Finally. Someone is starting to figure it out.

I have spent my entire teaching career working in urban schools with children who are disadvantaged and deal with incomprehensible home lives.  Many of these children are riddled with behavior issues and learning problems that I have always believed directly linked to the stresses that they face on a daily base.  Due to this, my goal has consistently been to make my classroom as safe and secure as I possibly can.  True, I may not be the epitome of a nurturing-motherly-type-elementary school teacher (possibly because I work with middle schoolers, not 8 year olds), but I have always wanted my kids to feel safe, cared for and appreciated in my class.  I have always striven to make my room somewhere that they can come and leave the stress of life behind.  Somewhere that they always knew exactly what was expected of them both academically and socially.  I (and my co-workers) have always known that because of the students' home lives they bring issues into our classroom that often affect their learning and performance, which would not be an issue in a different demographic.

However, we choose to come to school every single day hoping that we can make a small difference.  We work 12 - 14 hour days hoping that we will be able to get through to these kids.  We try to include character development into our classrooms as much as possible, but due to rigorous standardized testing our time is cut short.  We want to help get these kids professional help if needed, but due to budge cuts there is not a counselor or psychologist in sight.  We attempt to work with the parents, however they are usually working 2 - 3 jobs simply to keep electricity turned on and food on the table.  We want to give them other reasons to come to school than purely academics by advocating for more specials where they can learn about things that interest them, but again money and time is short due to federal funding.  It seems as if we are constantly fighting an uphill battle, however, we continue to fight viciously hoping that someone will someday take notice.

I think someone finally did.  Ira Glass aired a program about all of these issues that brought to light a conversation regarding urban schools which people have been avoiding for decades.  Teachers are typically blamed for low test scores and failing conditions in low-income schools, and when we bring up the other factors that we are dealing with, we are told to stop complaining and just do our jobs.  Instead of acknowledging the fact that these factors due exist and are desperately hurting our children, they are pushed aside.  Instead of recognizing the problem and beginning to form solutions, deaf ears are given and heads look the other way.  I know this is simply one interview, one small program, but at least the topic is being discussed.  At least the issue is being researched and looked at by people other than teachers.  Thank you Ira Glass, for taking the time to put this program together.  Thank you for bringing to light situations we have been fighting against for years.  Please take a moment and read this or listen to it.  It is very much worth your time. 

Back to School:  This American Life