1. Why did you come to adelphi?

3. Why do you value yourself as a person?

4. What are your thoughts about this class and what did you learn?

5. What is one thing that stood out to you from this class? 

6. How are you going to use what you learned in this class throughout your life? 

Questions:

1. What are your main goals in life?

2. Why did you come to Adelphi?

3. Why do you value yourself as a person?

4. What are your thoughts about this class and what did you learn?

5. What is one thing that stood out to you from this class?

6. How are you going to use what you learned in this class throughout your life?

1. Is there a mentor figure during your educational career that has had a lasting impact on you?

2. Was your school experience one that was uplifting and helped encourage your growth or an experience that limited you and facilitated areas of injustice (Racism, discrimination, social & economic inequality, etc.)?

3. In what ways do you believe your experiences in primary and secondary education influenced your choice to pursue higher education?

4. What role did your family play in helping you succeed in school? Did anyone else other than your family help? 

5. How did the experiences of your friends, classmates, or community in school shape the way you think about diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities in education?

1.How did your early schooling experiences shape your identity and your view of education?

2.What role did your parents or guardians play in your educational journey?

3.Did school feel like a place of freedom or fear for you?

4.How did teachers or school staff influence who you are today?

5.How have your views on education, equity, and inclusion evolved through this course and your peers' experiences?

Q1: Have you had any teachers that have encouraged you to go into the teaching profession?  Whether it was a teacher that ignited a passion from within you, or a teacher who was so frustrating that you knew you could do a better job in helping the next generation of students.

• Lawrence: Yes I have. I had a class in high school that was about coding and I felt I was more knowledgeable in that compared to my peers. My teacher saw this and felt I could be an aid to the class so every now and then while doing projects, I would usually finish early. This would prompt me to help those around me who were struggling. It was very fulfilling to guide these students to completing their projects and being the one to do that made me consider becoming a teacher or at least a tutor. Currently I don’t carry the same enthusiasm, however it showed me the efforts teachers go for their students.

• James: Yes I have. One teacher that has stood out to me was my 11th grade science teacher.  He always genuinely cared about me as a person, and I felt that it made his lessons far more engaging.  He would always take a few minutes to ask how his class was doing, and knew his students on a personal level.  However, he always knew when to shift to a more serious tone while he was teaching a more serious subject

Q2: A great teacher can drastically change one’s schooling experience. With the emergence of technology in schools, especially the introduction of AI, how do you think the role and effectiveness of a teacher will be affected? Are we moving towards an era of students preferring self-education over learning in a classroom?

• James: Think this is a great question.  As technology continues to grow and become a part of our everyday lives, I think it's important we grow and adapt with it.  While AI can play a role in education, there are far too many things that it cannot do as well as a human can.  Younger students will still need a teacher present to help guide them with more basic skills such as reading and writing.  Older students will also need their teachers to help guide them as they face their assignments in a world where AI is present.  However, teachers provide far too much value to the education experience that, as it stands, AI is simply a tool that can improve a students' experience.

• Lawrence: Being born in an era of growing technology, I felt as if the continued involvement of technology in the classroom has been overall positive. Though it has become a helpful tool for both teachers and students, the emergence of AI has definitely shown how it can replace educators. AI has been able to teach quicker and be a good source of information, however I still believe teacher to student connection is important to foster a necessary environment for students to learn social skills as well as become involved in their communities.

Q3: How have your parents played a role in your education?  Were they very concerned about your grades, or did they take a more hands off approach?

• Lawrence: My parents have played a good role in guiding my education. Although they did stress my grades, they knew and believed I could achieve whatever I set my mind to. They often stressed the importance of extracurricular activities but didn’t specify what I should do, just do whatever you can. All in all I feel they helped me gain the necessary mindset that carried into being a student for life.

• James: A very popular saying is that your parents are your first teachers, and I think that phrase is very true for me.  I try to live my life in the way that my parents have taught me to.  They always put an emphasis on being respectful to those around me, especially my teachers.  In addition they always wanted me to be focussed on my studies, and make sure I took school seriously.  They always supported me no matter what I was doing in life.

Q4: In your opinion, what role should schools play in addressing broader social issues like discrimination, poverty, or mental health?

• James: I think it is very important that schools take these subjects very seriously.  If a student feels unsafe in their environment, it would be very difficult for them to stay focussed and engaged in the classroom.  It is important that a teacher keeps tabs on these issues, and facilitates their class in a way that promotes democracy.  I think above all being aware of these issues, and making sure students feel safe in their classroom shows that a teacher genuinely cares about their students as people and learners.  Also, I feel that a classroom environment is something that can go overlooked, and if you can create an environment that promotes safety and equality, you can greatly elevate students' learning experience.  

• Lawrence: I believe the school environment should be a place that addresses these serious social issues. The broad scope of students that can face issues such as these is something that’s very sensitive to experience and I believe schools, being a place where you stay for a good chunk of your developing stage, should help address these issues that are so evident in the world. Although they should be addressed, I feel that it shouldn't be a priority and that education should be the main focus of schools. I just think that these are issues that shouldn’t be ignored and with the help of educators and administrators, schools can be able to safely educate students on these issues.

Q5: What is your opinion on the advancement of social justice in schools?  For example all gender restrooms, safe spaces, or free lunches.

• Lawrence: I think the advancement of social justice in school is important in fostering a safe school environment. The role of school is to be a place where students can learn and promote creativity in learning, and I believe that if we make the school environment that doesn’t include for all types of students, it defeats the purpose of education. These social justice issues are evident in our day to day especially in this era of acceptance of all, and I believe schools should continue that space as it is something that is becoming more and more welcomed in work environments.

• James: I believe these are all important advancements for schools to have.  As we have mentioned previously, social justice is an important part of the school system.  Designing your school in a way that allows students to feel safe to learn everyday is ideal.  Specifically on the topic of free lunches.  Some students are going to be more focused on where their next meal is coming from, rather than even thinking about school itself.  It is important that the school finds ways to support students like this, and provides them with the necessary resources to elevate their learning experience.

1. How has your education and schooling experience influenced the way you see education? 

Chiara: My education and schooling experiences influenced the way I see education because my school relied heavily on technology. Since we were in kindergarten we were given ipads and chrome books to complete our school work on. We completed all school work and home work on our devices everyday and this was our main way of learning. 

Caitlin - My education and schooling has definitely shaped the way I see education now. I had a bunch of really good teachers throughout my years in school which made learning for me really enjoyable. Because of these teachers i was able to see education as something that can help students grow academically and as a person. 

2. What were your parents/guardians’ goals for you? 

             Chiara: My parents goals for me was to succeed in school in all aspects without feeling the weight of handling honors and advanced classes at such a young age. My parents wanted me to go far with my education and end up in a good college so that I could have a bright and successful future.

Caitlin- My parents goals for me was for me to finish out school and see me succeed. They never wanted to force me into doing anything and would support all my decisions academically. Their one main goal for me was to go off to a good college and get a degree. 

3.  What was your parents/guardians’ role in your education?

          Chiara:My parents' role in my education was a big one. They were heavily involved in my education. My mom completed my homework with me everyday to make sure i was reaping all the benefits of it and completing all of my home work to the best of my abilities. 

Caitlin- My parents were always there if I needed help with any type of school work. If i ever needed help with a project that required me to do some stuff outside of school they were always ready to help. They would always proof read all my homework as well to make sure i had no mistakes. 

4. Was school a place that you felt safe and free or was it a place of judgment and fear?

              Chiara: School was definitely a place that I felt safe and free. The way my school district works is that we go to school with the same kids from pre k to 12th grade. Going to a school that worked in this way I believe was beneficial since we all became close and comfortable enough with each other that school was able to be a safe place for all and we were able to attend school without judgment and fear. 

Caitlin- I enjoyed the school that i went too, I never felt judged and i was never scared. I stayed in the same district my whole life. My district was also very small so everyone knew each other and was close. 

5. What did your goals and aspirations look like when you were younger? 

Chiara: When I was younger my goals and aspirations were to become a teacher just like my mom. I always had a passion for learning and school and knew that going into the teaching field was the right fit for me.

Caitlin- when I was younger my goal was to continue playing lacrosse and play at the collegiate level and become a coach. My dad played lacrosse in college and coached me my whole youth career. Since then i knew that that was something i wanted to do when i was older.

Schooling Autobiography Interview

Questions: 

1. When you think back to school, what experiences had the biggest impact on who you are today?

2. Who supported or influenced you the most in your education, and how did they affect you?

3. What kind of student or learner would you say you became because of your school experiences?

4. Did your school feel like a place where everyone had the same chances to succeed? Why or why not?

5. What is one thing from this class that made you think differently about schools, community, or society

Alicia Loprete & Courtney Saposnick

Questions:

1. How has your education and schooling experience influenced the way you see education?

2. What were your parents/guardians’ goals for you, and what role did they play in your education?

3. Was school a place that felt safe and supportive, or a place of judgment and fear?
4. How have your goals and aspirations changed from childhood to now, and how did your schooling experience influence them?
5. How do you think the school environment has changed since you were younger in terms of inclusivity, diversity, and openness?

Questions: What is one school experience that really changed how you think or learn?

1. What were your dreams as a child, and did school help you move toward them or away from them?

2. How did your parents or guardians influence your education and goals?

3. Did you ever feel limited or supported by your school environment? Explain.

4. How do you now view fairness and equality in education after taking this course?

5 Questions 

-How did your school experiences shape the way you think and learn today? Do you personally think this influenced the way you learn both outside and inside school? 

-Who were the most influential people in your education (teachers, family, friends). How did they impact your goals? 

-How do you think people learn before schooling begins? Do you think people who have not been in school their whole lives can learn as efficiently as someone who has? 

-Do you think your school gave equal opportunity to all students, no matter the students personal abilities? 

-How do you think your cultural and community background influenced your learning? Does the school you attend encourage and support these values? 

Ciarah

1. Comparing where you are today. Do you think your younger self would be proud of where you are in terms of your education choices? As well as your career 

2. Has there ever been a time in your school history when you felt like the cards were stacked against you? 

3. Was your school welcoming to diversity in language, looks, and ideas? 

4. How did the neighborhood you grew up in affect your education? 

5. Do you feel like the voices you heard growing up in school and your community reflected your own voice today? 

Viktoria

How did the neighborhood you grew up in affect your education?

1. Who had the biggest influence on your education, such as family, peers, teachers, and how did they shape your path?

2. In what ways did your school limit or support equal access and opportunities for students? Can you give an example?

3. What kind of learner are you? Do you feel like this has ever changed? 

4. Have you ever felt like your experiences and differences from others made you the weakest link? 

5. What do you think is the biggest thing you bring with you every time you go into a new environment? Whether it's a learning space or just a new community in general. 

David, Alexa, Olivia

Question 1: How did your school environment shape the kind of student and person you are today?

Question 2: Who had the biggest influence on your educational journey, and how did they impact you?

Question 3: Did you feel that your school gave all students equal opportunities and support? Why or why not?

Question 4: What experiences in school made you feel encouraged or discouraged from pursuing your goals?

Question 5: How has this course changed your understanding of the relationship between schools, communities and society?

1. How have your schooling experiences shaped the kind of learner and person you are today?

2. Who were the most influential people in your education (teachers, family, peers), and how did they impact your academic journey?

3. What were your goals or dreams when you were younger, and how did your school environment support or limit those aspirations?

4. In what ways did your school provide equal or unequal opportunities for students, and how did this affect you or your peers?

5. How has this course changed or influenced your views on education, diversity, and social justice?

2. How did your family shape your attitudes toward school and learning while you were growing up? 

3. In what ways has this course changed how you view your family's role in education?

4. How did your school environment impact your confidence, motivation or sense of belonging as a student?

5. In what ways have discussions in this course changed your understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion in education?

Questions:

1.  Looking back on your schooling experiences, what moments, opportunities, or challenges most shaped the person, learner, and thinker you are today?

2. When you were growing up, what dreams or aspirations did you have for your future, and how did your educational experiences either support or limit those goals?

3. Who were the most influential people in your educational journey—such as parents, teachers, peers, community members, or online figures—and in what ways did they impact your motivation, confidence, or sense of possibility?

4. Reflecting on your educational experiences and the perspectives shared by others, how have your views on social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in education evolved over time?

5. How would you say this course has affected a deeper level of understanding these discussed concepts within your academic journey?

1. What were your dreams or goals when you were younger, and did school help shape those dreams?

2. Who had the biggest influence on your education growing up? Was it parents, teachers, friends, or someone else?

3. Did your school feel like a place where students were encouraged to succeed and express themselves? Why or why not?

4. Do you think all students in your school had equal opportunities and support? How did this affect students differently?

5. How has this course changed your perspective on education, diversity, equity, and inclusion?