Thoughts Running Through My Head

Wow! Last night I stayed up until 2 a.m. to watch the second showing of Black in America 2. It was very eye opening, inspiring, heart wrenching, and beautiful all at the same time. It highlighted two particular people who work with children and aim to inspire them to achieve all that they can. One person was Chris Rock's wife who started a program that takes 30 kids to South Africa for community service. Her goal is to show them they have something to give to the world. They met with South African children who were left alone after their parents died and some who were infected with AIDS.

You could see through each child's eyes, who came on the trip, that their mind was thinking a million things at once. They had never seen anything like it before and most likely had a great impact on them. Chris Rock's wife hoped that seeing those things would inspire them to achieve in school and become our next civic leaders. When they got back to the US she met with each child after 6 months. The girls' grades had improved, but the boys grades did not. Statistics show that girls have better grades and even go to college more often. I thought to myself, why? Why is this a fact? How do we get to our young men? What about the trip to South Africa that worked for the girls, but not for the boys?

The second person was a principal at a prep school in Connecticut. He founded this school and graduates 100% of his students and 100% of those students go to college. AMAZING! His secret, tough love. He did not let students make excuses, but he respected them. He made them feel like they were superstars. He expected the best from them and in return they expected the best from themselves. This summer I watched and listened to so many veteran teachers disrespect their students and talk about them like they were scum. It hurt to hear some of the things they said about their students.

Most people who become teachers want to create our next leaders and inspire kids to want more for themselves; I wonder where that went. I know it can be hard to be compassionate toward someone who does not want to listen and continues to make bad decisions, but that is exactly what these kids are use to. They are use to people giving up on them and casting them off as dead weight. The painful part is that the students know this and they continue to make bad decisions, because no one is holding them to high expectations.

I think back to my own middle school and high school education. When I misbehaved my teachers kept on me and never let off. Back then I wondered why they kept picking on me, but now I know that they cared. I tell my siblings all the time, when they say I keep picking on them, that when I stop picking on you about your grades then you should be upset. I wonder if all America's children had someone who never ever let them settle for less would we have an education gap. I hope that during my time teaching that I can inspire my students, empower my students, and help them see themselves in a different light. It really brings tears to my eyes to think about all the potential out their waiting for someone to help them find it.