In my dyad placement I'm student teaching at a private K-8 school for gifted children. When I heard about my placement I started making assumptions about the students I'd be working with. Since tuition is steep I didn't expect to see a lot of diversity among the student population, but I was pleasantly surprised after the first day of class to see a more racially diverse representation than I was expecting. The majority of the students are white, but there is still a racially diverse presence within the school. After a few weeks at this school I began to realize that the racial diversity didn't really feel like diversity because almost all of the students at this school come from high socioeconomic backgrounds. I realized that this factor had a greater effect on the school's diversity than did race. There are a few scholarships awarded to minority students each year, but most of students come from privileged backgrounds. That's when I realized that the "gap" at this school is between the reality that theses students live everyday and the world around them.
The school takes on many community service projects and raises money for different causes throughout the year but I wonder how much these children are aware of their status and how much it offers them. Even though I have only attended public schools and come from a middle-class background, it took me many years to recognize the privilege that I had and still do have. I think it's hard for children and teenagers to put themselves in someone else's shoes and develop empathy for people in different situations. I would love to see these students do more than raise money for different causes (although that is wonderful in itself) but truly get involved in the meaning of what they are doing. I think many of the students would benefit from serving lunch in a soup kitchen or giving clothes to actual foster children. I believe that I would have benefitted greatly from such experiences in middle school. These middle schoolers could really have the opportunity to be exposed to people living with different circumstances than themselves. I think that they could have really rich discussion around their reality and other people's reality.
I think it's important for me to remember not to make assumptions about these students backgrounds as I move forward in my dyad placement. But I also see no harm in widening someone's world view especially when they are at such an impressionable age.
I completely agree; what great ideas here. I've been a student in both private and public schools, have friends from both private and public schools and am student teaching in a public school and a choice (demographically private) school. What I've found generally, certainly not across the board, is that when students are in private schools they are also immersed in a very homogenous environment which is also likely reflected in their neighborhood and other communities. What results, even when the students are very bright, well-educated and well intentioned young people, they grow up with a limited world view. They may participate in fund-raisers and like activities, with good intentions, but they never fully understand why, or the great privilege they hold, and the richness of the world they have yet to see. This doesn't mean private schooling is inherently bad, but I think, just as you've said here, providing them with opportunities to expand that world view, and learn from people of different life walks, especially at that critical time of discovery and values formation in middle school, would be an invaluable addition to their education.
ReplyDeleteAs I reread my post and compared it to the article we read this week for the Professional Practice class I realized that I didn't want my views on private and public schools to sound like I hold one above the other; I've just noticed that both have benefits, as well as limitations. I think you stated your point really well. There is no doubt in my mind that both public and private school children would benefit greatly from increased knowledge and awareness of the lives and people around them, outside of school. Not to sound corny, but I believe that variety is the spice of life- so I'd love for all students to be able to experience that.
ReplyDeleteI agree that hands-on community service opportunities are so much more powerful experiences than only philanthropic fundraising. These kind of life experiences that can challenge students' beliefs at such a pivotal age are transformational.
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly. I was definitely not trying to say you hold one above another. I just sometimes catch myself holding public above private and I think why all comes down to this topic- I just very highly value diversity and the lessons taught from it. I've been very fortunate in my life to be able to travel abroad a lot, and from a young age; I'm convinced I have learned as much from my trips as I have from my schooling. I think we, as teachers, should find a way to bring that depth of education to the classroom, because we don't all have those opportunities. I also think limited world views and opportunity to learn from those unlike ourselves while growing up explains many of the problems our world faces. What an incredible global community we could create if it all started in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting to evaluate the differences seen in this private school and the public Title 1 school I am in. There definitely seems to be some distinct differences in the experience students at the two schools are having. I agree with you, Bunny88, I also expected this private school to be less racially diverse than it is. While it is definitely not racially balanced, there are more students of color than I expected to see which is a nice surprise. But, in taking a closer look at who the students of color are, I began to notice that African-American and Latino students have very little to no representation at the school. Most of the students of color at the school seem to be of Asian or Indian descent. What are the implications of this and why aren't there more African-American and Latino students?
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