I'm not a crier. So I wasn't prepared to sit in a second grade classroom today and have tears well up in my eyes.
I showed up to mentor during my lunch hour with much excitement as always. When the teacher asked me to stay in the classroom, I was pumped. Because, let's be honest, it makes my day to have kids huddled around me like they want my autograph (I handed out camp post cards instead).
But then, the teaching happened. It was about alliteration, metaphors, similes, and "omomatopoeias" (yes, it was spelled wrong on a GRPS worksheet). And the lesson was taught to second graders (most of whom are English as a second language learners) from a 3-ring binder. So the tears welled up. I had my first tragic, real life glimpse of our 50% graduation rate in GRPS.
These are the kids I love. They deserve so much more than this. It's NOT FAIR.
I came home and legitimately cried. Full out, kind of crumbled for the state of our education system. I'm having a hard time getting over it.
Maybe you don't know. Maybe you haven't experienced what it's like in some of our schools. You need to be aware. We all need to work together on this. Please watch David Guggenheim talk about why he made the movie, "Waiting for Superman" and why it's not enough to "take care of my kids and move on"...
Oh, and you should DEFINITELY watch the movie. It's my plea to the world.
I don't fit well in a box, but if you are just catching up with me, I am a 30-something, a first-time home-owner, a camp director, a child development enthusiast, a mentor in the inner-city and a traveler. I sometimes pack stilettos in my backpacking pack, pair antiques with Ikea furniture and lie awake at night pondering how I can live my story in a way that brings more honor to my Creator...
And these are my adventures.
And these are my adventures.
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8 comments:
And this is why you and I should start a school!!
The movie is a must see, convicting, inspiring, and challenging.
Thank you for sharing your heart with us.
April! This post broke my heart. Ryan and I are looking forward to watching "Waiting for Superman" - it's been on our Netflix que for a couple of weeks. I'm going to move it up on the list so it comes sooner!
Love you and love your heart for kids!
Also, if you and Danae start a school, my kids will be enrolled. :o)
I love that you're the type of person who sees wrong in the world and, instead of hiding under her covers (as I would do, because it breaks my heart and I can't function when things make me that sad), says something. DOES something. Thanks for making me peek out from under the covers once in a while...
wish I could have been in the classroom to see the lesson when it was happening.
When I was teaching full time at a school whose population was 80% Hispanic and 15% black I read a book about how our country is failing at educating minorities, specifically blacks and hispanics. The author researched magnet schools that had high success rates among minorty students. The bottom line in his book, we as a country have NOT learned HOW to effectively educate these two minority groups.
If you and Danae start a school you have to do in South Bend so I can still work at GCC and volunteer at your school!!! I want the best of both worlds!!
I hear you sister. I could talk for hours of my disappointment in our education system through my experience with the girls... I need to get this movie... what can we do about it?!
yup, S came home from kindergarten and asked me what "this is" (timidly holding up her middle finger). Kindergarten. It makes me so sad, knowing that is the state of many of our schools but that this is the state of a sinful world, and dealing with the fact thats where we are. Wrestling with this, too.
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