Thursday, January 17, 2013
April 25…Education and Social Change
Do
you think that it is the educator’s role to overtly work to make the world a
better place? What are some things that
you could/will try to do as an educator to work toward social
improvement/justice? Be as specific as possible.
(Yes, I know you have a lot to do at the end of the semester, but I think it’s
worth taking a few minutes to think about it!)
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ReplyDeleteThinking about a question like this is initially overwhelming to me because there are so many problems in the world that I feel unable to address. However, it is clear that teachers can have strong positive impacts on their students, who in turn will make the world a better place.
ReplyDeleteLast week's presentation highlighted the power of teachers, social workers, and schools to drastically help students in nearly unfathomable circumstances, so one way to we can make the world a better place is to identify those students who need the most help and give it to them.
Another way we can make the world a better place is actively fostering critical thinking in the classroom. I recently read a research article on the dearth of higher-order thinking questions that students encounter in the classroom, so it is no wonder that many kids graduate without the ability to critically reflect on their worldviews and ideas of morality. In all subjects we need to minimize the amount of time students spend memorizing facts and definitions and instead help them develop the faculties to synthesize information and form cogent arguments.
I do not think that one person is capable of making the world a better place. I think that our education system is somewhat stuck and I do not think it will be changing anytime soon. However, I do think there are things teachers can do to create a better environment for children while they are in the classroom. Simple gestures like remembering the child’s birthday and singing to them, asking how they are doing and genuinely being interested, or complimenting them when they do a good job on an assignment. We can also serve as a support system for the kids who have no adult support at home. Sometimes it is the smallest things that can make the biggest impact on a child’s life.
ReplyDelete-Alison Greci
I do think that it is an educators job to try to make the world a better place, but I do not think it is possible to make all the changes that the world needs. As a future educator I want to be able to touch children who may not have every thought that had a chance in the world. The Social Justice group that spoke this semester made me really think that I want to help students who are in trouble or help "bad" (I say that lightly) students become better and become the person that they can be. Changing one student is a changing the world. You are keeping a child off of the streets and leading them to a better lifestyle. You could have saved the child who would have gone to jail or ended up on the streets otherwise. These are the changes that I hope to make in the future. I do not think is is possible for educators to save the world, but I do think it is our responsibility to make these little changes to make the world better.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to sign my name to the above post
Delete-Breck Ricca
I think that it is the role of an educator to make the world a better place in the same way that it is the role of a parent. Both have been given a great responsibility over the life of a child and what their future may be like. As time goes on, these children that we raise or that we teach become the movers and shakers of the world around them. I truly believe that one of the most important beliefs that we can instill in our students is that it is always important and necessary to be kind to one another--regardless of circumstances. Young children are malleable, and much of what they learn in their early years sticks with them throughout their lives. For this reason, it makes sense to try and encourage a mindset of kindness in the students in our classroom because it has to potential to resonate throughout the rest of their lives. How many social issues stem from a general attitude of disrespect or a lack of consideration for both other humans and the world around us? While this is not a direct push for social change, it is a start. I would also like to include social issues in my classroom as often as I can because they are applicable to the lives of the children in my classrooms--even if they are not directly affected by them. I hold the belief that human beings have a responsibility to one another to care for each other. The children in my class may not live in poverty, but others all over the world do, and although some people pretend it to be, the distance between those two worlds isn't always as far as we might think. Everyone is connected in some way, and I want the children in my classroom to understand that the issues that affect the world are not just "someone else's problem," they are human problems.
ReplyDelete--Emily Williams
I do believe that it is the role of an educator to make the world a better place. As a future counselor making the world, or my school, a better place will be a hefty responsibility. School counselors are advocates in their school to help with the creation of a positive and nurturing school environment. School counselors have the ability to communicate with students, especially “troubled” students in a way most educators in the school will be unable to. Specific examples include communicating with faculty, especially older faculty, about the diversity in the school environment and helping them brainstorm ideas to reach their students from varying backgrounds more effectively. Someone has already mentioned emphasizing critical thinking skills that is going to be a huge part of my future job. Helping students to think about what they can do to right a situation, help someone else, or make their situation better would be a step in the right direction to improving the world. In the future it would be beneficial to help students see themselves as a part of a community, that way they would see that they are always affecting the environment around them and are responsible for it.
ReplyDelete- Anise Robinson
I believe everyone has a role to make the world a better place. Doing this can be done in many different ways, big and small. So yes, I do believe educators should be working towards making the world a better place, especially because we have such a strong role and prominence in many young lives. I think there are many different ways that educators of all kinds can take a step forward in improving social improvement. I think having important and raw discussions in the classroom is extremely important. I understand that this may be for older children and with restrictions but I believe that a lot of social injustice goes unspoken until a certain point. I think discussing important topics with students and their feelings about them will help to improve equality and move towards change. I also think that being a good role model and setting a relationship of trust between you and your students goes a long way. A lot of times students do not have anyone else to turn to and need an educator to be there for them in their lives. At the same time, showing "tough love" and being strict also helps to set boundaries and show the other side of love and respect and bringing improvement into the social settings of their lives. Being actively engaged in my students, their lives and parents will help to improve tour relationship and make a difference in the quality of learning they will receive. Remembering that even the smallest of things will help students to improve their well being and remember that they are loved and cared about in and outside of the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI think that is a difficult answer because you can not say just yes or no. I think educators can play an important role in making the world a better place. Educators can model, teach, and model students in a way in which helps lead to a better place. Is the responsibility solely on the educators? The answer should be no, there are so many other parties that are involved in helping make the world a better place. Parents, politicians, media, religious groups, and what people that kids look up to like actors and athletes are also responsible. Teachers can do their best to help students become better citizens and people. One way to do this is to develop a respect system. I feel like that has been completely abandoned in society today. Not saying all young kids do not show respect but there are a lot more kids out there not showing respect then those actually showing respect. One way to do that is simply saying hello and having a brief conversation with everyone of your students before they enter the classroom. Something as simple as Hello John, how was practice last night? This shows the students both how to respect someone by greeting them and also showing them that you as the teacher care about the students. Also by the way in which you speak to students and other faculty members when they enter the room. Students are very observing and have a tendency to mimic what they see if it gets a response. Another great way to teach students how to be more respectful and caring is to remind them that you are there for them. You might have to remind them a thousand times before one actually comes around and trust you but it will happen. This is just a simple way of showing students that you care about them. Lastly and most importantly I think it is important sometimes to remind people, not just students, that we are all human. We all make mistakes, we all have feelings, we all have a story, and we all want people to care about us. If I can get that message through to my students, I feel like I have done a small part in making the world a better place.
ReplyDeleteMarshall Ramey
I do think the role of all professionals in education is to make things better than when they found it. As an educator I try to do this every day with the students with whom I come in contact both in the classroom and those I see in the halls but may not teach. As a counselor, I will work very hard to make a difference with the students, families and colleagues I interact with. As it pertains to social justice, I will actively pursue the role of advocate for my student and families even when it may be difficult for me to do this. In IEP meetings I will continue to put the student first even if it means that systems must change to meet the needs of the student. I have that responsibility to do so, if I don't I will become part of the problem. I have worked too hard and too long to become part of the problem......I won't do that!
ReplyDeleteRhonda
As many others have mentioned, this is a difficult question to answer because there does not appear to be a black or white answer. I do not think that you will find "to make the world a better place" is part of a teacher's job description nor do I think that many teachers have this as a specific goal. However, I think the key word in the prompt is "overtly", meaning that teachers should have this goal as sort of an underlying part of their job. As a teacher, I want my students to be the best person they can be and to experience success in my classroom. One of my goals will be to create life long learners and caring students. And yes I think that if every student were to come out of school with these values, the world may be a better place. In the end, in a way, teachers who instruct in this way are working to "make the world a better place".
ReplyDelete-Michelle Blowers
Yes, it is the educator’s role to overtly make the world a better place. Those who teach have a great responsibility, as others have been pointing out—an “educator” is not just someone with a master’s degree in Teaching (in my opinion). An educator really is anyone that makes an impression on an individual, which is what Marshall pointed out as well. I do think that this word, “overt” is tripping me up, however. Do I need to openly make the world a better place as an educator? I don’t know if that is necessarily the case. I do think that character makes all the difference in inspiring and rearing children in the direction toward this better place, and this character does not have to be “overtly” shown, in the sense that I have to be involved in large committees or advocacy groups in order for my students (or kids) to be inspired or see aspects in me or in the classroom that might affect their future lifestyles. If you’re asking if I could make the world a better place through one student, though it may sound cliché, I really do think that I could, but I am not going to set out to do so! My goal is not to enter my classroom or enter any situation with the intent that, “I’m going to change your life!” The hope is that through the little victories of everyday that students will develop stronger character that “a better world” will already be shaped, even despite what I attempt to accomplish.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what I might do as a future educator to work toward social improvement, except to start small, and start with the community (my classroom/my school?) that I am already involved in. I liked the social justice group’s presentation, and their focus on how to work towards forgiveness and appropriate positive consequences instead of punishment, shame and guilt. I think that the social justice program is invaluable for all teachers and counselors, because it provides such a different outlook on the healing process than just looking at what is right and wrong without discussing how to address it as it pertains to the student and others involved. Students can benefit greatly from a teacher/counselor who can incorporate methods of communication that promotes healing and justice.
There are so many issues that are encompassed in social improvement. In order to tackle as many as possible (if that is your goal), I think first I would need to tackle the social issues within myself. Am I biased? Do I discriminate? I think taking a profound look at myself and my make-up would really assist me in learning to stamp out injustices beyond me. How can I truly do a rightful job if I have bias and am unwilling to see others as equal? This, I think would be the first step in tackling social justice: a deep, penetrating look at oneself and the attitude and belief towards justice as is played out in one’s own life.
- Amanda Lee
I really enjoyed reading the comments posted here so far, as I feel a little bit better about the future of our schools knowing who will be sent out to make a difference in them. :o)I feel that this heavy question could be debated and discussed all day. My hope is that each person who enrolls in a school of education in college with dreams of becoming a teacher or counselor is doing so with that fire already in their heart to make a difference. Once out there in the real world you do learn pretty quickly that there are rules and restrictions that bind you, but those who keep the passion about shaping our future generation work hard to find ways around the system.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that this course showed us the community involvement piece of education, as it truly is all about relationships with families and students. There are many ways, outside of teaching content, that teachers and counselors can use the great opportunity of being in a school to bring together a community full of people. Some of my best memories of teaching 3rd and 4th grade are the small moments I had with families in which I knew that they felt that in some way their child was a little better for having known me as their teacher. That type of reward, in my opinion, is far greater than any large paycheck or career status. So I encourage those of you in this course who are soon to be entering a school as teacher or counselor to judge themselves and their work not by their paychecks or test scores or the personal sacrifices they will undoubtedly make, but instead look at the smiles on the faces of your students, notice how their families interact with you, and take a moment early on in the school year to seek out the needs and the diversity of the school community. Know where you can shine and do so! Be a bright light in a sometimes dark system!
-Kristin Walton
I am stuck in the middle between yes and no when it comes to whether or not I believe teachers have the responsibility to overtly work toward social justice and improvement. If it was in a teacher’s contract to do this, that would be so much pressure to walk into school every day and to think I need to help everyone in this classroom as well as school so they can improve the world one day. At the same time I believe teachers can do small things inside the classroom and school to show care and respect so students can be led by example and hopefully one day they will use these examples to become caring citizens for one another. I believe children are highly influenced by teachers and that teachers can example good citizenship inside the school so students are exposed to this type of environment. I am going to be a PE teacher so there are a lot of opportunities for me to example caring for oneself as well as others and this includes students around me and faculty. Teaching students to care for their bodies through exercise, relationships through love and conflict resolution, and even caring for the environment are great tools to exhibit to my students so they can see the positive aspects of these topics and hopefully use these tools later in life. Through exercise and activity in the gym, I have realized a lot of situations can escalade in negative ways when students are competing or playing. I believe in using teachable moments inside the gym to help students work out their conflict and not embarrass anyone. I also believe in the phrase “Keep It in the Gym” and this means lets work out our problem right here and now and not let this problem ruin each other’s day. In hindsight it means let’s look past our differences and understand both students’ points of view and move on and leave that conflict that happened inside the gym and start fresh outside of it. I believe this technique can example to students how to treat each other with respect and how to not let little conflicts turn into the ultimate judgment of someone else’s character.
ReplyDelete- Troy Lyon
“Making the world a better place” has become a fairly trite phrase in our modern vernacular. That being said, I think that educators are in a position, unlike many who use the phrase, to actually do it. To justify this we need to define the word “world.” I think that world here can mean the actual world, perhaps the most difficult challenge. It can also mean the world of a school or school’s county, a more manageable goal. Finally it can also mean the world of a child. Making a child’s world a better place is a very noble, yet achievable, goal. I think it is an educator’s role to work to make these small yet vital worlds better places.
ReplyDeleteTo make a child’s world a better place, an educator needs to make the value of that child’s life and presence in the classroom overt. Welcoming students to the classroom daily, thanking them for their opinions, and encouraging their communication are just a few ways to make it clear to the students that they are important. Teachers can create lifelong learners by instilling them with the spirit of discovery. Showing kids how exciting it is to learn new things by making the educational experience fun is huge. If students realize that they love learning, that will likely stay with them and keep them working hard for a long time.
On a larger scale, an educator can also work toward social improvement, and perhaps social justice. I think we are a long way from social justice, but social improvement on the way to social justice can be a part of our daily efforts. Teachers who move judgment, stereotype, and unhelpful expectations out of their minds can take the first steps. When students come into a classroom with certain advantages and disadvantages, it is the teacher’s job to level the playing field by treating everyone equally and helping each student work toward their goals. Teachers can advocate for more fair standardized testing, more pertinent curricula, and for equality in school systems.
Progress takes time and effort, there is no doubt. However, with enough teachers who care about change and want to create a better world, I think that change is possible.
I wish that making the world a better place was a simple process, but unfortunately it’s not. What is a “better place?” I picture a better place as a society without violence and hate towards one another. Unfortunately, that is far from where we are today. So what can we do as future and current educators to make an impact on our student’s and how they are a part of our society? Educators can create a classroom environment that is made up of respect towards one another. The classroom should be a place where students’ feel comfortable and safe. Not only should the students’ respect one another, but the teacher should also respect the students’. Teachers must be a positive role model for all. They should not discriminate; all should be treated equal. The classroom should consist of rules that allow the day to flow smoothly, but not rules that smother the students’. Children who are not “on the right path” should never be forgotten. As an educator, you have the opportunity to help them turn around as we have seen with our presentations in class. Overall, these may seem like little things; however, these simple processes may help our society in the long run.
ReplyDelete-Stacy Anderson
I think as educators we work to make the world a better place all the time. We do this first of all by developing relationships with each child that is entrusted into our care. Caring for our students supports them as they grow as people. In addition, we educate our students. We help them to learn to think and analyze issues for themselves. This empowers them with the ability to make the world a better place. Finally, as teachers, we can give direct instruction about social change. While I don't think it is appropriate to overwhelm students with the world's problems, I think that it is important to make them aware, in an age appropriate way, of the struggles of people around the world. This helps them to develop empathy, which will also make the world a better place. I'm not as optimistic as I sound. I don't think we'll see drastic changes in my lifetime. But just because the world is big doesn't mean it isn't affected by small changes.
ReplyDelete--Melanie
I absolutely think that it is an educator's role to overtly work to make the world a better place. I think the driving force behind what we do as teachers should be a desire to help our students grow and learn, and utlimately become the best people they can be. Moreover, I do not believe someone should become a teacher unless he/she has the desire to produce social improvements and work toward social justice. How does one do this? For starters, if we see each of our students as having value, and we work on developing strong relationships of trust with them, we will go a long way toward being able to reach each one of them. When we are able to reach each student, we will be able to bring out the best of what they have to offer this world. Just by virtue of doing this, we will be making the world a better place! More concretely speaking, I think there are many ways we can effect change even in a flawed educational system. We can work to make our classrooms places of respect and love. We can find ways to make learning more relevant for our students. We can develop relationships with parents and community members that will benefit students. When we see injustices in our classrooms or schools, we can address them...even if it is in some small way. For instance, if there is bullying of homosexual students in the school, we can take the time to teach respect for others and appreciation of differences. Small changes certainly accumulate to truly make the world a better place.
ReplyDelete-Bernadette
I know that I became an educator because I want to make the word a better place through education. So my answer would have to be yes, teachers should work to make the world a better place. Now all teachers will not hold picket signs, protest in Washington, or even right books like Ayers or Kozol, but they all will interact with children, and in our interaction we should at least be trying to mold their young mind into think of themselves with having great value as well as their peers.
ReplyDeleteIt is my plan as an educator to work toward social improvement by holding reading and writing workshops for children and their parents that are illiterate. I hope to be able to first start as either an after school program at whatever school I end up working at, or as an afterschool or Saturday class at my church. When you can teach people how to be literate, you can ultimate teach them how to help themselves and how to have a voice of their own. Illiteracy is overwhelming related to poverty and crime. Because of this, making people of all ages literate as become my passion. This is how I plan to make the world a better place.
-Shiquana
I think that making the world a better place does not solely rely on educators. I do believe though that educators play a big role in making the world a better placed because they are educating the next generation that will ultimately become adults and make decisions in the world. As an educator, I feel as though I should try my best to make the world a better place but in small steps. For example, in my classroom I feel that I should promote manners, positive attitude, and some sort of value in them to help them develop a sense of doing good for the world so they too can make the world a better place. In my classroom, I plan to treat all of my students fairly and as though they all are equal and have an equal part in the classroom. I will do my best to incorporate ideas of all my students into my classroom so they all feel as though they play important role in our classroom 'family'.
ReplyDelete-Shaina Parm
Yes I believe it is not just educators but every bodies job to make the world a better place. When we talk about making the world a better place the question comes up how do we accomplish this. Both Democrats and Republicans have their own ideas on how to make the world better place. How do we know if their ideas are right to make the world a better place?
ReplyDeleteMy plan to make the world better place when I become a teacher will start by teaching children how to be independent. It seems like a lot of these children that live urban areas are learn from their parents that its OK to not be independent. The students I work with now always are telling me stories about how their whole family is on the system and that when they grow up they will be on the system as well. I want to get them away from thinking that living on the system is not fine. I believe if we teach this to children at a young age that it will stick with them when they are older and it will somewhat help break the cycle of poverty.
The way I will accomplish this is by getting students to think outside the box. Each student has a gift and I will do my best to focus on it and bring it out.
- Andrew J. Burton
I got stuck on the word “overtly” too. I don’t think educators who overtly work will guarantee more positive results in making this world a better place. I wish that everyone would work to make the world a better place and not just educators. Imagine the power of everyone coming together in making this planet safer, happier, kinder, and more just for everyone. Of course, everyone has different thoughts on what makes the world a better place and that makes things a little bit complicated. Nevertheless, I believe educators and others have the responsibility to make this world a better place.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Amanda that educators should reflect their actions and thoughts when they think about how to work toward social improvement and justice. It is important that educators ask themselves about whether or not they perpetuate the flaws in the system? Did they take any actions to make the situations better? Did they advocate for those who are marginalized or needed their help? I believe such awareness is the first step to see how one person can make a different by understanding how changes start with him/her. As a future school counselor, I would advocate to serve the needs of students that are marginalized or underserved. For example, I would advocate and collaborate with local universities to develop and offer free after-school enrichment/tutoring programs for Title I schools or students from low-income families. I would also promote a safe and caring learning environment by providing guidance lessons on topics such as acceptance, responsibility, and caring. I believe by planting the seeds of these characters in students can improve or enhance the school environment.
Holly
This is a big question. I've started and stopped from a few different angles, but I think my bottom line is this: If you don't work to improve, you acquiesce to the way things are, and I think that things are unacceptable. Our problems are many and obvious. To attempt to 'just teach' is to absolve yourself of responsibility. We cannot complain about a lack of agency, of freedom to control our own profession, if we also abdicate our responsibility to improve it. As teachers, we have a great power over our students. And, any of them that have read (or seen, I guess) Spider Man will know that "with great power comes great responsibility." If we give up one, we give up the other, and this is already happening. Don't we talk in this class about how disenfranchised teachers feel? Perhaps the road to greater power begins with greater responsibility. It makes sense algebraically, at least.
ReplyDeletePeople comprise the world we exist in, and all people begin as children, most of whom are taught at some point in their lives. As teachers, we have direct access to the minds of future generations. How we handle them will have real consequences, which we also will have to live with. As we've talked about in this class, none of us will know if we have the next Ella Fitzgerald, or Michael Jordan, or Barack Obama in our classroom, but wouldn't it be better to treat all of our students like they might become them? Who knows how many more great souls have been buried by a lifetime of hardships without that one inspirational teacher? What if the average person could be more than the average person today is? Things could be better, and teachers have the opportunity to contribute, so I think that it is irresponsible not do so.
Since the assignment says to be specific, I think that my goals are to always question what my actions in the classroom are for. What would giving students zeros on homework until they fail be for? What would repetitive, uninspired seatwork be for? If the answer is anything other than 'for the students,' then I think it needs to be reassessed. Schools and teachers do a lot of things for their own convenience, for the sake of the educational system, for 'traditional' reasons, or possibly for no real reason at all. Misgivings over Ayers aside, the more I observe and think about it, I think that he's right that teaching is always 'for' something or 'against' something, and it's the teacher's responsibility to keep the 'for' in line with what the students need. I think this alone is enough to make the world a better place, even if it goes unnoticed by everyone outside of your classroom.
-Nathaniel Dominy
I agree with Courtney, everyone in society should have a role to make the world a better place. Why wake up in the morning if it isn't? I also believe one of the many roles of an educator is to 'overtly' work to make the world a better place. I can't see why else you would get in this field if it wasn't. Every year we get to work with roughly 20 to 200 developing minds and counselors even more, our objectives can not be to stuff as much content in their minds and more on with our year. We have a small but important part in making a changes to the world. We can instill understanding, caring and compassion as weapons for a better place. And we have to be overtly because we are fighting forces that are overtly wrong and unhealthy for society and our students. And this even includes some of the closest people in their lives. This is the great part of being an educator, winning the battles with the growth of society through your student's minds.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone that it starts with small acts like saying hello, being kind, being a role model yourself, helping others. Those are important and easy steps to initiate social improvements. However I want to be a history teacher to be able use my subjects content as a tool of social improvement and social justice. From healthcare, bailouts and gun rights to The Civil War, Great Depressions and Civil rights, history has so many directions that work with developing concepts towards human rights and equality and I plan on overtly using it to work towards a better world.
John Portelle
This is by far a huge topic and a hot one at that which could probably go on for a long time!
ReplyDeletePersonally I most definitely think teachers have the ability to help contribute to the worlds well being and ultimately make it a better place! I do realize I can not single handly take on all of the bad influences or environments our students live in however I do believe there is a lot of power in the way we make our students feel! As we remember back to our school years (elementary in particular) we don't remember all of the lessons and content persay but we DO remember which teachers had a positive impact on our lives and of course which ones had a negative impact on us. I think it is very important to hold on to these positive practices of making our students feel loved, safe and wanted. Obviously teaching the content is a must however creating a positive atmosphere within our classrooms and ensuring we are positive role models for our students is an option. An option I feel as we should all consider and do. Considering we end up touching so many lives with a few years time why shouldn't we try our hardest to create those positive relationships and attitudes for our students? We are the ones who have that special opportunity in touching all the lives of the future as a teacher, therefore we should embrace that gift and do what we can in educating students academically and socially to help make our world just that much better!
In my head I feel like I definitely will make a difference and I definitely want to, but then when I think of the actual things I have to do or more so the number of things I could do, I get overwhelmed. I think that it is of course part of my job as a future teacher because I will be the one there with the children for 8 hours every day. I have to be the one to teach them, mostly because why wouldn't I? There are so many issues that I want to be able to improve upon, but mostly I just want my students to be happy, well adjusted, supportive kids. I am not really an advocate for anything, and I never have been, but I think if a certain situation arose, I would be there to fight for a student. But I think on more of an everyday scale, I just need to be there and actually present for my students. I need to take an interest in their lives and be encouraging. I need to foster their learning and encourage them to think critically and on their own.
ReplyDelete- Sarah Angles
I think it is partially the responsibility of educators to make the world a better place, but not in an individual way- more like the concept of 'pay it forward.' Teachers/counselors should work as hard as they can to better the lives of their students (maybe not each one, but hopefully) and instill in students that in turn, they can better someone else's life. Teach students to be compassionate, gentle, open-minded, genuine and to think for themselves. Trust that these qualities will help them to change someone else's world for good.
ReplyDeleteSometimes attempting to make the entire world better can be an overwhelming idea; it's much easier to make someone's world better, and in turn believe that the bettering continued. Some people may look at this view point as 'negative' or 'lazy', however, I think it's a more realistic way to better the world. Baby steps!
-Ali
I think this question goes back to the original set of questions discussed at the beginning of this course: Who are teachers? Moreover, how do teachers view themselves, who do others perceive teachers to be, and does this perception from the outside influence our own opinions of ourselves as educators? Is “making the world a better place an expectation of all educators?” What constitutes making the world a better place? (Whoa, did I just start answering this question with a whole paragraph of questions?) Yes.
ReplyDeleteThis is a hard post for me, hence all the questions to myself and whoever else is reading this. I’m not sure I understand what it means to make the world a better place. I love what Breck said earlier: changing one student is changing the world. This was in the back of my mind when I initially began thinking about this blog post. I think it’s harder for me to picture myself having such an impact as changing the entire world. It seems a bit prideful or self-absorbed. It’s easier for me to imagine my classroom and consider the possibility that I am changing my children’s (and their families’) worlds. So am I making the world a better place one child at a time? It sounds like a billboard or a weird gimmick. Regardless of how this works, as many folks have mentioned, I do not think it is only an educator’s role to make the world a better place. I believe that is a duty shared by all. Unfortunately, I think it often falls to professions like ours to pick up the slack. A common phrase at my school is, “it takes a village.” It takes a village to raise a child (parents, extended family members, church family, school, etc.) and it takes a village to make the world a better place. No one should have to do it alone.
It’s also a bit ironic that “making the world a better place” is a growing expectation of teachers these days, especially since it does not fit the school’s guidelines as being a SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-sensitive) performance indicator. Unfortunately, according to our county’s professional growth plan, changing the world and/or changing lives isn’t a box to be checked on our teacher evaluations. I’m not sure if this can be measured by student’s SOL or simulation tests. Even if I am making the world a better place, who would notice? I suppose this is where the “overtly” part comes in. Regardless, I hope most of us are educators (or becoming educators) because we love children and want to teach them, not because we care who’s noticing.
(I'M CONTINUING MY POST HERE. IT SAID I HAD TOO MANY CHARACTERS.)
DeleteAs an Early Childhood Special Education teacher, I am currently working toward social improvement/justice in my classroom and beyond in a number of ways. I attempt to educate children throughout our school, families, and other teachers about specific disabilities, benefits of inclusion, and give folks the necessary tools in order to support my students and others like them. I strive to help each individual child overcome obstacles in order to be more independent and socially aware. I seek to encourage them, love them, and to let them know that they matter and that they are important. I fight for my children to fit in, to not be pitied, to be held to high expectations, and to not be defined by their disabilities. I instill social justice in my classroom by teaching my students that actions have consequences and that I will love and defend each of them equally. In preschool, we’re constantly mediating issues involving sharing, waiting, taking turns, respecting other people’s bodies, property, etc. They know that I do not think it is okay for little Johnny to hit Susie just as much as it is not okay for little Susie to hit Johnny. I model making mistakes, not just making them, but how to handle them appropriately as well as owning up to my faults when I’m wrong and apologizing to whoever needs to hear it. I help parents and other teachers become advocates for their children and ultimately, for the children to advocate for themselves. Moving forward, I think I need to continue to examine my own issues. It only seems appropriate to end all this with another question: What is there in me that is stopping the children in my classroom, their families, and the world from becoming better?
- Amanda Hayes
I do believe that it is the educator’s role to make the world a better place. If you think about it, it is easiest to make a difference in the world by working with the youth so that later, they can make a difference in the world (or at least hope that they will). As a Latino, I truly hope to be able to provide the supports that this population needs in the educational system. There are so many underrepresented populations in the United States that do not receive the attention that they need and thus, much of their youth is not being educated to be the best that they could be. I hope to someday, in some way, be able to aid them. Like so many have said already, being an advocate for students and diverse populations is extremely important and I hope to be able to represent students, families, faculty, and staff. The first thing that I would do would be to get to know the surrounding resources that are available for families. It should be in every educator’s interest to be knowledgeable of what the populations around them need and I hope to be that person in a school system.
ReplyDeleteNick Zubieta
Yes, I do believe it is an educator’s role and responsibility to make the world a better place. I don’t think this means you have to solve every problem and take on the world, but I do believe we all have to do our part. It starts with one child…one young life that could take a path that leads to pain, criminal activity, lack of productivity, or a drain on our society. Or, that child could take another path because someone believed in him, someone took the time to ask her how she is doing, someone took the time to say “I’m glad you are here today”. I think when we hear that we are making the world a better place we often think of large, grand scale actions. But, it only takes one small, seemingly inconsequential action. Yet, I can guarantee that it does not feel or seem inconsequential to that child.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to make sure that I don’t forget why I am here (meaning, a researcher) and to never forget all of the lessons that my students have taught me over the years. We recently had to create a professional mission statement in our Integrative Seminar, and I think it pretty much sums up what I plan to do as an educator. My professional mission is to advance the conversation of school dropout prevention to include a social work perspective and a socially just response. I want to challenge the education system to consider the humanity of their students in their policies and practices, and I want to encourage social workers to be a part of the conversation. It is also my mission to inspire and excite the next generation of social workers through innovative teaching strategies that foster critical thinking.
-Caren
I think a teacher would be lying if he said he never thought about his job as a vehicle for bringing about social change. Everybody sees problems in this world, having a job where one works so closely with who will become the next generation, I find it tough to believe that a teacher would never hope to alleviate some of the issues he saw in the world. At least that's what I hope for.
ReplyDeleteI see most of the problems in this world having to do with a lack in understanding, a lack of empathy and a surplus of selfishness. Being a teacher that helps students to learn compassion and empathy in even the smallest way, I will feel like I've done my job.