World We Dare to Imagine - Part 1
I believe the root cause of many issues in our society is ignorance about others’ experiences. This is where stereotypes, disregard for others’ rights, etc. stem from. This type of ignorance can range from deliberate close-mindedness to simply lacking exposure. Education helps, but reading textbooks and watching videos only goes so far. Oftentimes it can be difficult to feel for someone or fully understand their situation when we are so far removed from them. Personally engaging with others allows us to empathize with one another much more than simply intaking information does.
This being said, my first step in making the world a better place would have something to do with connecting students to groups that are often excluded from our society (ex: people with special needs, veterans, ex-prisoners). I am not yet sure if I’d want my idea to focus on one group or several groups. Regardless, I believe giving students the opportunity to hear from people that are in one of these groups would give them the chance to better understand the struggles they face as well as find something they share with them. At the end of the day, we are all human and have a lot more in common than we think.
If I select some form of this idea, I would likely try to incorporate both an educational aspect and an interpersonal aspect. With the veterans example, this may look like having a few veterans share about their experiences (ex: their service, reintegrating into society, etc.) to a larger group. Students could also engage in some form of 1-on-1 mentorship program with them so that each party involved can develop a fulfilling relationship. Based on which group(s) I focus on, I would alter this idea as needed.
Being able to hear individuals’ stories and struggles will foster deep reflection and critical thinking within students. My hope is that building empathy at a young age will create curious learners that can approach others with awareness and kindness. Youth are the future generations of lawmakers, teachers, doctors, etc., and in order for all humans to be treated equally in these professions, we must first start with opening our minds to understanding their challenges and opening our hearts to caring for them.
This being said, my first step in making the world a better place would have something to do with connecting students to groups that are often excluded from our society (ex: people with special needs, veterans, ex-prisoners). I am not yet sure if I’d want my idea to focus on one group or several groups. Regardless, I believe giving students the opportunity to hear from people that are in one of these groups would give them the chance to better understand the struggles they face as well as find something they share with them. At the end of the day, we are all human and have a lot more in common than we think.
If I select some form of this idea, I would likely try to incorporate both an educational aspect and an interpersonal aspect. With the veterans example, this may look like having a few veterans share about their experiences (ex: their service, reintegrating into society, etc.) to a larger group. Students could also engage in some form of 1-on-1 mentorship program with them so that each party involved can develop a fulfilling relationship. Based on which group(s) I focus on, I would alter this idea as needed.
Being able to hear individuals’ stories and struggles will foster deep reflection and critical thinking within students. My hope is that building empathy at a young age will create curious learners that can approach others with awareness and kindness. Youth are the future generations of lawmakers, teachers, doctors, etc., and in order for all humans to be treated equally in these professions, we must first start with opening our minds to understanding their challenges and opening our hearts to caring for them.
I like this idea of having veterans, etc. speak in classrooms. I think this could be a great learning opportunity for 7th - 8th graders. You can expand on this in schools and have a speaker come once every week at an assembly type meeting. These speakers can be lawmakers, teachers, or doctors all of the professions you listed above. Not only will this open students' minds to potential career opportunities, it will could also have a profound impact on the speaker, depending who it is and what their experiences have been. Giving the people in our society who are often forgotten, a voice, a chance to make a difference or amend a certain stereotype, could help encourage them on their journey to make a positive change or even just restore confidence and self-worth.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this and completely agree with this idea. My idea to help take this to the next step is incorporating more first hand primary sources into education. Like you mentioned it would be useful to have in person interactions, and I think this is feasible in some cases. A more general approach and for older history using memoirs of peoples lives to tell the history as opposed to factual textbooks I think will drive this open minded perspective you are looking to pursue.
ReplyDeleteAbby,
ReplyDeleteI also love the idea of education starting young, as that is also what I wrote about. With veterans, for example, people can hear stories and learn through interpersonal communication with people in front of them, which will make the learning much more personal and easy for younger kids to digest. I would agree with Sofia's suggestion of having an assembly type event that is regular in the school, with group discussions after so people can debrief and further learn from each other.