A recent celebration hosted by the Roanoke City Youth Services Department of Parks and Recreation inspired me to pen this particular entry. Unlike your typical awards assembly held at the end of the marking period at most schools around the country, this “awards assembly” began with a catered meal and ended with middle and high school students dancing to the music of national recording artist DJ Kool! Students from each middle and high school beamed with pride while standing on stage in front of a crowd of over 700 participants and guests. The goal of this annual event is to recognize youth that give back to the community through good character and excellence in the arts, academics and sports.
As our greatest resource, I believe our youth must be encouraged to “Represent” at all times. How inspiring it must have been for each of those students honored at the City’s awards assembly. Investing time in meaningful ways will undoubtedly encourage greatness in our youth. Meaningful is the operative term that is often defined differently by students as compared to their teachers. Gail Thompson, in her March 2008 ASCD article, Beneath the Apathy, suggested a significant difference in the perceptions shared by the 121 teachers and 268 students she surveyed at a southern California high school. While 97% of teachers surveyed agreed with the statement, “I care about my students’ academic and personal welfare both inside and outside of school”, only 61% of students surveyed agreed with the statement, “Most of my teachers care about me”. Given the fact that most teachers try to provide safe and nurturing learning environments by building positive rapport with their students, why were the perceptions of the surveyed students different from those of their teachers? What is considered a “meaningful relationship” to our students?
I believe all students, regardless of age, want to experience academic success at the highest levels. As educators, we must be intentional in our efforts to provide instruction that demonstrates connectedness to real life experiences. In addition to such relevancy, instruction must also be connected to student culture. I am reminded of how excited one of my Hispanic students was when she found a collection of books written entirely in Spanish at our book fair. As I reflect upon my years as a child growing up in New York, I am grateful that my teachers taught me about lesser known African Americans in addition to those often highlighted during Black History Month. Among other things, learning about the heroism of the Little Rock Nine, the creativity of McCoy and the flow of Giovanni’s words truly inspired my thirst for knowledge!
Kudos to all of the wonderful teachers that consistently provide instruction that is rigorous and relevant in classrooms where students feel encouraged.
Scenic Roanoke is located in the southwestern portion of the state of Virginia. The "Star City", as it is often called, is one of the largest metropolitan areas and transportation hubs that is located between the Blue Ridge and Alleghaney Highlands.
(Not pictured above)