It's been a little while since I posted, so here I am to try and remedy that in spite of feeling like I've come down with a case of blogger's block.
I've been thinking a lot about our class with Will. I feel very lucky to have had that experience. My brain gets such a work out from trying to manage all this new information. When I reflect back on our conversation, something that I keep coming back to is Joe saying, "Maybe I'm naive, but...". I've been thinking about the difference between naive and idealistic. Is it naive to have high expectations of yourself and your students? Is it naive to think that you can bring about the changes that we are talking about? Is it naive to think that your students will find meaning in their work in your class? I hope not.
In a somewhat related story, I have been struggling to get my students to attend class. Most times, this means me either going outside or to the cafeteria to find them and bring them to class. What has been frustrating me about this endeavor is the apathy of some of the security guards, teachers, and administrators (NOTE: not ALL are apathetic). As I walk outside and debate going off to the creek to search for my students, I wonder, "Am I being naive to think that this will help anything?" One thing that I know for sure is that whether or not they come to class and do their work, these students know that someone is paying attention to them (and aren't we in an attention economy after all?). I really believe that they know that I care about them on some level. Is this naive or idealistic or both?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Sarah, you are so young wise.
Keep going to the creek! And no, you are not naive. You are an idealist and a romantic.
It takes one to know one. K
I understand your position, but I think it is neither idealistic nor naive. You're acting out your ethical obligation as a professional, and I suspect you are also acting out of a more personal sense of ethics.
It is not naive for you to do your job the way you believe it should be done. However, neither is it idealistic. It would be idealistic to imagine your actions as "saving" your students somehow, and ultimately I think such idealism would be damaging to both you and your students. But I don't think that's what you are doing.
Sarah, I've had similar concerns about my future in the classroom. When I speak to people about my teaching philosophy and ideas for the classroom, I'm often dismissed as being naive/idealistic. However, if that means I become like the people who are dismissing me, then I'll consider it a compliment! I find that even just saying that we should expect more of our students is perceived as somehow radical by most people. I think that's a crying shame.
Post a Comment