Working as an Assistant Teacher is ok, and I only say that because I have my own ideas that I want to do in the classroom and well, I can’t do that right now...cause it's not my class. I’d like to be done with school too…but it takes time, and I’m learning that patience is truly a virtue – which you definitely need dealing with kids. That being said...I can't wait to be a teacher...I think I've found what I can be good at and enjoy it (however the kids have learned the HARD way that Ms. Cooper is CRAZY! LOL!)
There is ONE thing that alarms me, and my friends that are teachers (Thanks Shannon...) warned me about it, but I just had to see it for myself…
I AM ASHAMED OF BLACK STUDENTS. (I know this sounds bad...but I do. I cringe and want to just slap them to sleep when they act a fool...am I getting bourgeoisie? Nah...I don't think so)
Not all of them…but definitely some of them. The school that I work at is very diverse. The population consists of Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Asians, Indians, etc. Now I know that there are goofballs in every race, but it seems like my young Black brothers and sisters didn’t get the memo. Education is important, and you need to take it seriously because there are no free passes out here. Also, waiting it out to become the next LeBron James or Beyonce Knowles just isn’t smart (the odds are astronomically not in your favor). I've got kids who can't tell me who Medgar Evans, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., is but they know all the lyrics to LOL Smiley Face...damn you BET! (that's a whole different story right there)
Now...I’m not trying to crush anyone’s dreams (I still want to pursue my writing career); what I’m saying is that you have to have a back-up plan in case the first one doesn’t happen. Most of the kids of other races (I know that I’m over-generalizing this) get this, but the Black children don’t. For example, in a class that I assist in, the teacher gave the class one of the easiest assignments ever. It was a Tuesday morning, and the class had to bring in a one inch, 3 ring binder and index tabs by that next Monday for 10 points extra credit in addition to the regular points. It was due on Tuesday for full credit and no extra credit. This assignment was also worth 30% of their final grade. On Monday, only 3 out of the 14 Black kids in the class turned in their assignment. The teacher gave them until Wednesday to turn it in and only one did. Now I looked at the other kids. Out of the other races, two kids didn’t bring their binders and one of them had left it in her locker, and she begged the teacher to go get it. The Black students didn’t care that they didn’t have their assignments. It wasn’t that serious to them. I hear it everyday in the hallways; “Oh well…I don’t care…so what!” I can’t fathom why they just don’t get it! They have so many programs created to HELP them succeed, and they are letting these opportunities slip away. Hell, I wish they had that stuff when I was going to college. My friends and I would’ve gone to Ivy League schools for free! (Yes, they do have these programs!)
I don’t have an overnight solution…but I have one for right now: Parents, step your game up! Emphasize to your children that education is a PRIORITY, and a possible ticket out of a bad situation. We must set good examples. James Baldwin says while children may not listen to you, they never fail to imitate you. Put down their video games and expensive gym shoes and buy them some books. Get them the help that they need. Listen to what your child’s teacher is telling you instead of going up to the school cuss them out…the teacher might just be right…did you ever think about that?
Please get it together before those programs are taken away because people think that we don’t care. To quote one of my favorite singers, Marvin Gaye, “It makes me wanna holler, and throw up my hands.”
Sorry to vent yall...I'll go back into my cave now and finish marinating on some other stuff...LOL! Have a great night!
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