I don’t often post about my job, mainly because I don’t need to hear the feedback about my posts through administrators or, for shame, my own students. However, a pressing matter that concerns me (and has for the last two years) is how we as educators and current society bearers turn “our” children into men and women of character. Unfortunately, the future of our kids looks bleak in comparison to kids from past generations. Except the late 80’s a.k.a. the First Crack Era.

It scares me that these children would rather rely on the instability of gangs versus the chance to better understand the world around them through a viable and honest education. Of course, I already have my reservations about the people in charge of our educational system, but on a more immediate level, the set of teachers my kids have are exceptional human beings.

We often discuss how best we can motivate some of our kids on an individual basis. Some of the factors affecting our ability to reach them including their family situation, their environment, and their educational disposition (or history). Most of that we have no control over, and like a combination lock, we’re all searching for the set of numbers that will open these kids up to new ideas. What’s even more problematic is when we have unlocked a kid, we have to find a way to keep the door open while unlocking the next kid.

Last week, I was asked to speak to a leadership club in my school about a variety of topics, one of which I’m sure includes why I decided to become a teacher. While I’m completely honored by this selection, my present dilemma of how to inspire this generation of kids has me in a similar predicament to the chicken and the egg. Which came first when I taught: my need to teach the kids or the need to inspire them to become better people?

jose, the educator indeed