When schools closed due to Covid-19 earlier this year. I was concerned for students academically, socially and emotionally. While there have been frustrations here and there with online learning, our society has presented a number of topics that students have no choice but to notice.
This morning, during a phone conversation with one of my students. He apologized to me, saying, “Mr. Washington, I’m not doing any (school) work right now, but I am working on ensuring I have a better future by protesting and being out there.” I appreciated his honesty and I encouraged him to continue fighting and learning how to create a future free of the issues that negatively impact the Black community.
My job as a teacher in the community is to encourage the youth to use their energy, their anger and frustration in ways that positively create change! Had to tell him and my other students, that reading, and learning is a huge component that should still be emphasized.
Adults need to understand, it’s not about what we want students to learn, but rather what they feel they need to learn in order to gain a better understanding of what’s going on and how to fix it.
While we will have to address the fact that some students will be behind academically, some grades behind. Students have gained an understanding of society that took some adults years beyond high school to fully grasp. “The Covid Awakening” has presented students with valuable experience and education that goes far beyond anything a middle school or high school curriculum could give them. One day some of the students will tell their children that they marched and fought to end police brutality and other aspects of systematic oppression… That’s dope.
Thoughts Processed 