Education... the tree of knowledge?

[sister goshe]

Its my first year teaching science at a small charter school in a relatively troubled suburb of a big city.

The culture of the people surprised me in many ways.

They live in the moment. It's beautiful in many ways. They are quick to forgive, speak their minds and wear their hearts on their sleeves. They generally have tremendous pride and loyalties.

On the other hand- they are very distractable - and lack focus in their lessons. They are quick to emotions of all kind good and bad... anger easily, get offended easily and are comparitively more sexual and violent. Their confident and self-esteem seem confused.

Most are generally academically behind by about two years. They are generally slower learners... not unusually lazy, but legitemately slower- less bright... don't catch on quickly.

I have wondered as I try to teach them if I am destroying the good things in them by increasing their education... yet it is education they lack... and they cannot be asked to participate mindfully in voting when they have hardly learned what it means to have a clean world.

There is something to be said for being thoughtful, I think... and not merely living in the moment. We are not merely surviving are we?

These people are not merely poor and lazy, but actually slower learners- years of coping mechanisms and falling behind and they end up barely passing high school and not able to compete in the real world.

These student of mine, many will be poor. Generations and generations of poor and under-educated with no way out.

What solutions are there? Education must change for them... expectations must change... I don't know how...
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Sister G0$he