About once a week I will go on a news binge and read about the major events that are happening in our world, and amidst the stories about Congress' internecine budget arguments and the wars near and far, I stumbled upon a piece that caught my eye. This talks about a family that faces homelessness, and what that means for the children in the family.
http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/invisible-child/#/?chapt=4
Let me give you some background as to why this article made me do a second take. When I was doing my undergraduate studies at James Madison I spent two of my Spring Breaks in New York City with the New York City Urban Project (NYCUP). While we were there, we served the homeless and recovering addicts, tutored students in charter schools, and learned about the social injustices that surround the prevalence of prostitution and poverty. These trips changed my life, and changed my heart. After these trips I knew that I wanted to teach in an inner-city environment where I can be more than just an activist for change, but also a catalyst for hope.
As I read this article I thought about what school would have been like for me if I had grown up in a shelter, if I found myself dealing with these adult responsibilities at a young age. I assume that you are familiar with Maslow's hierarchy of needs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs) which states that we as humans must have primary needs met before we pursue secondary needs. This is so important to students because if a student is hungry or exhausted, the student can't focus in class! That is only one example of what students in this situation may be struggling with; there is a myriad of other problems as well, such as peer rejection, completing homework, and placing value in an education that does not immediately improve their ability to sustain themselves and provide for their most basic needs.
This has also been further investigated by the fact that I am reading "The Freedom Writer's Diary" (the 10 year anniversary edition). If you have seen the movie or read the book, you know that these high schoolers write about the problems they face in their lives as they toe the line to adulthood in an inner-city school; many of them have to grapple with the false expectation that they will fail regardless of hard work or talent. Most of these teens feel alone in this war against race, against drugs and violence, or they have succumbed to believing nothing will change. These teens change their lives when they are empowered by the written word, inspired by the lives of survivors, and challenged by their English teacher to fight back against inhumane circumstances. United they stood together against hate and violence, and reached for goals beyond what anyone had ever dreamed for them. Many times they found within themselves courage and strength they never knew they had.
Both of these pieces have made me realize that unity and support (moral, real support, not just monetary support) can do worlds of difference in the life of a student who faces a war every time they walk out their front door. That is a lesson that I want to bring into my classroom, that I want to teach to my students: compassion for humanity and a willingness to stand for change.
In dismay, I must confess to you that I am still disappointed that despite this book, many believe that "they don't want any help from outsiders," and "there is nothing that can change their situation." Yes, I have actually heard this from people who pride themselves in their education, yet completely ignorant of their intolerance and preconceived notions of groups of people. And that is why we continue to educate and bring self awareness whenever and wherever we can.
http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/invisible-child/#/?chapt=4
Let me give you some background as to why this article made me do a second take. When I was doing my undergraduate studies at James Madison I spent two of my Spring Breaks in New York City with the New York City Urban Project (NYCUP). While we were there, we served the homeless and recovering addicts, tutored students in charter schools, and learned about the social injustices that surround the prevalence of prostitution and poverty. These trips changed my life, and changed my heart. After these trips I knew that I wanted to teach in an inner-city environment where I can be more than just an activist for change, but also a catalyst for hope.
As I read this article I thought about what school would have been like for me if I had grown up in a shelter, if I found myself dealing with these adult responsibilities at a young age. I assume that you are familiar with Maslow's hierarchy of needs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs) which states that we as humans must have primary needs met before we pursue secondary needs. This is so important to students because if a student is hungry or exhausted, the student can't focus in class! That is only one example of what students in this situation may be struggling with; there is a myriad of other problems as well, such as peer rejection, completing homework, and placing value in an education that does not immediately improve their ability to sustain themselves and provide for their most basic needs.
This has also been further investigated by the fact that I am reading "The Freedom Writer's Diary" (the 10 year anniversary edition). If you have seen the movie or read the book, you know that these high schoolers write about the problems they face in their lives as they toe the line to adulthood in an inner-city school; many of them have to grapple with the false expectation that they will fail regardless of hard work or talent. Most of these teens feel alone in this war against race, against drugs and violence, or they have succumbed to believing nothing will change. These teens change their lives when they are empowered by the written word, inspired by the lives of survivors, and challenged by their English teacher to fight back against inhumane circumstances. United they stood together against hate and violence, and reached for goals beyond what anyone had ever dreamed for them. Many times they found within themselves courage and strength they never knew they had.
Both of these pieces have made me realize that unity and support (moral, real support, not just monetary support) can do worlds of difference in the life of a student who faces a war every time they walk out their front door. That is a lesson that I want to bring into my classroom, that I want to teach to my students: compassion for humanity and a willingness to stand for change.
In dismay, I must confess to you that I am still disappointed that despite this book, many believe that "they don't want any help from outsiders," and "there is nothing that can change their situation." Yes, I have actually heard this from people who pride themselves in their education, yet completely ignorant of their intolerance and preconceived notions of groups of people. And that is why we continue to educate and bring self awareness whenever and wherever we can.
