When I was reading Hodgskinson, I reflected on my first week as a teacher, this past week. I also thought back to the family, school, and temple trips I had taken to Ellis Island. Hodgskinson talks about transience (the increasingly non-stationary population coming into urban schools.) He talks about what is sometimes called white flight and the increasing diversity (socio-economically speaking, country of origin v. ethnicity) Again, I reflected on the first day of school and my familial experience of Ellis Island. When I walked through the halls of my school, taking stock on my first day as a teacher (during my very small 30 minute lunch break) I was caught off guard.
As I rounded the corner to the front of the school, I was immediately met with images that could have come right out of the exhibits at Ellis Island. The office and hallway were crammed with students and families desperately trying to register for school. WE WERE ALREADY HALFWAY THROUGH THE FIRST DAY!!!!! (Still, after 1 complete week, students are still entering my class for the first time.) These families were new to the area, to the school, or returning and challenging IEP’s or classroom placement. Many didn’t speak English, and while I speak some Spanish, I could not understand what was being said between the parents, children, and staff. What they were saying to each other, I couldn't understand. I have seldom felt so isolated.
Across from the main office is the nurse’s office. Parents, guardians, and their children were shuttled across the hall and back waiting for medical examinations, waiting to be “cleared” to enter school. Much like my great (and great great) grandparents went through when they immigrated into this country. To say I was befuddled would be an understatement (unless I’m misusing the word.) I saw the urban public education system from yet another viewpoint…an insurmountable bureaucracy for some. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
As to the “Annenberg Promise” and the hopefulness it expressed about the potential locked away in urban schools, I mainly reflected on two points: The challenges I will face in helping this diverse group of students make strong personal connections to the content/ develop a personal identity (as a White, Jewish Male in a largely Hispanic environment) as well as the irony of the dichotomy what Urban centers have become.
I guess to begin, I understand the importance of making personal connections to what we learn, not just pedagologically speaking, but also in terms of forming a personal identity, as well as becoming a productive, contributary member of society. However, despite my educational background (an urban primary education) my students see me as an outsider. As someone who can never understand what they are going through in life because I am White and wear a tie and therefore am rich and spoiled. How do I help them to make strong and meaningful connections, when I am so removed from the culture myself? This I have pondered, and still I have no answer.
What also spoke to me is the allusion to the fact that the urban center was once a drawing point for the apex of society, technology, culture, finance (though maybe not today if you follow the news) and people. Yet now urban centers have become more like cities out of futuristic scifi movies where the best of society, the areas which receive the most attention, science, politics, fiinance, etc. are surrounded by the MOST NEGLECTED (BUT BY NO MEANS THE WORST)people. How can we spend millions upon millions on entertaining diversions such as movies (like Watchmen ) and then abandon the project after the movie is done, while on our city streets, there are people in abject poverty struggling to survive, many straining to raise a family. There are no words. As a nation we should be ashamed, looking outwards before we look within.
Enough of me for now, im getting angry, and I never type angry…keyboards cost too much :)
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