Saturday, August 4, 2012

Time to take action


25/7/12

I just realized that I nearly walked away from the biggest opportunity I have ever had to follow my passion. 

My passion is that disadvantaged youth are inspired and equipped to have a positive future for themselves and the others around them.

Today, someone told me this:

"25% of teachers who work in disadvantaged areas leave the profession in the first 3 years."

Many go in to fields of social justice into areas where they feel they can better make a difference. This was nearly me.

I realized today that I am actually in the best position to make a difference because I am working with some of the most disadvantaged youth in the country and what’s more… I have a good relationship with a lot of them.

I have let many excuses get in the way of realising I can make a difference in their life. Excuses such as:

  • There is a language barrier and my students need to have a strong understanding  of English in order for me to get the message across to them
  • Any good I try to make will be counteracted by their adverse situations in their community life outside of school
  • Continuous welfare payments mean that there is no incentive for them to get a good education
  • I am constrained by an education system that makes it impossible to address the areas I feel are important for my students whilst still delivering the curriculum
  • My students will never see education as important if their parents don’t either


However there is no room for excuses anymore and I truly believe this is something worth fighting for.

It is unacceptable that…

  • I have students in my class (between the ages 10-13) who can not read or write
  • None of my students are working at their year level
  • I know of only 1 student from my school who has gone on to higher education
  • The majority of the students in the school can not read and write in their first language
  • Many of my students walk in and out of class as they please
  • I have only had a parent come into my classroom on two occasions this year


The list of things that are unacceptable goes on and gives me more reasons to stay in this profession and keep fighting for change.

Yes there is pressure on teachers to enable our students to meet national academic standards and improve literacy and numeracy, however I don’t believe we are going to get there doing the same things we have always done. Everyday the teachers at my school come well planned, well resourced, well informed and often we are met with very challenging behavior, disengaged students and yes we see small progress but nothing that even comes close to equaling what we put in. I don’t believe that charging ahead with the curriculum and delivering our own agenda is going to make the difference for our students. I believe it will turn more and more students away from school and drive more and more teachers to absolute defeat. I think Albert Einstein might call us insane: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

No change = no change

Its time to make a change and so its time to do things a bit differently. I think that if the futures of our kids’ lives are going to be bright it needs to start with them believing it can be possible. I think that when kids believe in themself and see a bright future for themself they will start seeing education as important and can engage and progress. I also see a need for a different education than what would be suitable for mainstream English speaking students. If our students are to grow up empowered in both their Indigenous culture and in the western world, what goes on in the classroom cannot just be decided and driven by the teacher but in collaboration and dual responsibility with their families and wider community.

Don’t worry be crappy

I don’t know what it will look like from here on in, but if I at least start taking some action, I’m bound to get somewhere and make some steps towards closing the educational gap.

Many of the families and parents of the kids in my class don’t have jobs, are illiterate, don’t value education and do not appear to be particularly happy. My students will end up that way too if I don’t choose to do something about it.

It is time to take action - and this blog will follow those actions. 

12 comments:

  1. This is awesome Lauren. Absolutely awesome.

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  2. I'm so glad we didn't lose you Lauren! Your passion and commitment is exactly what education needs generally, but also exactly what our kids on the Lands deserve. So excited to watch this blog grow with stories of your actions. Keep it up :-)

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    1. Thank you Jess! It helps to work with people like you to keep me motivated and have such rich discussions about what is important for our kids :)

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  3. Thanks for sharing this! I think that anyone who works with disadvantaged kids can feel your frustrations. I keep reminding myself that, as much as some may not agree, wellbeing is as important as anything else for these kids. If we don't treat this with importance they will never truly be in a position to learn.

    For lots of these kids, traditional lessons are the last thing on their minds. Building relationships and connecting with kids about what is important to them is HUGE.

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  4. Hi Lauren. It sounds to me as though you have an understanding of the great need to approach the education of disadvantaged kids quite differently. There is a saying isn't there about how if you do what you've always done you'll get what you've always got? I'm glad you've decided to stay in education. There are lots of ways to deal with social injustice and they are all valuable but we definitely need compassionate, caring and passionate people in our schools!

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    1. Hi Pam. Wow thanks for your comment! It is so refreshing and reassuring to get feedback like this.

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  5. This is fantastic Lauren! I have two adult children and would love to think they had access to the quality of your commitment as they moved through the school system. Your capacity to see the whole cultural, linguistic and traditional system in which your students are trying to function and learn is extraordinary. Great job! Look after yourself too as the primary educational resource available to your charges and their families.

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    1. Thank you so much for your feedback Lizzie. It is extremely reassuring. There have been times in the past where I've felt like the odd one out to be having thoughts like this about wanting to do things differently and it has made me feel like I just need to work with what we've got. But when I hear things like this it just makes me more motivated to find a model that is more suited to our learners in this context.

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  6. Lauren, you're a legend. In the short time I have been around you I have been inspired and challenged and my hope has been restored. Thanks. Keep being awesome, hopefully I can help you do that somehow and be a part of all this change business.

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    1. Awww! Thanks so much Alana! It was so nice to be met with your enthusiasm in our sharing meeting yesterday and the fact that you already came up with your own theory of change.. just awesome! Today Louka and I were talking about how great that was :)

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