This summer I have had the most blessed opportunity to work with urban youth of a variety of backgrounds, mostly of lower socioeconomic status.
They have reminded me of how privileged a life I have been given this go around.
They have reminded me of my youth and how foolish I was growing up.
They have reminded me of how far I have come to be with them right here, right now.
Most importantly they have reminded me of the importance of silence, listening, and understanding.
The City of Holyoke is overwhelmingly mixed in many different terms. The population is almost 50% Hispanic/Latino/a. A saddening number of families and children live below the poverty live. The graduation rate of its schools is pitiful to say the least. There isn't enough money, care, or time to cover all of the needs to see immediate change with our after-school programs but that is not to say there isn't change to be had.
I've seen students who were absolutely rotten in the first few days completely turn around over the precious few weeks I've had with them.
It helped that we started our Student of the Day prizes and shout outs over the intercom. It also likely helped that we had our first field trip to Brownstone Discovery Park in Conneticut, where students and teachers got a chance to interact with one another with little restraints. This first field trip means so much to me now because the students got to understand me not only as a budding teacher but as a human being who enjoys some of the same things they do. They got to see that I wanted to be with them and to help them so long as they let me and asked me for that help.
I've also learned to appreciate the quick name grasping skills of my teachers in my life. What is a name to a student who often feels they are disrespected, disliked, ignored, unloved, uncared for? God only knows there are so many words to add into that statement.
To quote Shakespeare:
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
My students have exploded at me, disregarded my questions or lectures, and have recoiled from me physically, mentally, and maybe even emotionally because I could not get their name.
What's in a name?
Your identity, your culture, in sum... You.
If a person cannot get your name correctly then clearly they do not care a lot about you. While this may seem so ridiculous we must all remember that youth are impressionable, and easily suspicious as they want to learn for themselves.
Middle school was hell. Like it or not. People fought hard to establish their identities while still connecting with their peers in a non-confrontational way.
Names can be memorialized for all eternity. George Washington, Fidel Castro, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas. The list goes on and on and on.
We remember their names because they made themselves memorable. We respect them by knowing their names though we may not know their accomplishments specifically. They have honor to some extent.
We need to listen to our students more. Everyone is guilty of ignoring someone when it didn't suit their needs. There of course needs to be a balance in a classroom but it's still difficult for me to ignore a question because I want their trust, respect, and for them to grow beyond memorization/word regurgitation skills.
We want to encourage critical thinking but we seem to do quite a poor job of allowing it.
Even the students who patiently, perhaps excitedly, raise their hands to bring in a relevant point or interesting question get benched for the sake of the teachers' apparent need to get the information out.
Have we forgotten the importance of the student questioning the teacher?
Not in terms of authority. But certainly on knowledge. A tricky line to master to be sure.
Tutoring some of the high school interns has been enlightening to say the least.
Does a fish breathe water or air?
What is fish food made out of? Why does it smell like fish?
Do they mean the flakes of goldfish or flakes for goldfish?
Can you take a turtle out of its shell?
Something tells me that turtle wouldn't appreciate it that much.
What would you teach your kids?
Do you want to be a teacher?
Yes.
While these questions seem so silly and perhaps innocent, they're still helpful as to understanding what kind of comprehension the students have. If we don't just ask them what they know or want to know then how do we know where to direct them?
I still have a few more weeks to learn.
