The snapshots of our lives frame our perspective of the world.  We can fill our memory with all sorts of images.  Good, bad, indifferent.   It is lucky for us that for the most part we have the freedom to decide what images make their way into our memory.

There are many reasons that facebook is such a phenomenon.  To watch and review the movie you can arrive at a number of conclusions.  One reason that is not often revealed is that we craft the story of our lives through images.   We tell the version of the story of our life that we want to show the world.   What images do you show?  What is the story you tell?

When we have lived experiences we make memories.  In an effort to both capture that experience for ourselves and to try to share our experience, we create mental snapshots of experience.   We know that lived experience is richer and fuller than a photo.  We feel compelled though to tell others about the best that has happened to us.   When we see something new, reflect on that and learn from it, we want the world (or at least our fiends) to know about it.

Our news media shows us more than enough images of what needs fixing in our world.  To an extent that is a good thing – but rarely do any of us sort our “facebook image” of our lives by what needs fixing.  We show the world what is either right and sweet, or innocent and good or fun and silly.  We show the world our laughter and our humor.  Through experience we make memory and through images we tell the story of our lives.

Every time you walk in a community, laugh, listen, run with a child or hear them speak to you, make a memory for yourself and for others.

I get to hear about these memories every day.  It is life giving to be witness to the very best that each of us has to offer.   Throughout our lives there are countless Kodak moments. Snap that mental photo, fill your memory and display those images for others to see -   not necessarily only on facebook but more –  in the way you live your life.

The first day of class at the beginning of the semester, Drew asked us the vital question, “Why teach?” We all had different answers, but today I rediscovered my passion for teaching, especially in high needs areas.

Today we went to Anacostia Senior High School in Southeast Washington DC. Anacostia High School is a one hundred percent black school that has recently been adopted by Friendship Charter Schools as part of their reconstruction plan under No Child Left Behind. We sat in on classes, talked with students, were able to have dinner with some of the newer teachers, and got to meet the principal as well.

Many students from my class, including those who are from the DC area, had never seen a school like this. I enjoyed observing my classmates as they walked through the metal detectors, down the hall, to the classroom where about fifty percent were truant, and many students read at a third grade reading level. Many of my classmates hadn’t even imagined a school like this, and I truly believe that everyone needs to have this type of experience to realize just how lucky they are to have received a good education in a good neighborhood.

For me, walking into Anacostia High School reminded me of where I came from, and where I want to be again to help students who are in my situation, and show them that they can have a future. I was talking to one student named Dwayne in the “overage, under credit class”, which means they were too old for their grade, and some were even too old to be in high school, ranging from ages 17 to 20, all in grades eleven and twelve.

The two of us were discussing what he wants to do when he graduates, which will unfortunately be a semester later than he should be graduating. When he told me that he’s just not cut out for college, and that he wouldn’t fit in, it broke my heart. However, I shared with him my story of coming from a single parent household, attending poor schools, and not being from the rich neighborhoods that many of my peers come from, and this seemed to give him hope. He realized that if I could make it, he could make it too.

Today for me was a lot about giving back to where I came from. I can’t wait to visit Anacostia again, and hopefully not see all of the seniors that I saw today, because I want them all to be doing something great with their lives, whether it be college, or a trade. I want them to look back at high school as a formative experience, but not one that defines who they are and what they’re capable of. This trip has made me realize how fortunate I am to have a mom who cared enough to push me through school and help with my homework, and I hope that they have that person too, be it a teacher, administrator, coach, or anyone else in their lives that have a positive influence.

As a native resident of Northern Virginia,  this trip gave me a unique look at a city so close to where I’ve lived for the past 18 years.  Sure, I’ve heard about the educational inequities in DC and around the nation, and I’ve spent more time studying these inequities since coming to William & Mary, but actually going and visiting some of these schools really struck me, especially our visit to Anacostia High.  Anacostia is located in the South side of DC.  You can see the Capitol Building from the windows of its classrooms, but the two are worlds apart.  Anacostia has a truancy rate around 40%.  Many of these kids deal with broken families and all sorts of problems at home, interfering with their classroom experiences.

But as we observed young, capable, teachers in the classrooms of Anacostia High, hope was in the air.  These teachers inspire and challenge their students to order, discipline, and hard work.  They challenge them to learn and to grow.  I sat in on a math class for students who were “over-age, under-credited,”  and I expected to see a relatively disengaged groups of students.  On the contrary, I saw a classroom full of kids having a blast doing math problems!  Not only were they engaged in learning, they were really enjoying themselves.  This seemed to be the result of a highly engaging and effective teacher leading the students through a review game of math bingo before their “quest” the following day.  Throughout the school, both students and teachers were fighting hard to beat the inequalities these kids have been born into.  But it’s hard work, and although they’re making large gains, I feel like there has to be something more we can do.

This was the main thing that I took away from this trip:  Many people are working very hard to give all kids an equal opportunity at a good education and a good life.  But if more people are aware of the problem, then more people will help fix it.  We are living in an age where education reform is becoming more and more of a forefront issue, and I am very excited to be a part of this movement.  I came home from this trip excited to make a difference in the world of education.  Let’s do this together!

On Monday our class visited Anacostia High School. After a metro ride on the green line, we hopped on a bus to take us deeper into the neighborhood. It was hard not to notice that some of the members of our class were the only white people around. Some African Americans boarded before us and filtered to the back where they sat on their own individual seats. When it came time for our group to board, we sat in the front. This was not because of racism or any social factor. The front of the bus was simply the section that accomodated our needs: it was the only space with lots of open seats clustered together that would allow us to sit next to one another and stick with our group. 

This situation draws a metaphor to our nation’s education system. Our schools are legally desegregated and legally offer the same opportunities to all children. However, by the way life has played out, the way neighborhoods have formed, jobs have been dispersed, and residency has been chosen, it appears our school system is not fair. Just check the stats! Generally our worst schools are in low-income urban neighborhoods filled with minorities. It may not be defined legally, but segregation still exists and often correlates with educational inequalities. So what do we do to fix it?

We need to bring a focus on education as a major issue in our nation. We need to bring more prestige, pay, training, and creative freedom to the teaching profession. We need to find reliable methods of measuring student success and set high expectations for every student’s achievement. We need to refocus education reform away from adult and structural issues and on to helping our kids.

All of these concepts will be helpful and necessary in the renovation of the American education system. But what will I, Mary Grech, one individual, do to make change? What can I do to make change? The answer is clear to me: I can listen, I can learn, I can seek to understand the problems, and then, I will do everything that I can to make our schools the best they can be.

Over the past few days, the students in our Education 400 class went on a trip to Washington D.C. with our professor, Drew Stelljes, to see public education in practice. We got the opportunity to meet with administrators, teachers, students, policy makers, and William and Mary alumni involved with public education.

Going into the trip, I didn’t really know what to expect. I tried to come in with an open mind and just observe and learn as much as possible. I also kept in mind that what I was seeing was just a snap shot of the very dynamic public education system.

As I observed effective teachers in the classroom and talked to so many students who really had the desire to learn, a lightbulb lit up in my brain and I knew that teaching was the profession for me. Still, I saw teachers who were in my shoes not too long ago, and many seemed to be exhausted and unsure of their futures in education after only a couple of years. To say that this was discouraging and disheartening would be an understatement. How did this happen to some of the bright and motivated teachers in the profession? The only clear answer I got was that it was anything BUT the children. This was enough to reassure me that I will have a hopeful, bright future as a teacher, regardless of the obstacles along the way.

Aside from seeing effective teachers in action, the part of the trip that impacted me most was the visit to Curiosity Zone, which was a place where children could go as early as age 2 for hands on science learning. The purpose of the program was to encourage children to explore their love for science through hands-on learning. Although I did not have the opportunity to observe a class, the idea of the program seemed well thought out and promising. We had a question and answer session with the education director as well as the founder of Curiosity Zone. The education director seemed to really understand some of the limits of curriculum development in public schools, and she implemented innovative ideas for science curriculum without the restrictions that public school teachers face.

During the trip, I had some interesting conversations with all of the extremely bright, engaged, and determined students in our class. Specifically, the conversations about Curiosity Zone really made think about the issues that are being ignored in public education. The question was posed: Do programs like Curiosity Zone perpetuate the widening of the achievement gap? It seemed like a very simple answer to me. How could a program that instills an interest in science into children of all ages contribute to the achievement gap? Some suggested that since the program was only available to students in a very wealthy county (Loudoun) and because it cost money, it would only help those who are already destined to be high achievers.

This really made me wonder: Are we approaching the problem of the achievement gap in the wrong way? I believe the achievement gap is not only between high achievers and low achievers in the United States, but also between the students in the United States and those in other countries. The best of the best in the United States are still not competing with those in other developed countries. Even if programs like Curiosity Zone only serve high achieving students, which isn’t necessarily the case, it would still have an impact on the achievement gap between the US and other countries. It would help high achieving students reach their full potential. I strongly believe that the effort to close the achievement gap will affect high achievers, low achievers, and those in the middle. I believe that the goal of a public education system should be to allow ALL students to reach their highest potential, which will inevitably vary depending on numerous factors. Programs like Curiosity Zone are not contributing to the root causes of the achievement gap. A public education system based on standardized testing does have a huge impact on all students, not just those on the lower end of the achievement spectrum, and this is largely being ignored. Our conversation about Curiosity Zone was one of many intellectually stimulating discussions we had during the trip.

By the end of the trip, I was filled with more mixed emotions than ever before. I was hopeful about the future of public education but humbled by the daunting task that lay ahead. I was angry about the issues that were being ignored in public education, yet inspired and impressed by what is already being done. For the first time, I was certain about what I wanted to do with my life but still so uncertain about the support system or lack thereof for teachers in many schools. I told myself that I could make a significant difference as a teacher in the future, but as I observed teachers at Anacostia high school and Maury Elementary school, I also asked myself, “If these amazing people were part of a failing public education system, what could I possibly do?” After having dinner with some outstanding W&M alumni, many of which had been in our shoes only a few years go, I realized that this balance between certainty and uncertainty was not only okay, but it was crucial to maintain throughout my life. To make a difference, we have to challenge our own views as well as those of others and stay open minded. The achievement gap will only close if we attack it from every angle. Teachers, administrators, policy makers, parents, and students must all work towards the goal. Everyone has a stake in
public education and the future of this country.

On Tuesday, we had the opportunity to visit the Loudoun-county-based Curiosity Zone, a supplemental math and science service for children, and interview its founder. From what I gathered from their presentation and from group discussion, CZ proves to be another on a long list of promising but double-edged math and science reforms.

The motto of Curiosity Zone is “ever wonder?”–a dialogue that the business hopes to encourage in its students. At Curiosity Zone, instructors involve their students in a hands-on, scientific learning experience every week for 45 minutes. These classes are part of a thought-out “curriculum” and stack on top each other week after week for up to 8 years of instruction, starting at age 2. The purpose of the classes are to inspire a love in children for math and science inquiry at a very young age.

And you know what? It works.

Although almost all evidence is anecdotal (you can check it out on their site: http://www.curiosityzone.com/index.htm), our visit to the facility and our talk with the founder and an instructor validated its benefits in my mind. Aside from all of the What’s important is that they’re fulfilling their goals of interesting children in the sciences. And sure, the improved performance is a plus.

But, in education reform, everything seems to come in shades of grey with a shoddy transmission and no cup-holders. Our class discussion later brought to the surface some of our concerns regarding CZ. Notable topics included the “for profit-ness” of the organization and its clashings with public school curricula. Probably the most pressing of the issues discussed, however, was its relevance to EDUC 400’s objectives. By providing a service to children whose families can afford the lessons weekly in one of the wealthiest and highest performing counties in Virginia, Curiosity Zone regrettably does its share in widening the achievement gap.

Oddly, though, some of us (myself included) found ourselves saying that it might not be all bad. First of all, the founder did express her wish to create a non-profit, mobile arm of CZ to travel to low achieving schools in other areas. That might let the lower end play catch-up with Loudoun. And as for what CZ is already doing: inspiring younger students to look into the realms of math and science gives us more math and science graduates. Some of these grads (but not ‘all’ or even ‘most’) find themselves teaching at the end of their academic pursuits. This boosts quantity and quality of math and science teachers down the road… in theory. So can we try to bridge the gap by widening it?

Great. More inner moral and intellectual conflict. Just what I needed on Spring Break.

My mind has not stopped racing since leaving Washington, D.C. just over 24 hours ago. Never before have I met with such a diverse and accomplished group of leaders, and they challenged me to think critically in more ways about more topics than I previously thought possible. Education is an issue that can attract spectators formally (teachers, parents, administrators, politicians, education policy specialists, etc.) but also informally – everybody has (or should have) a vested interest in the quality of the next generation of leaders.

While I wasn’t really sure what impact the trip would have on me, I have come to at least one conclusion since my return to campus – it is our duty to provide high-quality education to students across the board. I’ll openly admit that as I entered D.C.’s Anacostia High School, I let the question “Why do we bother?” linger in my brain longer than I would have liked. As I entered the school building through a metal detector, signed in with a security guard, and observed another security guard nearly restraining a student having an argument on her cell phone (which is allegedly against school policy), I began to wonder if education at this level was worth it – I asked myself if any “real” learning could take place in this type of environment.

Looking back, just three or four hours later I should have realized that it is worth it and that real learning can take place at Anacostia (“Ana,” as it is known by students and teachers). Though, like every other school, Ana has its share of students who put little effort into fulfilling their potential, I also observed students who were thriving and soaking up the material they were learning.

The highlight of my time at Ana was observing a fourth-period math class for students who were “over-age and under-credit.” Imagining the “worst of the worst,” I was surprised to find students who actually argued with each other over who got to answer the Algebra II-level question. I found students actively engaged with the teacher and who showed desire to perform well on the next day’s “quest” (it’s not a quiz or a test, but a quest – the motivational tools teachers use still amaze me!) I found a teacher who was passionate about getting his students to understand not just what the answer was, but why it was. I found, by all accounts, everything that one would expect from a veteran teacher in a high-performing classroom.

That being said, there are undoubtedly reasons why Ana is one of the worst-performing schools in one of the worst-performing districts in the nation. Truancy and turnover in the teaching and administration staffs are issues that have plagued Ana for years. Our main contact, a Teach for America corps member who graduated from William & Mary in 2009, recounted a gang-related attack that took place in her second-period English class. It’s not my intention to sugar coat the truth – Ana is a tough place.

But whereas before I wasn’t sure whether all the energy and resources required to turn a school like Ana around was worth it, now I am convinced that it is our obligation. One of the students I interacted with at Ana could have what it takes to be a future President, find a cure for cancer, or even just make a difference in a handful of lives if he/she receives the nurturing they need. Many of the students’ homes are unstable, and I believe it is up to the school to provide the affection and education the kids need to reach their true potential.

Oprah Winfrey, Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, Michael Jordan. Each of these owns an Emmy, Oscar, or NBA Championship ring. Each of these also went to a local public school. Warren Buffett, one of the most revered and trusted financial minds in the world, graduated from Alice Deal Junior High School and Woodrow Wilson High School – of the D.C. Public Schools system. Wouldn’t it be a shame if our inattention let the next great role model slip through the cracks?

Trent Johnson, a student in my class wrote the following reflection just one day after returning from our trip to DC.  Below is his response.

After giving myself some time to ponder all of the information that processed  during this trip, by far the most rewarding experience was to visit Anacostia Senior High in the Anacostia neighborhood of D.C. If anybody has ever seen the movie Lean On Me, starring Morgan Freeman playing as Joe Clark, that is what I expected when I visited the school. Upon entering, I realized that it wasn’t a violent filled factory of intense gang battles, rather it was a place void of hope. Hope of a future, of another world outside of Southeast D.C. that is actually achievable. I found this void in the eyes, the eyes and expressions on the faces of these students just a year younger than myself. What scared me the most wasn’t that students had this look on their eyes, but this expression of no hope was reflected in the values of community by a lack of value and traditional means of advancement. In another community, education would probably have been viewed as a means for advancement and freedom into a more fruitful world. Based on my observations, in Anacostia, that doesn’t seem to be  the case. I overheard a senior, in a biology class, state words to the following effect, “my grandma will be kill me if I don’t graduate this year…she spent $350 on my prom ticket, cap and gown and senior dues.” That statement spoke volumes into the value of education and vacuum of hope in not only the school but the community.

I left with a burning question, how can we fix this? In my opinion, no Teach For America Corps member can bring what they need, its a problem much more advanced than a 5-6 week boot camp during the summer can fix. In order to fix the schools we must bring up the community, and thereby the school, Anacostia needs to be motivated and re-educated socially, economically, mentally, infrastructural and academically. Every facet of the community must be improved in order to improve the school, as the school is just a sample population of the condition of the community. Gentrification threatens to destroy any improvements that can be done to the area. Improves to the physical conditions of the neighborhood will only have a limited effect on the community, the people themselves must be changed for true progress to begin.

If the people are left in the same condition, then no matter if we send these students to the world-renowned “TJ” and live in the plushest of plush houses in Loudon county, the exact same issues will arise. Fix the community to fix the schools, not the other way around.

Tonight, our group met with alumni at the William and Mary DC office to have an informal conversation over dinner. The alumni have worked with communities from Boston to Thailand…. Honduras to DC to the Dominican Republic. They have addressed issues ranging from human trafficking prevention to community development… educational inequality to corporate social responsibility.

But there was something that connected them all to us… and made us feel somehow less… well… intimidated.

What amazed me so much about the evening was the complete sense of selflessness. No one was there to further their agenda or to brag about there accomplishments. We were all there to ask questions, to share resources, to learn. All of the alumni were so giving of their knowledge and gave us their contact information… encouraging us to contact them with ANY and ALL questions. They reminded us that they were once in our shoes… and that they were so happy to pass along the lessons they have learned along the way. They reminded us of how the William and Mary network is vibrant and well… especially for those working in fields that address issues of social justice and social change.

The main theme I noticed was how William and Mary cultivates a sense of passion and responsibility in its students. None of us could quite figure out exactly how or when that happened for us as individuals… but we realized that the network of individuals passionate about social justice was ever present in all of our experiences at the College.

We were a group of individuals, Classes of 2002-2014 (and Drew… who graduated with TJ… just kidding) all united by a common bond. The tangible sense of William and Mary tradition was ever so clear.

The evening ended fittingly with a singing of the Alma Mater… a tangible (and, yes, kind of dorky) reminder of the bond we share.

Warm weather greets us as we maneuver through Washington DC.  The nation’s capital is our destination for a trip focused on gaining a better understanding of the complexity of public education in the US.  The trip is part of a class that examines the mathematics and science achievement gap in high-seeds schools.   With funding from  a “Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow” grant that has been used to minimize the cost of the trip and a half semester’s worth of readings, lectures, discussions, guests speakers and school visits, the team of 12 students, one teaching assistant and myself are eager to get started.

Thanks to the staff at the DC office, we have a packed schedule ahead of us that includes site visits with national experts in public education, a US Senator, and alumni that are teaching, leading and conducting research in education.  We will meet at the National Science Foundation and visit schools where W&M alumni will be our hosts.  Tonight we are content to get settled and watch a documentary on public education.

Our team consists of some of the most dedicated scholars that will likely teach in our schools, advocate for education, conduct education policy research and some will lead our schools.  They are Brittany Borman, Katie Caudle, Mary Grech, Trent Johnson, Ahmed Khokar, Shawna LeBlond, Cassie Powell, Estelle Rousseau, Timmy Sivard, Doug Tibbett, Ellie Walsh and Carly Zeh.  We will all blog and contribute to this trip’s ongoing dialogue.