I often get characterized as a radical idealist. When I was hired for my first teaching job, one of my references said: “yeah, that Joseph is a great guy, but a bit of an idealist.” Somehow being seen as an idealist is construed as some sort of slight against me. Idealism comes in many shapes
and sizes, from demanding an ideal attention and effort from students, to overly optimistic timelines for...
I often get characterized as a radical idealist. When I was hired for my first teaching job, one of my references said: “yeah, that Joseph is a great guy, but a bit of an idealist.” Somehow being seen as an idealist is construed as some sort of slight against me. Idealism comes in many shapes
and sizes, from demanding an ideal attention and effort from students, to overly optimistic timelines for completing a unit. But me, I am the “worst” kind of idealist; I believe every person is incredibly valuable and deserves an equal and fair shot at success. The vice principal of that school thought it was wise to dissuade my idealistic tendencies, making sure I knew that most of my students were going to work minimum wage jobs and I would best help them by preparing them for that life trajectory. Of course I gave that no mind. That kind of sentiment is exactly what is so wrong with our school system. Systemic inequalities determine much of a person’s lot in life, but education is supposed to be the one place where your class or status doesn’t disadvantage you. Of course it still does in secretive and obfuscated ways, but if we don’t try our best to rectify these
inequalities, especially in the place where these inequalities are supposed to eliminated, then those inequalities will never be resolved and there will always be a large groups of people stratified in a diminutive social position. Little did the administrators know, there were no limits to my idealism, and no amount of naysaying would convince me to throw away some peoples’ future!
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