We all have them, had them, or are currently living them.
Growing up as a young kid I thought that dreams were necessary to have. Not the dreams that play in our heads at night, but goals and ambitions that drive us to become somebody or do something big one day. For some of us, we never stop dreaming. We never stop reaching our goals. We are motivated by what we want, who we want to be, how much we want to earn, places we want to go, and ideas we want to create or change.
Our parents forced us to go to this place called school when we were kids then said we had to go to this other place called college if we wanted to be successful. For the majority of us, this was the case. We have sat through classes, played hard during recess (ok, in elementary school we had recess), countless hours of studying for exams and quizzes, homework, presentations and more. But for what reason? At what cost? Would all of this information that was being crammed into our brains really pay off and turn into that thing we call "success"?
Although we have our parents to thank for our successes we need not to forget the teachers and professors who helped spoon feed us with knowledge Mondays through Fridays. For those that listened, paid attention, did their homework, and studied would go on to be successful. Ok, true, I do know a few slackers whom although are intelligent also went on to to be successful.
I raise my cup to those we call teachers! They are the ones whom I believe have inspired us, encouraged us, and motivated us to reach for the stars and chase after what we want in life.
Ok, back to where I was originally headed with this post...
I came to Nicaragua with the mindset that this would all exist amongst the people and the students that I work with. To have goals and dreams that is. (This is an opinion of mine by the way because there are external factors that may exist.)
I teach in the local high schools working with students who are now seniors. Again, I teach an Entrepreneurship course. I see the fire burning in some of my students eyes, but the majority I merely feel that this will be the last step in life. As far as education goes, this is true and "will" be the last step. With Nicaragua being the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere the amount of students who will register for college classes after high school is extremely low (I do not have the exact statistic on me at this time) and those that will successfully graduate from college is even lower.
I get this, I understand. Financially it is very difficult to send these children to college. Parents and working families do not have chunks of change sitting around the house nor are the able to go to the banks and take out enormous loans. As for this, I feel that most parents will end up saying "no" to their kids. "No" as in, "you must stay home and help work in the house or help your father on the farm." This is true for the majority of Nicaraguan students. Those students who do go on to college and graduate are very lucky and fortunate to have done so.
This is where I come in and play my role, as a teacher, a role model, and say "hey, I'm going to provide you with the necessary knowledge on how you can start your own business and earn your own money!" I assumed that sharing this knowledge with my students about how they too can be business owners and earn their own money and be their own boss would push them to excel and maybe pay attention in class and learn a thing or two.
Some students think they know their destiny and that their life is already planned for them after high school so "why pay attention in class if I'm not going to college? Or if I'm just going to end up working in the house or on the farm?"
It hurts to know this is true amongst many families, but it hurts me knowing that aspirations and dreams of becoming someone or doing something big does not exist. Or maybe it does and they feel it's unattainable...?
Maybe I should have paid more attention when I was a student. It's frustrating when my students do not pay attention. They talk, they don't listen, don't study, don't take notes...why? Because in this particular situation, the class I teach is in part with their OTV class (in English: orientational vocational technical) which students automatically will pass from what I understand.
So what do I do? How do I instill into these students that they should not give up on their dreams, goals, and aspirations?
One by one.
If this is the least I can do then at least I can reassure myself that I have helped change the lives of a few people before the end of my Peace Corps service.
I'm the type of person who wants to change everyone's life! This can only be done in a perfect world. A world in which we do not live in but only strive to create.
A big thanks to all teachers and professors who have pushed me along the road to success!
Dedicated to my mom who is now a former teacher but will always be a big inspiration to me!
I love you mom!
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