Teacher-Student Reflections: A Critical Conversation about Values and Cultural Awareness in Community Development Work, and Implications for Teaching and Practice

This reflective, autoethnographic piece provides some insights into our involvement with a program that promotes value-driven approach to community development work. As ‘conversation’ between lecturer and graduate, or Educator of Informal Educators Educator, we discuss the process teaching learning about values within day-to-day practice. We emphasise enables informal educators celebrate cultural diversity, which can be complex in settings. educator (Louise), I reflect on need explore demonstrate what practice looks like work not simply state are important. was prompted by self-reflection realisation my failed illuminate how bring life all aspects achieve anti-discriminatory, inclusive empowering an (Matthew), consider theories translate meaningful celebrates diversity. Reflections influenced from Paulo Freire, focus his notion ‘educators should respect autonomy students identities’. An example Freirean dialogue, article discusses critical consciousness through praxis as educator. Acknowledging never fully complete—we always ‘becoming’—we hope will interest both alike.