The Delta has been called America's Ethiopia. Going there I expected to see shacks, shanties, and children with swollen bellies. What I found was land, land, and more land; flat and treeless. It's like when you watch a movie and a person comes to a crossroads with nothing else around for miles. We've encountered many of those during our drive through the Delta. Mr. Reggie Barnes gave insight on what it was like to live and teach there. Though he described many aspects of life in the Delta, the activity that stuck with me was the sex. Yes, the sex. Mr. Barnes explained the incest, rape (statutory and violent), and frequent teen pregnancy that occurs in this area of the state. He provided the following scenario;
When you see a little girl in your classroom putting her head down instead of working, what do you assume? She's sick? Tired? Maybe just lazy? What if I told you this twelve year old was up all night unsuccessfully fighting her 24yr old mother's 18yr old boyfriend off of her? (I have fabricated these ages but they are by no means exaggerated). As a teacher, what do you do? Personally, if I had proof I'd report the abuse to the proper authorities; my principal, local police, the superintendent, whoever I can get my hands on.
Mr. Barnes said scenarios such as these happen all the time and as a teacher, you must not be too disappointed if nothing can be done to help this little girl. With that said, he told us that teachers should not try to be knights in shining armor. I interpret it as, teachers cannot save the world, so they should stick to the classroom. He went on to say that we have 7hrs a day with these kids and should use that time to try and make an impact. What I cannot seem to gather is how teachers are expected to sit back and watch helplessly while these children are being neglected and abused. I understand that we cannot be knights in shining armor but how are teachers supposed to make a difference in 7hrs a day?
Mr. Barnes, I admire your accomplishments and respect your opinions but I have to disagree. The objective of the Mississippi Teacher Corps is "to provide dedicated, talented teachers for Mississippi school districts where an inadequate supply of teachers exists." A teacher cannot be truly dedicated if she looks the other way when things are happening to her kids. She cannot be dedicated if she doesn't be all that she can be (funny, thats the army slogan). She must go the extra mile to ensure that all of her students are learning and being engaged and keeping up with their peers and developing not only educationally but socially. She must make sure she can create an environment where the kids can feel comfortable and safe, escaping the hard life that might await them when the school bell rings at the end of the day. In other words, she must be these kids' knight in shining armor.
When you see a little girl in your classroom putting her head down instead of working, what do you assume? She's sick? Tired? Maybe just lazy? What if I told you this twelve year old was up all night unsuccessfully fighting her 24yr old mother's 18yr old boyfriend off of her? (I have fabricated these ages but they are by no means exaggerated). As a teacher, what do you do? Personally, if I had proof I'd report the abuse to the proper authorities; my principal, local police, the superintendent, whoever I can get my hands on.
Mr. Barnes said scenarios such as these happen all the time and as a teacher, you must not be too disappointed if nothing can be done to help this little girl. With that said, he told us that teachers should not try to be knights in shining armor. I interpret it as, teachers cannot save the world, so they should stick to the classroom. He went on to say that we have 7hrs a day with these kids and should use that time to try and make an impact. What I cannot seem to gather is how teachers are expected to sit back and watch helplessly while these children are being neglected and abused. I understand that we cannot be knights in shining armor but how are teachers supposed to make a difference in 7hrs a day?
Mr. Barnes, I admire your accomplishments and respect your opinions but I have to disagree. The objective of the Mississippi Teacher Corps is "to provide dedicated, talented teachers for Mississippi school districts where an inadequate supply of teachers exists." A teacher cannot be truly dedicated if she looks the other way when things are happening to her kids. She cannot be dedicated if she doesn't be all that she can be (funny, thats the army slogan). She must go the extra mile to ensure that all of her students are learning and being engaged and keeping up with their peers and developing not only educationally but socially. She must make sure she can create an environment where the kids can feel comfortable and safe, escaping the hard life that might await them when the school bell rings at the end of the day. In other words, she must be these kids' knight in shining armor.
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