Family support and why it is important

Hello everyone,

For those of you who do not know or may not know, I am currently a high school teacher working at an alternative education high school. Now the reason I bring this up is because today I was having a discussion with my kids and the role that family plays within this. One thing that I found most interesting is that a overwhelming majority of my students said they had parents that were uninvolved and was often the reason they got in trouble. The reason I find this so interesting is because I have never experienced uninvolved parents or family for that matter. Both my parents have been active in my life, as well as my brothers. As a result we both have grown into young responsible adults.

What shocked me while discussing this subject with my kids is how they said they wished their parents would of been more active. Whether it was signing them up for AYSO or talking to them about their day. Ultimately it came down to having someone care about them and show it, not simply say it. As I look at my students and saw sincere sadness, I stopped and thought what I as a teacher, concerned community member and fellow human being could do for them.

Why don't we as a society try to catch these kids when we still have a chance at making an impact in their lives. Why is money squandered and wasted where programs could be established to get these kids excited about school, life, and their future. Several students have expressed no interest in going to college rather just get a job. Why is it that in America where opportunity is endless and the possibility to better ones life is much greater then other parts of the world are we not inspiring our youth?

When I was in Uganda, every student I worked with was excited about school and had a hopeful outlook even given the circumstances that they lived in. I truly feel that we need to try to inspire the youth and give them opportunities to show their talent or chase their dreams. As sad as it may sound, I feel that some kids not the majority but still they are kids, are simply being left behind. It is sad to see someone at age 16 not seeing anything out there to make their lives better.

It comes down to this question: What do we want our future generations to be like? Do we want them to simply be drones or do we want to revitalize that passion for education and a hope for a better tomorrow that I have seen in my travels. Let me know what you think!

Thank you,
Students Worldwide