In my academic career I think it's safe to say that I've had few- very few teachers/professors who have left a significant mark or truly inspired me. Because it really is my belief that only via the mark of a brilliantly passionate, crazy, completely involved and thoughtful individual that I should leave an educational experience feeling changed or challenged or even brighter.
Sad to say my last semester of college has been tarnished by certain professors whom I fear do not have such passion, or rather, thoughtfulness, awareness, and a true understanding of their students. What's happening? How does this gap only seem to be growing wider and deeper by the day... the second? Is it the overly inundated use of a digital world that impairs our abilities to communicate- to truly listen and care about the individual? Are we so caught up in the politics or the verbiage of labels and titles essentially equating to nothingness that we've lost that love, that incredibly delicious, rich, drive and desire for learning: not only the student from the teacher, but vice versa. I thought people became educators because they believed in education- because they believed in the people they were educating. Not because they simply wanted to hear themselves speak or get sucked into the hyper-driven Facebook culture that nowadays seems to lead us to slanderous comments and hurt feelings. Facebook does not belong in the classroom- but that's another post, another time.
A very dear friend of mine finds herself in a low place- nearly days before our graduation, because of this lack of communication, this lack of any real attempts for teachers to teach us- to care about us and who we are. My friend is beautiful. She is by far one of the most exquisite, talented, thoughtful, organized, and trusting individuals I have ever known. She has taught me more in this last semester of college than one good professor, let alone bad, could ever dream of. Yet she finds herself in the midst of a terrible, disgusting, biased situation where as a student she is victim to this lack... this gap... whatever the hell it is; I just don't know.
And what are we to even do when it seems like our voices don't matter? Or aren't heard? When the personal vendetta of others with seemingly more power takes force and drives us to silence or succumbing to simply make bad circumstances disappear. And some say, we're graduating in a few days anyway... what does it matter? What will speaking up or taking charge even do now? I don't know... piece of mind? Pride? Leaving room for those bright students following us to actually have their real voices heard, their real faces and talents and personalities seen and recognized. Maybe someone will care about them and what they are about. Now I know this sounds overly emotional or dramatic. And I have to add that there certainly have been some extraordinary teachers in my life, in college, who have made me and my peers better people. But for them, I set aside a separate post- a separate dialogue to honor all that they've done.
Tonight... this morning, I'm writing for my friend, for myself... for all of the moments when I've simply let the ridiculous, and horrible, and truly inappropriate slide because I just didn't think it was worth it. Well, now I do. No young individual should ever have to feel belittled, slandered, disrespected, or targeted by someone who is supposed to be doing their best to help them succeed...
Albert Einstein once said that education is what remains once one forgets what he learned in school... I'm starting to think he was right.
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