Through the Eyes of Another

Reading this interview was extremely rewarding.  I completely appreciate Christina McVay's view regarding being able to learn from teaching Black Literature. 

Growing up in a predominantly white school setting, we were only exposed to a limited amount of Black authors and even the teacher really didn't know how to deliver the "message" of what was read.  We, the students had to "figure it out" for ourselves which left me to not really get a chance to appreciate Black Literature at all. 

I could only imagine how the students must feel to be able to "be themselves" and even more so appreciated for their culture, especially in a learning environment.  Christina McVay was correct when she stated "black students have been told by teachers, by the whole school system, frequently by their own parents, that black English was bad, improper" (94).  My mind suddenly went to the "code switching" that was discussed in Elaine Richardson's article "To Protect and Serve". 
Now McVay has created an environment for the students to be able to be themselves and not have to be concerned with whether or not they are speaking within the correct language code. 
Christina McVay also mentions that she has embraced a lot of different values by teaching Black Literature and that causes one to really thing about changing their "own world". 
Just because you were raised one way, as you get older, you can "change your view" if it does not align with your own values. 
Christina McVay is a wonderful example of being brave to step out and dare to be different and then be bold enough to declare her new love and appreciation for another culture.