. This is the place I work at in the summer when I have my time off from being a teacher. It reminds me of my childhood along the river, and reminds me that even though I may be in a new place, that sense of beauty, history, purpose and community can be found almost anywhere.

Use these questions to help you determine which picture shows someone else why your “place” is so special to you.
 * Does a scenic picture represent the beauty you believe that your town has?
 * Does a picture of a group of people represent and show a warmth and friendliness that your town has?
 * Does a statue or building convey the feeling of history that makes your place important and unique?
 * Is there a cultural event that represents the values of your home location?

What are your initial thoughts about how your image addresses the questions above? Later, you will be working with the members of your group to create a travel package that includes visits to each group member's home location (see Phase II )

I think that the image above conveys a sense of serenity and peacefulness, coupled with the desire and importance of change - why change, you ask? What you're looking at is Falls Lake - which prior to 1980, did not exist. It was created out of the Neuse River, which still flows through it, and plays an integral part of the cultural and biological ecosystem of this area. But Falls Lake has taken on a culture of its own as well - a testament to the importance of recognizing the need for change, and evolving/adapting to the circumstances that we as a people, as a country, and as a global community in which we find ourselves.

Phase III: Identify Local Issue:

What is your local issue? My local issue that I would like to address is the community involvement (or lack thereof in many cases) in and throughout the school system, and the lack of self-pride in the hearts and minds of many of the students who attend my school.

What can you do to address the issue? As a teacher, I am working with children after school in various clubs and activities, and also endeavor to engage them in one-on-one conferences on a regular basis. I try to be professional with the kids, but also accessible. I make a conscious effort to hear me, and know me and an individual, and help them to realize that we have as much to teach in this life as we have to learn.

What is the global impact of your local issue? By helping to give these kids a sense of pride in their identity, they'll grow and mature and become a part of a true global community that is - even as I type this - rapidly evolving and changing.

Add these thoughts to your Group's Discussion Forum on Local Issues