Final Thoughts

One of the great joys of teaching planning is that every student I have has a substantial experience to contribute. Each student can draw on his or her own experiences, be it living in rural areas in North Carolina or in St. Louis, Missouri, or in Guangszhou, China. Each student can contribute to a discussion about the built and sociopolitical environment, even if only by reflecting on how their travel behavior to class changes on a rainy day. Teaching places me at a unique point in a student’s learning process. Not only am I able to introduce new material, but I am often present as an active participant when students begin to grapple with complex social problems