My Assumptions Regarding Urban Schools

Assumptions may be looked at as perceived truths which every person makes and holds in their mind over the course of a day, week, month, year or an entire lifetime. We create these perceived truths based on the world around us. Some assumptions may be positive in nature; however some may also be negative. Part of what shapes our assumptions includes (but is not limited to) our family lives, movies, television, music and newspapers. As a future teacher, it is important to identify my own assumptions and analyze them. What do I actually believe? How were these beliefs shaped and where did they come from? Knowing what my assumptions are, how might these beliefs affect my interaction with the teachers, students, and others with whom I will work? In what ways might these assumptions relate to the type of teacher I will become? In the following pages, I hope to answer these questions to the best of my ability.

I have only had limited experience working in an urban district. Specifically, I worked in a K-8 school in Paterson. When I started working in the district, I was definitely intimidated. I remember my first day very vividly. After getting out of my car and locking it, I slowly walked towards the school. As I walked, I scanned the area back and forth – like a soldier getting ready for some kind of surprise attack. I was well equipped. Both hands were in my jacket pockets, in my right hand I had my car key nestled between index and middle finger which acted as a makeshift knife. In my left hand I had my cell phone open with the numbers 9 and 1 already pushed, with my thumb poised on the number 1; ready to touch and hit send at the blink of an eye. Needless to say, I did not grow up in the hood. I am from a fairly typical suburban town in northern New Jersey; where we were (and are) free to ride our bikes, take walks, leave our doors and windows open without any fear. When thinking about urban life and schools, I realized that I have made some negative assumptions.

When I picture an urban school, I envision a dilapidated building that is riddled with graffiti. There are bars on all the windows, with security cameras and metal detectors adorning every entrance. I can even smell the hallways; it smells old and run down – filled with mold and mildew. The hallways are strewn with crumpled papers and the same graffiti that exists on the school exterior has crept inside onto the school lockers. The school that exists in my mind is similar to the description that Obidah and Howard give in their article, Preparing Teachers for “Monday Morning” in the Urban School Classroom, which says “The facilities of most urban school buildings are in major disrepair with leaking roofs, old buildings, nonworking bathrooms, and poor ventilation, most as a result of lacking the economic and property tax base needed to provide the funds for repairs.”

The teachers in the school are under qualified – many of whom only started teaching because they thought it would be an easy gig. Their work day consists primarily of babysitting rather than actual teaching. While walking through this urban school, I hear teachers yelling, reprimanding, and on rare occasions, threatening their students - a kind of pathetic attempt at classroom management. I see some teachers slouched at their disheveled desks as the students complete mindless readings or an endless array of worksheets; most of which the teacher will probably throw out anyway. The students in this vision are no better. I imagine slackers, slouches, and thugs. The majority of the population is black and Hispanic, and they are separated into several gangs depending on their origin. I envision students who fear for their safety each and every time they step foot into the building, students who are so used to failure, and have all but given up entirely. The only motivation for the students to answer the teacher’s repeated questions is to stop him or her from yelling. I imagine insults being flung by both students and teachers alike. In this fictitious land, I picture a community that is infested with crime and violence and is one which does not support the educational system. I assume that many of these students come from broken homes where one parent must work multiple jobs to support the family. These are some serious assumptions that I have about urban schools. It may be far-out and harsh, but it is what comes to mind. In some instances this may actually be the case, but in others it is greatly removed from the truth. But how have I come to make these assumptions? What influenced me?

My beliefs about urban schools have mainly been shaped by the media – by movies and television in particular. When I first started to think about the subject, four images came to mind. First on the list is Sister Act II: Back in the Habit. This 1993 sequel to the original Sister Act stars Whoopi Goldberg as Dolores (also known as Sister Mary Clarence), a showgirl who is performing in a musical based on her first adventure. In this film, the nuns seek out Dolores and ask her to teach a music class to a bunch of hostile students. The sequence of events is somewhat similar to Robert Bulman’s article, Teachers in the Hood: Hollywood’s Middle-Class Fantasy, where a bunch of unruly students are turned around by an outside force – which in this case, is Whoopi Goldberg. The usually disruptive and unwilling students learn to put away their old ways of name calling, fighting, and disobedience in favor of cooperation, determination, and dedication.

The second major image that pops into my mind is Dangerous Minds which was described in-depth by Robert Bulman. In brief, Michelle Pfeifer portrays Ms. Johnson, a white middle-class teacher who acts as the students’ sole savior. The school is filled with gangs, drugs, and violence. To quote Bulman, the “somewhat naïve Ms. Johnson walks into her class for the first time only to walk right back out after encountering nothing but abusive and hostile students, who first ignore and then ridicule her.” The other teachers in the school as well as the principal concentrate more on reprimanding students and maintaining order rather than providing an actual education. The students have experienced so much failure that they have, in essence, become desensitized to failure. It has become the norm and what is actually expected from teachers and other community members. This film is meant to portray the real life problems that these students face every day. Some of these problems include self-esteem and self-confidence issues, violence, drug problems, racism, as well as prejudice. The students in the film are portrayed in a pretty negative fashion, very similar to my vision of an urban school, which I spoke about earlier…interesting.

The third and fourth images that immediately pop into my head come from two very popular animated shows: Family Guy and South Park. The Family Guy episode, Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr. High has Brian Griffin substituting in an urban classroom. Brian enters the class with gunshots being fired at him by the students. Brian wants to try and get to know his students and asks them to introduce themselves. The dialogue continues as follows:

“My name is Tim, I’m 28 years young and I love weed.”

“My name is Carlos and beneath my tough exterior is a boy aching to learn and beneath that is a rapist.”

“My name is Amanda and my water just broke…”

“Yo, it’s my turn to deliver,” says Tim.

“Can I have one, my mom keeps giving mine away,” replies the young black student.

(The scene starts at 7:50 if anyone wishes to watch.)

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=family+guy+%2B+fast+times+at+buddy+&hl=en&sitesearch=#

Brian tries to teach the students but gets only negative responses, eventually becoming burnt out and depressed. (Watch the scene starting at 15:15.)

In the South Park episode Eek a Penis, one of the fourth graders, Eric Cartman fills in for the class’ teacher and acts as substitute. The principal feels he did such a good job that she asks Cartman to teach in one of the urban/inner-city schools. Cartman enters the school which is riddled with metal detectors, graffiti, barred windows, and disgruntled students. Cartman tells the students that they must cheat in order to get into college, with which one student replies, “Getting into college…man we ain’t getting’ into no college…” Cartman has transformed into Mr. Cartmenez, a Hispanic teacher, who tries to explain to the students that the only way that they can succeed is by cheating.

The examples I named are only the tip of the iceberg; there are a myriad of other examples that portray inner-city schools in the same fashion. I have watched countless movies and television shows. Sister Act II came out in 1993, when I was only nine years old. These shows presented some very strong visual representations of inner-city schools and have definitely left an impression. It is apparent to me that these types of shows have helped me to create the assumptions I have. But how will these beliefs affect how I interact with others with whom I will work?

I think it is interesting that I have these broad generalizations about urban schools, however, when I am in a school, any school, I have a very optimistic outlook. I believe that every child has the ability to learn, that every child can learn, and that every child has the right to learn. I try my best to reach every child and to make a difference. But when thinking deeper about the assumptions listed above, I wonder if I might give up on urban students, thinking that they just do not care. If my assumptions are based from these same types of movies and television shows, I might attempt to motivate the students in a different manner; using different strategies, feeling that I have to push harder to get through to them. The thought process might be: I need to try harder, with some pushing and guidance, these kids will turn around. At the beginning I mentioned that the inner-city teachers are usually under-qualified. When working with them, I wonder if I would be condescending in some way, shape, or form. I would never purposely be condescending to a colleague or to anyone for that matter. The condescension may be more of a subconscious act which is a result of the assumptions I have. If I feel that the teachers are not as qualified, I might feel that they are not as good a teacher. As a result of this, I might be less inclined to accept advice, ask for help, or collaborate with them to help create a more interdisciplinary and meaningful curriculum. Even though I have these broad generalizations and assumptions, I would like to believe that I would still create a safe, secure, and comfortable learning environment. I have a religious background and I try to bring that to every aspect of my life. I do not try to preach my faith or convert people; rather, I try to bring the ideas which I value into the classroom. What I mean is that I treat every student as an individual, as a person. I try to respect everyone, believing that every person has some good inside. I try to bring that good out. When I am in the classroom, I do not tolerate any untoward behavior. Any unsavory act must and will be dealt with immediately in order to continue to keep the safe and secure environment which I feel is of the utmost importance. In this type of setting, students will hopefully begin to trust one another which will then lead to open discussions of ideas and concepts and meaningful learning.

These assumptions that I have presented will probably influence my decision as to where I want to teach. In Obidah and Howard’s article, they state that “…more than 2,000 certified teachers turned down job offers in one year, choosing not to teach rather than be assigned to a low-performing school.” I assume that most urban schools are low-performing and as a result, I would probably rather be employed in a school that is performing well. I understand that I may be more needed in an urban district, but with limited funding and lack of resources I would probably have to fight for a position as a visual arts teacher. These positions are usually the first to go and I have my livelihood to think about as well. I hope that by looking deeper into the assumptions that I have created, I will learn more about urban areas. At this point, I do not feel that I know enough about urban schools to be able to make a difference of any kind. If I were to become a teacher in an urban district, I must realize what type of culture exists in the school. Understanding the surrounding community and the backgrounds of my students would be vital to being a good teacher. However, the question that lingers is: even if I learn about urban culture, will I ever be able to really understand what is going on? I obviously come from a very different background - will that cultural dissonance always exist? The assumptions I have about urban schools are pretty negative, but I do feel that I would be able to make a difference. Each and every teacher has the ability to make a student’s education meaningful, it comes down to being educated about differences that exist between people and cultures, embracing those differences and using them to the students’ best advantage. As the teacher, I must put my assumptions aside and deal with realities, not perceived realities.