Through our research on Furness, we've seen reflected both the societal problems we've discussed in the course. Just going to school every day, the students at Furness face tremendous challenges. For many of them, who come from places–Cambodia, Bhutan, Pakistan–seemingly as far from south Philly as possible, managing the school's culture, to say nothing of learning its language, is a constant difficulty. Even those outside of the ESOL program face a barrage of testing, deficient facilities, and the seemingly consistent depletion of funds from the city and state alike.
It's no great insight to say that things shouldn't be this way. Unfortunately though, Furness students finds themselves on the wrong sides of so many pernicious trends. Thanks to their families' socioeconomic status, they both enjoy fewer opportunities than their wealthier peers elsewhere and suffer more criticism when their performance trails as a result. Many who would have been their classmates have instead gone to charter and magnet schools, taking needed resources with them. Because of how recently many of them or their parents have arrived in the country, they deal with the extra burden of managing a divide in culture between school and home. So many of their interactions present the possibility of other people offending or marginalizing them without even realizing they are doing it. And even when their background is discussed, their personal nuances–whether they are Chinese or Nepalese, first-generation immigrant or second-generation, ESOL student or not–often gets subsumed under the generalized, constructed terms like Asian or African-American, and the kinds of fallacious myths that come with them.
Just one of the ways this manifests is in the relationship with the neighborhood. While it would be too far to say there is tension between Furness and its surrounding area, there also seems to be a definite border. Considering how the neighborhood's demographics–white, working-class–differ from the schools, it's easy to take a guess as to why that is. Ultimately, Furness students' identities are besieged both in the community and outside it. In the face of all that, it would be understandable for them, and those who teach them, to despair.
But yet they do not. In fact, everywhere we looked, there were signs of determination and resilience from staff and students. The constant efforts to get ESOL students acclimated, the volunteer work of students throughout the city, and especially the outpouring of effort to keep the school open when it was facing closing a few years ago demonstrate how students learn to be active participants in society, in spite of the hurdels. Their efforts may not singlehandedly overcome the forces that constrain them and their potential. That said, they are the necessary, encouraging first step towards achieving just that.
It's no great insight to say that things shouldn't be this way. Unfortunately though, Furness students finds themselves on the wrong sides of so many pernicious trends. Thanks to their families' socioeconomic status, they both enjoy fewer opportunities than their wealthier peers elsewhere and suffer more criticism when their performance trails as a result. Many who would have been their classmates have instead gone to charter and magnet schools, taking needed resources with them. Because of how recently many of them or their parents have arrived in the country, they deal with the extra burden of managing a divide in culture between school and home. So many of their interactions present the possibility of other people offending or marginalizing them without even realizing they are doing it. And even when their background is discussed, their personal nuances–whether they are Chinese or Nepalese, first-generation immigrant or second-generation, ESOL student or not–often gets subsumed under the generalized, constructed terms like Asian or African-American, and the kinds of fallacious myths that come with them.
Just one of the ways this manifests is in the relationship with the neighborhood. While it would be too far to say there is tension between Furness and its surrounding area, there also seems to be a definite border. Considering how the neighborhood's demographics–white, working-class–differ from the schools, it's easy to take a guess as to why that is. Ultimately, Furness students' identities are besieged both in the community and outside it. In the face of all that, it would be understandable for them, and those who teach them, to despair.
But yet they do not. In fact, everywhere we looked, there were signs of determination and resilience from staff and students. The constant efforts to get ESOL students acclimated, the volunteer work of students throughout the city, and especially the outpouring of effort to keep the school open when it was facing closing a few years ago demonstrate how students learn to be active participants in society, in spite of the hurdels. Their efforts may not singlehandedly overcome the forces that constrain them and their potential. That said, they are the necessary, encouraging first step towards achieving just that.
Photo Taken Susanna Hoffman
So, what does all this mean for us? It means we have a huge responsibility, with all the excitement and trepidation that comes with that. As a group, we have fortunate in our academic careers to avoid virtually all of the issues that our students. face daily What this means is that we've absorbed a lot of privilege, and thus need to confront the possibility that it could blind us from truly seeing our students as they are. This is especially true considering how little experience working with the kinds of kids–refugee, ESOL, black–who will be at Furness. The courses and field placements we've had though GSE certainly help mitigate this problem, but we still need to be honest with ourselves about how we may be committing microagressions, or perhaps even just aggressions, against those who we're trying to serve.
At the same, time this anxiousness comes with a great deal of anticipation. For all the ways we've been complicit in systems of privilege, we now have a chance to work with, and hopefully empower, the students who are hurt by them. Of course, such an attitude does come with a danger too, as we risk not focusing enough on content. In the end, it will be our ability to teach students in our fields of expertise that will determine whether or not we are truly aiding our students.
As mentioned above, Furness students possess a wealth of talent, even if the community around them doesn't always recognize it. As we go through our first year as teachers, and bump against the limits of our abilities, our challenge will be to serve as a catalyst for this talent, instead of an impediment. It will surely be difficult, but we still can't wait to get started.
At the same, time this anxiousness comes with a great deal of anticipation. For all the ways we've been complicit in systems of privilege, we now have a chance to work with, and hopefully empower, the students who are hurt by them. Of course, such an attitude does come with a danger too, as we risk not focusing enough on content. In the end, it will be our ability to teach students in our fields of expertise that will determine whether or not we are truly aiding our students.
As mentioned above, Furness students possess a wealth of talent, even if the community around them doesn't always recognize it. As we go through our first year as teachers, and bump against the limits of our abilities, our challenge will be to serve as a catalyst for this talent, instead of an impediment. It will surely be difficult, but we still can't wait to get started.