Teachable Moments
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Just in Case
We always think of a "plan A" and a "plan B" when making decisions in our personal lives or as we plan a lesson or activity for our students. The concept of having something to fall back on is not new or profound.
I was speaking to a colleague recently and she shared that she was having a very difficult time getting students to write in their "Dream" journals. The objective of these journals was to challenge students to see themselves in the future and write about their goals, aspirations and endeavors in five years...ten years..twenty years. After reviewing the journals for several weeks and noticing that the students had barely any writing at all (even though they were given 10 minutes as a warm-up each day), she decided to have a discussion about this troubling matter with her entire class.
The was shocked to find that her inner-city students did not see themselves as having a future! In the students' minds, their neighborhoods were riddled with violence, gang warfare, drugs, poverty and despair.
Why should they consider themselves as having a future given these blighted circumstances?
Why should they get their hopes up that they have a chance to move beyond their daily struggles?
Why should they hope for something that may never happen?
As my colleague pondered these challenging questions by her students, she realized that their reality was based on real-life struggles. They had drawn conclusions based upon what they experienced each day and felt disengaged from the promises esteemed highly by the "American dream".
She asked her students to change the name of the journals from the "Dream" journal to the "Just in Case" journal.
Just in Case....
-you complete middle school
Just in Case...
-you graduate from high school
Just in Case...
-you don't fall victim to drugs or gang violence
Just in Case...
-you graduate from college
Just in Case...
Educators, continue to encourage our students to see the best in themselves and the ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES for their future success!
I was speaking to a colleague recently and she shared that she was having a very difficult time getting students to write in their "Dream" journals. The objective of these journals was to challenge students to see themselves in the future and write about their goals, aspirations and endeavors in five years...ten years..twenty years. After reviewing the journals for several weeks and noticing that the students had barely any writing at all (even though they were given 10 minutes as a warm-up each day), she decided to have a discussion about this troubling matter with her entire class.
The was shocked to find that her inner-city students did not see themselves as having a future! In the students' minds, their neighborhoods were riddled with violence, gang warfare, drugs, poverty and despair.
Why should they consider themselves as having a future given these blighted circumstances?
Why should they get their hopes up that they have a chance to move beyond their daily struggles?
Why should they hope for something that may never happen?
As my colleague pondered these challenging questions by her students, she realized that their reality was based on real-life struggles. They had drawn conclusions based upon what they experienced each day and felt disengaged from the promises esteemed highly by the "American dream".
She asked her students to change the name of the journals from the "Dream" journal to the "Just in Case" journal.
Just in Case....
-you complete middle school
Just in Case...
-you graduate from high school
Just in Case...
-you don't fall victim to drugs or gang violence
Just in Case...
-you graduate from college
Just in Case...
Educators, continue to encourage our students to see the best in themselves and the ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES for their future success!