Wk4 Free Choice - Andrieux, Joseph: Teaching outside the box.

Educating urban high school students was always a concern of mine. Will they listen? Will they follow instructions? Will they complete the assignments? Are they willing to sacrifice the time to learn and study the complex aspects of mathematics? Are they just going to make my term here short. Do they think I care about how fast they work or how much they can learn?

Students are students - they do not know what the world is like or what is in store for them. We as educators, we are not to meet them on the same plane, but we are to bring them up levels where they will find themselves on top. On my first day, I was presented with a class where students were just frustrated and tired because I was their 4th teacher in less than 30 days since school started.

At first I assumed that they just simply was trying to get rid of me, but I quickly saw that they wanted me to stay so they could learn something. I tried something new. It wasn't my introduction as to how much education I had. It was about where I came from and what was my story. I told every class about my growing up with a single parent who was hardly ever at home because of work. I shared with them how I had no one to come and watch me play football or any other sport when I was young. I shared with them, that there was really no one at home that could help me with my homework because English was not their first language.

I established a framework of trust. I created an environment where the students can see that if I can make it as a commercial pilot with where I came from, then they can make it as well. I reassured them that I ma here to make a difference and I will do everything I can to make sure that they are a part of the equation. We will learn together and pass together.

Three years later, I am still teaching at the same high school and I very much enjoy it. My old former students still come back for extra tutoring and most of them have either graduated or are taking Trigonometry or Calculus classes. This is a great leap since students were only interested in enrolling in easy math classes. They are more interested in learning math that will separate themselves form the rest of the pack when it comes to job hunting or scholarship winning.

I have told all my students that beyond these doors, is a world to learn from. No time will be wasted and no time will be taken for granted. Once you are enrolled in this class, you are here to take what you have learned and apply it outside. You will have fun and you will debate. You provide explanations for everything you do and you question everything that is presented if you are not sure. At first they were nervous and scared, but they soon learned that I was going to keep my word by making sure that they know the material using every piece of technology as my arsenal.