Pardon me if you find this entry controversial. I've been meaning to write it for a few weeks.
I've been thinking a lot lately about my students---who they are, where they come from, and what they think.
I am alarmed by their blatant lack of interest, motivation, and effort towards school.
A teacher friend once told me that the youth are a reflection of the adults in their lives. More specifically, if the youth are misguided, it is usually the adults have negatively influenced them. Instead of placing blame solely on students for lack of interest in school, we must direct some of that blame towards the adults.
I agree with this idea--but not wholeheartedly.
First of all, I'd like to tell you a little about who my students are. Most come from low-income, single parent households. If you didn't already know, low-income students from urban areas are faced with a docket of hindrances that get in the way of their learning. In the case of my students, when their basic needs are not being met, it is very difficult for them to focus 100% on education. This is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and I do believe it applies to my students.
For the most part, I cannot sympathize with my students. I came from a middle-class household, with two parents. My situation growing up was very different from most of the students--and I understand that and I do empathize.
However, I am desperately trying to figure out where this lack of interest in education comes from. Earlier this week, CPS observed Martin Luther King, Jr. day. What would he think of what goes on in our schools? Who would he blame for the disinterest in education? Parents? Students? Society?
King dedicated his life to make sure all children had access to a good education. Despite the struggle, we still have a generation of children who are not serious about learning to read, write, or think critically. Not only are there children who flat out don't care about school, but public schools are riddled with pockets of students who have little respect for peers who care deeply about education.
So where do you think it comes from? Is it the parents? Schools? Teachers? Principals? Does this general malaise and rejection of education just some how magically manifest itself?
I am not one who believes in the "Bootstraps" philosophy. However, at the end of the day, no matter who you are or where you are from, you have to look at yourself in the mirror. If you can't look at yourself seriously and see why education is vital, then it is hard to imagine anyone taking you seriously.
Yes, it is up to the schools, teachers, and principals to guide students along the way. However, schools, teachers, and principals cannot physically hold a book for each student or move a pencil across a paper--at some point, students & parents must take it upon themselves.
John Dewey said that children are not empty vessels and education cannot be poured into them like liquid. He meant that students must be active participants in their own learning process. However, can't the same metaphor be used for motivation & effort? Wouldn't Dewey also agree that a teacher cannot fill a student with motivation and effort? When all is said and done, there must be an intrinsic spark that comes from the student or one that is catalyzed by loved ones.
We talk about "acheivement" and, as stakeholders, we spend countless hours trying to make public schools better centers of learning. However, this will not happen with a magic pill. There is no panacea---no single-facet that will change the game. For the most part, teachers are pulling their weight. But we cannot carry it all.
Teachers constantly hear lectures and read books about making school relevant to students. This is something that most teachers work tirelessly to achieve. However, not everything is going to be easy, interesting, or relevant. Most of the time learning the basics isn't fun--but more times than not, these basic skills build a foundation that allow students to do what they love.
Malcolm X's story is a beautiful illustration of how education can transform one's life. Throughout his life, he had several different names, each representative of a stage in his life. He was Malcolm Little, then "Detroit Red", then "Satan"--and just when he thought his life was going nowhere, he transformed himself with education. Through books, "Satan"
(as Malcolm was known when he was in prison) transformed himself into Malcolm X. Then, as he continued to read, write, and think critically, he became El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. His name changes are not only symbolic of his personal transformations, but also his increased level of education.
Malcolm's story is an extreme case. We tell our youth that taking education seriously keeps you out of bad places and on the right path. This is something that Malcolm learned the hard way. The point is, my students can tell you about Malcolm, Martin, and Barack. I am sure they saw, read, or heard
Barack's speech on education at least a half dozen times. However, despite these powerful messages by iconic men, the messages are not being absorbed---maybe heard, but not listened to or acted upon. So if these giants of history can't impart wisdom on our youth, who can?
Many reform efforts focus on closing schools, firing teachers, or turning schools around. But I believe the solution is much easier than that. Schools must once again become centers for learning. In order for this to happen, parents need to become involved with the education of their children, schools must begin to cater to the emotional, social, and academic needs of its students, and "the powers that be" need to stop operating schools like factories.
If this isn't accomplished, we will continue to lose a generation of children.
