What would you do with $200

There is a strong emphasis on test scores at my placement, particularly in reading and writing. To manage the administration’s directives about test results and help students express and manage their emotions, my classroom mentor has her students write daily journals. The journals help gain an insight to the lives of the students and have them develop their writing skills. We also participate in the journal writing and students are allowed to read what we write and the teacher also shares some of the students’ writing. As I read their journals, I have started to pick up on their individual writing levels. There is one student who is advanced with great writing. I have been very impressed by his skills. I was further taken back when the teacher asked the class to write about what they would do with $200. This young man decided to take $100 and save for college. With the other $100, he is going to buy the teacher and I a present and donate any balance to charity.

I was completely in awe by his response. It is a mature answer for any student at any age or community. The teacher told me that such answer gives her an indication that there is someone talking in his ear and teaching the importance of school. It was a moment I wanted to share with every person who has given up on urban education. I had to rethink about my assumptions and the ideas about my students I bring into the classroom, regardless of how much I try not to have them. I felt the experience was teaching me not to look at my students and the neighborhood as monolithic-a simple idea but gets seems to get lost at times.