- Students turn teachers
- Posted By:
- Tom A.
- Posted On:
- 08-Sep-2010
-
Many a time, people realize that they could have done better in life had they been given the opportunity to do so. Most of us have this feeling occasionally and so did Dominique Lee. But for him, he did get the opportunity.
As a volunteer in the Teach for America when Lee began to teach 9th grade students he was highly appalled with the education system as the 9th grade students hardly knew their geography and could not answer when asked about the seven continents. That is when Lee thought that if he were in charge, he would do things different. Now three years later, he is trying to do what he wanted to do. He is in charge.
Today lee, along with five other teachers from the Teach for America group are in charge of a kindergarten – eighth grade school that houses six hundred and fifty students. The entire system is going to be different at this school as they will not be called teachers but they would be leaders and teachers combined into one. This is because they are trying to lead the students onto the right path of education, making sure that these students make the most of their education system while at school.
The thought behind starting this school is a dream come true for the six twenty something’s. They believe it is their fantasy to have a school where education is being seen in a different perspective. It will benefit them as well as their students.
This school and many more like this one are coming up around the country. Such schools run by teachers are known to be experiments. In fact the government has let many such schools come up in the recent past.
Such schools demand that both the principal and the vice principal teach a few subjects to the students themselves. So being a part of the teaching staff they know exactly what is going on and how. Plus along with the teaching they plan the curriculum and also manage the staff and other non working members of the school.
Many people might think that this is an unusual school and not worth it because the teachers who are leading this change are very young themselves. But knowing the status of the current education system, such experiments come as a breath of fresh air. At least someone is taking the initiative to resolve things. These students who have turned teachers could have easily left their jobs at Teach for America for higher paying jobs that they deserve. But they chose to do something different because they care.
Also to see the change, one has to be a part of the change. The benefits from such initiatives will be reaped by students in the years that are going tom come by. Therefore, I think this is the best time to start something new. And if it weren’t any good, the government wouldn’t have allowed this to happen in the first place.