When I tell people I am an Elementary Education major, they either ask me if I like working with kids, or they are surprised and mention that they could never be so brave. In both situations, I am humbled, although working with kids is not the driving force for why I want to be a teacher. And, in my opinion, teaching has more to do with having a passion to help people than being able to control 16 or so children in a classroom. Of course, working with children is quite an adventure, but being a teacher is so much more than liking kids; it’s building a foundation of basic skills they will use for the rest of their lives while creating a spark for learning.

This article is meant to highlight teaching as a career that will change the world, and to present the realities of the education system that prevent all children from having a chance to participate in changing the world. I simply want more people to be aware of the fact that a child’s potential should not have to be determined by his or her race, ethnicity, parent’s income or level of education, special needs, etc.

This semester, I am taking a Diversity In American Education course where we explore how race, ethnicity, gender, and special needs are contributing factors in a child’s education. On Friday, we read a book chapter called “There is no achievement gap at birth,” which explained there is no gap in development or intelligence between white children or black children because all children have potential to learn, but there is a gap between exceptional teachers and average teachers.

Also in this article, the author analyzed that black male students are considered to fail out of school according to society, so when they either hide from class participation or act out, these behaviors are actually to avoid failing as society, and most likely their teacher, has already assumed to be their destiny. If a teacher ever bases a student’s success on the societal stereotype, then this student needs a new teacher and this teacher needs to open his or her mind or be fired. One of the most important lessons I have learned from my education classes is to never give one student lower expectations than the rest of the class because this child will live up to those expectations, which is most likely failure to complete an activity. Even if the child has a lower reading level than other students, do not change you expectations because this child will not improve or learn the reading skills.

In a case study from June 2015, the researchers found “disadvantaged students may be more likely to be taught by a low-quality teacher, but they are even less likely to be taught by a high-quality teacher.” Can you believe that?! Children who attend public elementary schools where a majority of the students come from low-income families and where the school as a whole is lacking according to the state’s standardized tests are more likely to continue receiving education from low-quality teachers? That is ridiculous.

Children should not be deprived of a proper education simply because they are supposedly “disadvantaged.” To me, disadvantaged means these children may not have learned all of their reading and writing skills yet, but they certainly still have the potential to do so. Also, a high-quality teacher fosters a safe and comfortable learning environment for all of the students while creating a fun atmosphere in which children with varying learning levels and types can interact with one another.

A few weeks ago, we watched a documentary called “Educating Peter” in which a child with special needs, Peter, was incorporated into a standard third-grade classroom in public school. The teacher and students were nervous at first, but in the end of the documentary, one girl in his class explained how Peter taught them all to think differently about children and people with special needs. These third graders changed their view of special needs students by having Peter in their class, and getting third graders to recognize that people with special needs are not “different” is proof this third-grade teacher changed the world.

Teachers are building a foundation of skills the next generations will use throughout their lives, and ultimately will change the world through these students. Without equal access and opportunity to education, how are all children going to be able to change the world? That is a hard answer, and not an easy one either. As a teacher, try to foster a safe and fun learning environment and help the children as much as you can in their development. If we want major change to out education system, then future teachers will have to strive to be high-quality teachers and teach in all sorts of schools with all types of students. The rest relies on the government, but we as teachers need to take stand and give all children the potential to change the world.

For all teachers and aspiring teachers, repeat after me: I am proud to be a teacher, and I am going to change the world.

Sources:

“Uneven Playing Field? Assesing the Teacher Quality Gap Between Advantaged and Disadvantaged Students” Dan Goldhaber, Lesley Lavery, and Robby Theobald. Educational Researcher, Vol. 44 No. 5 pp. 293-307. June/July 2015.

“Multiplication is for White People: There is no achievement gap at birth” by Lisa Delpit. pp. 5-25.