Final Reflection
Although public education was popularized based on the idea that childhood is a time of play, exploration, and learning, our public education system has recently been exploited as the nation’s tool to further advance its ranking in the world. At the advent of the Cold War, our government began perceiving students (otherwise known as our nation’s future generations) less as individuals and more as data points. Sudden economic globalization has led to a relentless push for our youth’s academic growth and a razor-sharp focus on our nation’s technological advancement. This set of priorities completely neglects the development of all other characteristics present within a good, contributing citizen. A time when, as we once thought, kids are meant to play and explore has turned into a time when kids are expected to break their backs to achieve a set of old-fashioned, out-of-touch standards.
On the other hand, I believe society is finally realizing how unhealthy some of our education system’s policies truly are. Nevertheless, change is hard, especially when there seems to be a different set of values of those among the powerful elite who tend to make the big decisions that affect the rest of us. I’d like to think that perhaps if they hadn’t grown up in the times they did and instead grew up in a world of education that prioritizes health, knowledge, and community, these people would hold a different set of values and make more thoughtful decisions. Change is coming; I just hope it arrives sooner than later. The world is finally feeling the effects of our education system failing to prepare the youth for today’s expectations and negative influences. In fact, I believe school places more unnecessary expectations on students and more exposure to negativity if the school isn’t a positive safe space for everyone to express who they are.
It’s expected of the school to help prepare the youth for the world, whatever that world may look like in the future. One way we can succeed at this task is by playing an exemplary role as a high school teacher. Nowadays, we need teachers who are willing to connect to their students. We don’t need any more enforcer-teachers who whip their kids into shape by punishing anyone who steps out of line. Instead, there’s now a greater focus on positive reinforcement and ways we can propel students forward in their own direction, which is inspired by their own passions and beliefs. Students need guidance—not a rubric that tells them exactly what to do and who to be. I wish to offer new perspectives to my students so that they build the habit of adopting other viewpoints and thinking for themselves. We can’t tell our students what to think, but we can surely advise them on how to think. In other words, teachers ought to encourage students' creative thinking and not place limits on what they can/should do.
Moreover, I believe it is my duty to encourage students to be intrinsically motivated. To motivate my students, I’ll put them in the driver’s seat; I want to give them agency and fulfilling experiences that they’ll remember many years later. Pep talks can be effective, but nothing is more impactful than installing a lasting feeling of significance/recognition that you are more than capable of making a meaningful change in the world.
I’m sure I’ll have a great time helping my students grow and seeing them blossom, but my ultimate goal is to leave a positive impact on the world. In other words, I’m not doing this just for my students. I’m doing this for my students’ families, friends, coworkers, and even future families. I’m doing this to, hopefully one day, see trees grow greener and humans smile wider. We all hold the power to make the world a better place, and I believe education is a great tool to do so.