Urban Educators

As an educational studies major, I am required to do 4 internships at different Shelby County Schools before I graduate. I am currently doing my internship at Cummings K-8 Optional School and am getting the opportunity to see the issues that urban educators are tasked with. In addition to the information I receive from my clinical instructor, I also had the chance to hear from a panelist of urban educators in Memphis. One thing that I believe is not given much attention is the extreme poverty that young children are facing and how teachers are dealing with it. I am in a kindergarten classroom and it honestly blows my mind to hear the about the lives that these 4 and 5-year old children are dealing with. Also, it must be understood that teachers have the task of educating children that are facing devastating problems at home that restrict them from being fully present in the classroom. There are so many constraints put on teachers by administration and school officials, while also adding the pressure of making sure everyone in their classroom succeeds. This is proven difficult when a student is not showing up to school because he has to take care of his little brother and sister or when a student is not paying attention in class because he is exhausted and starving because he is not receiving the sleep or nutrients he needs at home.

Urban educators deal with so many problems within the classroom that go unnoticed and are out of their control. Recently, I had the chance to listen to a panel that brought more light to this issue. The panelists were asked if they were given 100,000 dollars, what would they do with it?  One panelist answered saying that he would replace the windows in the school so that his students would be able to see out of them. The windows at his school are so old and dirty that students cannot see outside; they are not receiving Vitamin D nor are they being able to see outside civilization. It is as if they are in prison confinement and are being trapped by their schools. This seems like a very small request and not something anyone would ask for, but his request shows just how important the smallest aspects of a classroom are when thinking about the larger scale goal of educating children. Another panelist asked for services to be offered at schools, such as a laundry room so parents/guardians have the chance to wash their students’ clothes and barber so that students can get a fresh line up and feel more confident in school. The last panelist brought up a great point that I think is often overlooked and that is having mental health services at school for both parents and students. Many students are struggling without even knowing and some parents do not have the resources to assist in getting help. Guidance counselors in schools are not enough; there is a need for specialist in every school and possibly multiple to help assist a large student body. There are many issues that urban educators are facing that go unnoticed and unheard in conversations about education that are more focused on a larger, national level.