This Is What I Believe:  Good teachers should know how to show a little  solidarity with their students.  I mean we should all value student experience.

It’s not about asking students to write about their background in an introductory essay;  it’s about asking them to utilize their background in everything they write.  I know, I know,  every year we are exposed to new cutting-edge learning tools, materials, and techniques to support student learning,  but  I just don’t think we should abandon the most important resource we have:  the students themselves.