Just Some Ramblings
I graduate from Grad School tomorrow with a Masters of Teaching: Secondary Education, English. I would love to go, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I cannot. But that is not why I am writing. I am writing because today I had a conversation with my students about responsibility. Somehow, the conversation got on parents who want their children to lead better lives then themselves. I know for one that I want SWHS to be better than me. I want her to experience life. To work harder than I did. To not take anything for granted. However, as I stared into the faces of my students, I realized that there is something wrong. OK, actually, I have known this for a while. Today’s conversation just served to prove that I am right.
One student proudly said that he want to be on Public Assistance because it’s free money and he can party all the time. Another student also chimed in an said that he will never get a real job because he does not want to wake up in the morning.
I teach 9th grade. English. In an inner city school. I am American-Black. I was raised in the neighborhood where these children live. They are not the “poor black/Hispanic” children that are so under-privileged they cannot buy notebooks. These are children who have more expensive clothes and jewlery than me. They have iPod, sidekicks, and cellphones. My hubby and I make over $90,000 a year and we barely afforded out iPods. I tell you this because I want to understand that this is not about race, culture, or economics. This is GENERATIONAL. SO many children that I meet just don’t get it…
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I am a dominate personality and proud of it. I am a mom to the most beautiful little girl in the world. I am a teacher by day and a computer geek by night and love to read, blog, read blogs, design sites, and eat cheez-its. Occasionally, I try my hand at writing reviews, photography and knitting, crocheting, and weight loss. I have recently started a web design business.
May 27th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Great post!
I stumbled upon your blog today because every Sunday that I can, I click on random links from comments in other blogs that I read and sometimes click on links from there. In other words, I have no idea how I got here.
This post really hits home because I was involved in a similar discussion lately.
I am Native American and grew up on my reservation. My mother always wanted a better life for her children, but she let us know that it never came easy we had to earn what we wanted. She was the person who gave me the confidence to start my own business when I was 16-years-old. Mom was left with $30K of debt plus 25 years of a mortgage remaining with 6 kids to raise when my dad died when I was 10-years-old. We celebrated her debt-retirement and her work-retirement on my 21st birthday.
The funny thing is … I don’t find that lack of whatever you are posting about generational. When I go back home, I see my peers with grandkids and see that there’s a 2nd generation behind me still relying on public assistance or crying because they are not behind handed a high-paying job.
Like you, I just don’t get it …
June 10th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
Congratulations on your MS! I didn’t walk in graduate school. It was so anti-climatic. But nobody can ever take my Masters away from me. It’s something I earned.
And I love this post because we’re in a similar situation (except we make quite a bit less than y’all). We’re amazed at what we thought was “acceptable” income and suddenly, we’re the richest poor people we know. But we work and we earn our own way and we strive to teach our children to do the same thing. And, as a teacher, (and I think you know this about me already) but I believe SO MUCH in making your own path and earning your own way. And yet, my students, just like yours, say the same things. And it’s absolutely not race or religion or economical. It’s the entire class coming up now. And it’s scary.