Philogging Assignment #3

First, I have to say that I read the questions posed in this week's assignment during class on Tuesday and since then they have been heavily looming in the back of my mind. The concept of "equal education" seems so vitally crucial to bring to my classroom and students, and yet it seems so abstract and intangible at this point in developing my educational philosophy. How do I ensure that every single student who passes through my classroom door gets not only equal, but the best quality education they can possibly have when each student, and consequently their backgrounds and the challenges they face, will be so unique?
I would say that as a society, we have moved past the blatantly racist and classist beliefs of Eliot and other progressive reformers of that era's definition of "equal education opportunity" and would probably agree with a definition along the lines of what Aristotle and Mann had envisioned the phrase to mean. However, I don't believe that as a nation we can achieve an education system that truly offers its students equal educational opportunities across the board without first addressing the conditions that have caused the current system to be deemed as failing. I personally believe that the first step towards addressing these issues is developing a national education plan with national educational standards. How can we expect our children to be high achieving, college bound, students when the standards with which we measure them vary so greatly from state to state?
To me, educational equality means that every student has the opportunity to pursue an education to the fullest degree. This means that whether they choose to or not, they are prepared to attend college and beyond. So then the question becomes how do I, as a teacher, deliver that equal education and ensure that each student meets those preparation goals? I think a key word here is accountability. The accountability I have to both students and parents that, as a teacher, I will not only teach their children to the best of my abilities but also hold them to the standards which are necessary to pursue a college education. In turn, I feel strongly that parents also have to be accountable in the sense that they must put a priority on education and set a standard for their own children that they must achieve to best of their abilities. At some point it also becomes the responsibility of the student to take their education in their own hands and in that sense they also must be accountable. I think Dewey made an important point several times throughout his creed that the education of children is not just the responsibility of the teacher but of the whole community. A student's education cannot start and stop at a school's door. Without the full support of their parents, how are children supposed to understand the importance and benefits of an education? Although, the idea of parent support brings up the question of what to do when parents are not a supportive force in their children's education? We can't just ignore those students but how do we, as teachers, fill the hole that their parents have left in their education support team?
If all of the inspirational stories and movies about the underdog achieving greatness have taught us anything, it is that hard work and dedication can go a long way. I firmly believe that as a teacher I have the duty to empower my students by showing them that despite the challenges they might face both at school and at home, educationally, nothing is out of reach for them. It seems that one area where the nation's education system is not failing is in providing resources to students wanting to go to college. Whether it be merit scholarships or need based financial aid, the burden of paying for college does not seem to be the major struggle for underprivileged students. With that in mind I think the second key term to an equal education is self determination. If there is a student who expresses the desire to go to college, I feel that it is a teacher's duty, without question, to do everything in their power to make that desire a reality. This of course brings up another question, what about the students who don't overtly show an interest in higher education?
It seems that working within the current educational system one of the most influential tools I can use to provide my students an equal education is to inspire them to find what interests them and to reach for their goals, whether that be college or not. That may seem contradictory to my earlier statement that every student should be prepared for college, but I believe just that, prepared. If a student doesn't wish to go to college, that is their prerogative but I feel they should still be prepared to do so if they choose. Is a traditional, four year college for everyone? I don't think so. There has to be a place in our education system for those students who don't fit into the mold of a college bound student.
I firmly believe in the sentiments Dewey spoke of in his creed of first enlightening students to what their true passion is and then teaching to that. Teaching students to live up to their full potential through aiding them in discovering what interests them, I feel, is the only way to produce productive members of society. Reading these parts of Dewey's creed reminded me of a 5th grade student I worked with last year. This student had an unstable home life that often resulted in him being passed back and forth between parents and grandparents. Although he wasn't very interested in school, it was the one constant force in his life. He probably couldn't count on his parents for much but he always knew he would find understanding and support from his teacher. He was very smart and usually got a grasp on new concepts quickly but they just didn't hold his interest. The one thing that did hold his interest was music. Probably the best thing his (for lack of a better term) deadbeat dad ever did for him was buy him a guitar. As soon as he picked up the instrument and started playing his face lit up. He would practice for hours, perfecting every single note and learning countless new songs. Allowing him to bring his guitar to school and incorporate music into his school day as much as possible made school bearable (and maybe sometimes enjoyable) for this student. It also gave a place to his interest and life outside of school, showing him that the two did not have to exist separately. Music is clearly the force that motivates this student and upon discovering this, his teacher had a much easier time not only coaxing him to do his schoolwork but also relating the work he produced at school to his music. By the end of the school year he tested proficient in reading and math and was excited to go to middle school the following year where he would be able to join the school's band. Will this student attend college? Who knows? He might be happier working a minimum wage job and playing in a band at nights. After the dedication and the effort made by his teacher to teach him through music though, he is one step closer to being prepared should he choose to take the college path. His teacher was able to not only prepare him for an educational future but also in a way that incorporated his passion. To me this is the mark of a successful teacher.