It takes a village...

http://lessonplans.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/the-new-village/?pagemode=print

From:

September 24, 2008, 9:00 pm
The New Village
By Matthew Kay
.....

Solving our nation’s urban education problems will take more than amazing teachers and competent administration. It will take more than policy changes from Washington that bring more resources. It will take more than cooperation from local police departments and the care of social service agencies. It will take the involvement of businesses, museums, cultural institutions, churches, and hospitals. It will take high-rise offices mingling with the gritty schoolhouses in their shadow. It will take small business owners allowing 16-year-olds to file papers and answer phones.

This must be uncomfortable to many people who have chased dreams that have nothing to do with education. Who am I to begrudge them their chosen livelihood? They don’t drag me into the boardroom when their sales are down, so why should I ask for their help when I struggle to reach my students? I see and respect this point of view — but I’d like to pose a question: “Who showed you what you could be?”

For me, it was my parents — aided closely by an extensive network of family, church members, and attentive neighbors. I saw a good sampling of successful careers, some more personally fulfilling than others. There were independent businessmen, musicians, and teachers. There were soldiers and preachers. Strings of bad luck had left some unemployed. Some were lazy and had no intention of finding honest work. I saw enough to know that I had options.

Personal success often begins with someone knowing that victory is a possibility. Many students only know the two or three generations of failure that are visible in their communities. They rarely leave, so they rarely get their sampling. If you have never seen an intellectual the likes of Cornel West, you likely won’t aspire to be one. Youth who have never set foot in museums aren’t likely to develop a taste for them. Unless a small business owner sits a student down and relays her story of struggle, self doubt and eventual success — that student may never learn that dedication can eventually bring rewards.

I applaud Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute for taking the time and effort necessary to be a part of the solution. Equally worthy are the host of internship partners that set aside two hours a week to show our kids about the many options that exist. Nationwide, I’m sure that others are being equally accommodating. A new village is needed to educate this generation. Educators must build it by forming alliances with our friends in the outside world. We must put our fists down, acknowledging that loving our students and teaching them subject matter isn’t always enough to bring success. We need help. My fervent prayer is that, when approached, prospective mentors always remember the time that someone else showed them what they could be.