Cynthia K Barstow

This audio is so very true. I am a teacher in a juvenile detention facility where most of my students arrive thinking they are too dumb to learn. They have given up on education, dropped out and taken up crime as a survival vocation. I work hard to show them that they will be learners for the remainder of their lives, whether they choose a formal education or not. Many of my students did not have their basic needs met as young children. Their lives were chaotic. Learning took a back seat early in their experience. Teachers pressed to teach the curriculum - not the student rejected them as they could not meet the grade level standards. They felt the rejection keenly and responded in kind. Learning is life long. It is so sad to see bright kids that want to learn but they do not give themselves the credit of capability.That is a huge focus in my detention facility. How do you get back on your feet and find the path that you dream of...?