Being in education for over 25 years I have found that teaching is a profession that you must stay abreast of social culture. It is reality that schools are secondary for many students no matter their race, survival is their first priority. Society is constantly changing and schools are charged with generating and guiding social change. The constant in society is school. It is should be safe, secure, and welcoming place for all students to attend. Education is still the leading force for many out of poverty, gangs, violence and abuse. I believe as many philosophers do that education has the power to lead society down the right path.
Teachers are on the front line, they are our Calvary for helping students keep their cultural context in perspective. Teachers must be knowledgeable about cultural influences and how to prepare students to integrate education into and influence their life. Teachers make a positive contribution in helping students understand the democratic process in contributing to positive social change.
As Dewey states, society does provide for significant learning situations, but schools are capable of leading society down the right path because of its influence on social culture. Teachers who have the same color of face or same language help us fight the cultural forces that are pulling students away from schools every day. Teachers can still impact and influence students even if education were a secondary agency in society. Even in the toughest of times at home, thousands of students are resilient enough to make their way to school. Schools are not the only hope some students have but we certainly fill a role that so many are missing. Schools and classroom stand for many positive things such as; positive adult relationships, positive reinforcement, acknowledgement, acceptance for who they are, affirmation, and empathy. If school were a choice, I truly believe that we would still have full classrooms. We are the only opportunity many have to change their class system.
It is my belief that teachers and schools battle being secondary in many students lives on a daily basis. Our focus should remain on educating problem solvers who experience real world learning opportunities, which allow more students to choose to make education a priority.
