On Thursday, September 8, 2016, New York City public schools started their first official day of classes. During my long commute to the high school I am currently student teaching at, I saw children flooding in and out of buses and trains. Parents were rushing to drop off their kids, adding more excitement to my day at the annoying expense of rush hour traffic.

Rush hour troubles aside, I was deeply touched by the images I saw and conversations I heard as I was walking to the school. A family took a giant group selfie as their son was celebrating his first day of first grade, which they proudly marked on a little sign they made him hold. Seeing his wide smile, I felt compelled to say, "Congratulations!" The innocence of the youth is touching, especially when they celebrate the importance of education. The second image was as powerful as the first, if not more. A boy - a young man rather - was walking with his mother. He looked old enough to be in high school. She told him as they walked past me, "Now I don't care what anybody tells or calls you; don't be afraid to shine." As a person striving to find a career in education, her words impacted me and made me more aware of the work that teachers do.

Before I get to my point, I want to add one last anecdote. Last Spring, I worked with 6th graders for student teaching. On my last day, I gave them an activity. They had to make four lists of four items each, titled Places I Consider Home, Things I Have Accomplish, What I Hope to Accomplish, and Most Influential People in My Life. For a few minutes at a time, I would allow student to think about what to put in each category and then write their answers down. It did not hit me on how the activity will truly affect them, even after I finish my teaching, until a student asked, "Mr. Mac, I'm only 12. I don't think I've accomplished much to put down."

That one question almost kept me in pure silence, but, after a quick pause, I realized that there was at least 1 thing they could put down. I said in response, "I guess the older generations sometimes expect much - or too little rather - at times from young people, questioning how mature they really are. But, think about it. Did you pass a class? Make it to a new grade level? Did you discover you were really good at something? There are so many things that we take for granted, such us understanding the fact that there's value in our everyday lives."

So where am I going with all of this? Students need to be understood better, rather than just using age as a barometer of maturity.

We have greatly misunderstood our youth. When a child/adolescent does something wrong, people generally blame the child's parents, neighborhood, color, or even the media for corrupting them. However, youth defies stupidity because young people can often read beyond the fine lines presented to them - hence the cliche that children are smarter than you think they are. They are observant and adapt to what they are dealt with. As a result, their behavior is marked by lack of attention and/or support. If we treat a child based on appearance rather than accept and challenge the reality at hand, then the old generation is not doing much for them just like the generation that raised them. The youth have been taught lessons on dominance, wealth, and superiority rather than conditioning themselves to discipline, civility, and education.

I found it my calling to be a teacher not because of money but on how a teacher leaves an indelible mark on a student. When we take the time to truly understand and recognize a student - trying to relate, not pander - we can really see that he/she is trying to succeed and needs a push from someone with experience.

I see it like this: you may but young, but your mind defies reality. There is no such thing as stupidity, just ignorance.

So for the people of my generation, we can say that children are the future. If we can end the cliches and let them become reality, our society would be better off learning to cooperate with one another rather than further the bridges that already tear apart our world. Set good examples, use words wisely, and expand your mindset. These are some ways to make a difference.

However, decisions are made by those who show up; in other words, break time is over. Do something.