Despite what you may think about teaching, sometimes the uninterested, illiterate, and disenfranchised students from the ghetto are much more fun to teach and can be more adult than the so-called "honors" kids. I would never have thought this when I was teaching only lower levels. At one time, I saw honors classes as The Good Life, where learning was appreciated and respected. After one year of suburban white kids, I am now thoroughly disillusioned.
Upper level students lie and cheat and complain constantly. They believe they are entitled to a good grade regardless of effort or ability. Its really fucking annoying. The parents of these "good" students are often despicable, encouraging their children to lie and cheat and bullying teachers to lower standards in order for their student to pass. Ask any AP or honors teacher and they'll tell you all about how annoying honors parents can be.
While "ghetto kids" have a whole range of very real problems, and can be problematic to deal with on a behavioral level (fights, language, parenthood, etc), they can impress you with a flexibility in thinking that I have not seen in honors classes. When caught cheating or doing something incorrect "Urban" kids are far more likely to simply tell the truth and accept consequences.
Go ahead, say I'm overgeneralizing...I'll write you a visitor's pass for my school and you can see for yourself.
Upper level students lie and cheat and complain constantly. They believe they are entitled to a good grade regardless of effort or ability. Its really fucking annoying. The parents of these "good" students are often despicable, encouraging their children to lie and cheat and bullying teachers to lower standards in order for their student to pass. Ask any AP or honors teacher and they'll tell you all about how annoying honors parents can be.
While "ghetto kids" have a whole range of very real problems, and can be problematic to deal with on a behavioral level (fights, language, parenthood, etc), they can impress you with a flexibility in thinking that I have not seen in honors classes. When caught cheating or doing something incorrect "Urban" kids are far more likely to simply tell the truth and accept consequences.
Go ahead, say I'm overgeneralizing...I'll write you a visitor's pass for my school and you can see for yourself.
Good to see someone else calls Wilmington a ghetto hehe :)
ReplyDelete