I am an educator...Not too long ago my profession was a very distinguished one, one that stood out above the rest. Today, as an educator, I find myself constantly on the defense. Defending myself against the government, politicians who do not understand the daily struggles inside a classroom or against the small percentage of parents that do not value education in any way, shape, form, or fashion. On a daily basis, I am a teacher, mother, nurse, and social worker to more than a dozen children. It is difficult to encourage and motivate children who come from homes where reading a book is unacceptable or frowned upon, but during the school day I am able to accomplish this task. My own children have been the victims of snide remarks from relatives who question why they are always reading a book or why they talk "white". These comments infuriate me and although the offending relative usually believes that the comment is harmless, it is actually quite harmful. My children love to read and these types of comments over time can discourage a child from wanting to read in front of others. I have students who face similar criticism on a daily basis (I have actually witnessed such negative interactions between students and parents). My children have me, their father, and grandparents to encourage them to read daily. We provide the positive reinforcement to counter the negative on a regular basis. I cannot be expected to motivate the child in the classroom and change the mindset of the parent at home. The reality is that children like to be praised, they seek acceptance from their family first. Unfortunately, making honor roll or having the most AR points is not a major event in all households. So many excuses can be created about where the disconnect came, when education started to lose it's value in some homes, but none of them make sense to me. I was not born rich, my children weren't born rich, but education is highly valued in our home. I have often heard that many African Americans do not value education because we were not offered the same opportunities in the past as other Americans. I cannot agree with this statement. I was not raised in a two-parent household. I was raised by my great-grandmother (mama), whose formal education ended at around the third grade. Mama could read and write and she could do basic arithmetic. Most of her life she and my great-grandfather were sharecroppers, by the time I was born(after my great-grandfather passed) she was doing domestic housework. Her main goal in raising me was to ensure that I received a quality education and that I became somebody. I attended a small public school in a rural, farming community where I was the ONLY African American student in my class from kindergarten through 5th grade. Never once was I made to feel inferior to my classmates, even though none of my teachers were African American. I was always an honor student and when mama couldn't help me with my homework or if my mom wasn't around, she found someone who could. I excelled throughout elementary school (my school was a k-8 school) and high school. I was a cheerleader, played basketball, ran track, was in chorus and participated in many civic clubs and honors organizations. Mama believed that failure was not an option and she expected me to become successful. She knew that education was the ONLY way that I could achieve my goals. I was taken to the library regularly and to Kmart to purchase books if the library didn't have what I wanted to read. Even after becoming a teen mom my senior year of high school, mama's determination for me to receive a college education did not waver. She did whatever was necessary to help me finish high school and attend college. Although I was not a traditional college student and I faced many obstacles along the way (I was the mother of 4 by the time I completed my degree), with the prayers of mama and the help of my mom, I graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Applied Psychology . I returned to grad school soon after to complete the coursework necessary for my teaching certification and I haven't looked back since. I am almost certain that if it had not been for mama's encouragement and support (along with my mom later on), I wouldn't be who I am today. She taught me that no matter what happens in life, you can always reach your goals with hard work and a desire to succeed. I have instilled in my children that education is the key to their futures. I have high expectations for my children, as mama had high expectations for me. I just wish that all parents could sincerely see the value of education and support their children as they strive to make their dreams a reality. My goal as a teacher is produce lifelong learners and productive members of society. Sometimes, I just need a little help from home.
"Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task." Haim Ginott
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