Happy Thankful Thursday Everyone!
As educators, my mother and I always have random conversations about the state of education today. We were talking about how discouraging it is to see today’s young people with such little value in education and wondering why this is happening? Is it because technology is evolving so quickly that we cannot hold their attention? Is it the lack of parental support or investment in their children’s education? Are kids today less disciplined and more disrespectful? Is it the politicized “Bad Teachers”? Or is it a combination of things? I recall mentioning to her that, as a child, it never occured to me to not attend and graduate from college. The way my parents, aunts, and uncles described it… it was just the natural progression after high school. So, here i am… 32 with not only a Bachelor’s degree, but 2 graduate degrees. And that is a blessing all by itself.
Last week, I had the privilege of attending a screening of the documentary ‘GIRL RISING’. It follows several young girls from different countries and their quests for one thing… an education. Here are young people doing whatever it took, under some of the most unfathomable circumstances, doing some very courageous things in order to get an education. They understood the importance of being educated. Because in the places they live… education is not a right… it is a privilege and a one way ticket out of heartbreaking circumstances. Things I could never imagine because of WHERE I was born. No one complained about how boring it was. No one failed to do assignments or turned in sloppy or incomplete work. No one was out of dress code. The teachers were respected by students and supported by parents. Teachers were not expected to provide materials. I am not going into detail about the film because I believe everyone should see it for themselves. But I will say that I left the movie feeling undeniably greatful and blessed for the oppirtunities that I had… because the education I always assumed I would recieve, is what many can only hope for.
Tracey C. Seabrook, B.A., M.S, Psy.S
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