Educational Philosophies
I'm reading Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown, and as I read, I am struck by how blindly the system of attack continues, be it by the government and big business attacking the environmental safety of reservation land or via a viscious welfare cycle or through ineffective educational practices.
Here we have bars on windows and doors and a large gate around the school. Forget opening the windows for fresh air on a warm day or when the kids just came from gym class. And in a culture where education is, more often than not, not viewed as being important, we hold these kids accountable to state standards, forcing them to take standardized tests only to tell them, time and again, that they've failed. How many times do kids need to fail in order to give up, especially when they know that, pass or fail, they're going to get their check from the government in due time?
It seems that, especially here, where education seems meaningless; where kids don't need to go to school to get paid; educators need to strive to make school a place of successful, meaningful growth. Not a place with bars on windows and failure grades stamped on 70% of the state tests. Our number one goal should be to keep these kids in school! Encourage them. Make them feel successful while pushing them to do even better. Create a love for education rather than a fear and loathing of it.
But how? I've got to go teach now, but questions and comments and suggestions are appreciated.
Here we have bars on windows and doors and a large gate around the school. Forget opening the windows for fresh air on a warm day or when the kids just came from gym class. And in a culture where education is, more often than not, not viewed as being important, we hold these kids accountable to state standards, forcing them to take standardized tests only to tell them, time and again, that they've failed. How many times do kids need to fail in order to give up, especially when they know that, pass or fail, they're going to get their check from the government in due time?
It seems that, especially here, where education seems meaningless; where kids don't need to go to school to get paid; educators need to strive to make school a place of successful, meaningful growth. Not a place with bars on windows and failure grades stamped on 70% of the state tests. Our number one goal should be to keep these kids in school! Encourage them. Make them feel successful while pushing them to do even better. Create a love for education rather than a fear and loathing of it.
But how? I've got to go teach now, but questions and comments and suggestions are appreciated.
posted by Jessica at 8:21 AM
3 Comments:
Good question, Jess. One that Anthony and I are faced with too. I think you are doing the best and only thing you can right now- teaching, and caring about the kids, so they know someone does. Keep up the good work- I miss you.
Of course I was never able to finish Dee's saga--just found it unbearable.
It takes courage to get through that book.
What you describe as the educational "goal" for your students is unconscionable Jessica. But that's the way we do business here in the U.S.A.
And it's hard not become cynical. Sounds like you're not letting that happen.
What grades are you teaching? Who are your students in the fullest sense of "who?"
I'm teaching 8th grade English Language Arts, reading, and a publications/yearbook class. Of course, my 8th graders have to take the AIMS test this year.
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