A Little Piece.

I have to say that Superintendent Deasy’s plan may not be a completely well-rounded one, but we have to remember that unless we make true reforms, we will never have true change. By raising the bar we will have all students being prepared not only to succeed in the classroom, but also with what comes after: college. However, the only way this whole “raising the bar” ordeal can only be effective if we have reform not only in our tax system but also within our schools. I am doing a documentary on how our politics play into our education: I interviewed high school students whoa are about to graduate from the same high school I graduated from. There are two distinct groups: AP students and non AP students. The AP students felt prepared for college and felt that their teachers did a very good job in teaching them. On the other hand, non AP students felt that their teachers did not teach them at all and just left them to socialize in the classroom, and they felt they were not ready for college. My theory: Because AP teachers specialize in their subject, they are very enthusiastic about teaching and ensuring that their students know how it applies to their own lives, or how it will apply to them in their future. I cannot tell you exactly why teachers of non AP courses are not as motivating. When I was in high school all the teachers were proactive within their classrooms. What I can say is that we need more teachers like those in AP. We need to find teachers who are willing to spend the extra half hour after school to tutor their students when they need help. We need teachers that will reach out to the students We also need for both the teachers and the parents to be a motivational source. I’ve seen it be done. We CAN do it. It may seem as if Deasy is only putting a band aid to our educational system, but may be this band aid can turn into the icy hot we need to heal and change.

Over the past few years I have seen a pattern, not only in my own life but also in that of my friends, colleagues, and even my sister, a trend that tends to begin popping up a lot more in college: You’ve made an excellent, detailed plan for yourself of what life is going to be, then as soon as everything feels right and where they’re supposed to be, something happens that makes life seem as if it were the end of the world because everything was riding on whether or not that plan would work out. Not long after these episodes of feeling like you wish you were dead, something bright, unexpected, and definitely positive happens to balance out the recent negative experience, one that puts you back in this feeling of “rightness.”
To the class of 2012, I must warn you that life will throw curve balls at you, and that some will be heavy shots, but I also warn you that 1) you are not alone in going through this ans 2) that as soon as you calm down from the sadness/anger you experience, you will find that the other door has been opened for you, you just gotta find it. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, don’t be afraid of taking risks. Time does indeed fix everything, sometimes you just have to go with the flow, but know that in the end, wherever you may be, is where you are meant to be.

As for me, I’m meant to get back to editing this documentary.