Maintaining the Bridge

Grimm's work reminds me that I have to keep the bridge intact between my working-class upbringing and the mainstream middle-class life I have today. One thing I do know from painful experience is that this issue never really gets fully resolved; I often feel myself to be on the sidelines in both worlds. Yes, I've learned to "code-switch," but it's not the same as being a full-fledged member, which is something I'm always thinking about when I teach. In fact, I may be more anxious than middle-class instructors about creating assignments and conferencing with students because I'm so hyper-aware of the consequences they face as they try to assimilate themselves into their disciplines and into the mainstream middle-class world.