"Inescapable Privilege" from Teach for Us
http://firstyearreflections.teachforus.org/2015/06/07/inescapable-privilege/
This blog post caught my eye because it discusses something a fellow teacher-candidate and I were having a conversation about yesterday. I completely agree with the teacher in this post and the idea that once you're given knowledge about privilege and placed in a school that doesn't have it, you begin to view the world differently. When you're working in a school with students who don't have the simplest necessities like food on the table or a roof over their head, you can't just ignore the problem. It's frustrating that other's don't have this window into the problems in our society. I find it hard to explain it to others, to get the impact across that I have felt.
One of the final paragraphs of the blog really resonated with me. The author states, "I want more than to 'use my privilege for good'. I mean, that just feels like an excuse to dismiss privilege to me. In fact, I crave to give it all up so I can’t further the problem by benefiting any longer. But that is so stupid because my parents would always support me if I needed. I would always be white. Privilege is something you can never escape." I find myself often stuck in this thought process as well. I have a privilege that most of my students won't have, but is it enough to be aware of that? How do I take action in a more productive way? Furthermore, even if I'm an active advocate for change, what happens when society isn't? It's important to consider how to help those without privilege while educating those with it. Based off our course, I feel that taking a social justice perspective in the classroom and within lessons is one of the ways to do this.
"Leaving a Legacy: Connecting to Your Inner Superhero" from PLPNetwork
http://plpnetwork.com/2015/03/03/legacy/
I enjoyed this blog post and many of the ideas resonated with me. As a future educator, you think often about how you want to impact students, the lives you want to change and the learners you want to inspire. I liked that this article focussed on a lot of positive aspects of teaching, opposite of the article above that featured a few struggles.
We learn a lot about the difficulties of teaching in our courses. We discuss the issues involved in dealing with administration and the lack of control often felt. We blame the system and get angry. However, sometimes it is important to take a step back and look at the big pictures. I got into teaching because I wanted to leave a legacy. I wanted to connect with students and change the world, one kid at a time.
We recently discussed in class how we are not superhero: we cannot do everything perfect, everything at once. We have to take things in stride and adjust as we go. However, to go after a profession like teaching is heroic. I like that this blog post brought in the idea of action, with a very positive, uplifting perspective. Things aren't always as bad as they seem. Superheroes don't have to be perfect to be heroic.
I've always loved reading superhero comics. This reminds me of what a friend of mine would say "Even Batman and Superman screwed up from time to time." He was a teacher I worked with as a sub and he even had a superhero themed classroom. He always reminded students that even heroes make mistakes, and on my rough days he would remind me that Batman had his bad days. It seems cheesy to say but for some students we will be heroes, but hero doesn't mean perfect. That is tough to remember sometimes.
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