The Public and Private Spirit of Engagement

Abstract

From the early days of my career as an educator, I recall a discussion with students about their service-learning experiences in the community. “What I learned is that I really don’t like poor people,” one student said, without rancor. Chuckles of acknowledgment could be heard around the classroom. As a young teacher trying to learn how to facilitate reflection, I suddenly saw a space open up in the conversation for possibilities. One student’s honesty had allowed all of them to consider, without the anxiety of judgment, what they thought about what was going on inside themselves. Something had happened. That something was civic engagement.