For that class I attended several cultural events. I was able to visit a Hindu temple. (I was bitten by a parrot and attacked by a llama while at the Hindu temple.) I visited a Mexican family in their home and interviewed them through a translator.
The final included a written test and a book report with an oral presentation. I read a book written by a black woman who hated all white people and eventually became an English teacher.
Rather than read my book report to the class; I decided that I wanted the class to experience the book.
This is approximately how the presentation went, and FYI, names have been changed:
"You have to promise me that you won't be offended by anything I do. First, is there anyone in our class today who is attending college but not paying for school personally? You're being supported either by parents or a spouse, but you personally are not working at all."
I guy named Eric raised his hand.
"Tell us your story Eric."
Eric: "I am attending school but not working. My wife financially supports me entirely. She pays all the bills too and she just delivered a baby that she takes to work with her."
"Oh, that's nice. FOOL!!! What are you doing??! Your wife works her tail off and you just sit here doing nothing! Baby has to go to work with her?? You can't even handle bringing your own kid! What are you doing!? What are you DOING!?"
Eric, a bit shell-shocked: "Uh, I don't know."
"Imagine waking up every morning to this. Fool. What are you doing? This is what happened to my protagonist everyday. She was told that going to school, finishing homework was worthless. She was a fool for not going straight to a job.
Turn to the person next to you, and real quick, find out which of you is the oldest."
*class chatting*
"You that are the oldest. What if I told you that you are now in charge of financially supporting the younger person. You're in charge of paying for their schooling, clothing, housing, food, everything. Can anyone here pay for it without a problem?"
(Luckily I had an older woman in my class.) Darla raises her hand.
"Oh! You can pay for it. No problem?"
Darla: "Yes, I can pay for it."
"What if I told you that the only job you're qualified for is to collect cans? 25 cents each on a good day, usually you only get 10 cents. Can you do it now? Or how about this, (I emptied a bag of mixed sand/popcorn kernels on the ground) we'll let you be a sweeper, you can sweep the dirt, maybe make a little more. If you're hungry you can pick out the popcorn kernels. Can you afford to pay for the other person now?"
"These were the options provided for my protagonist. She could collect cans for a living, or sweep. And she was in charge of providing and caring for a younger sibling. Yet everyday instead of going to work to provide that meal, those few bits of popcorn kernels, she went to school. She was called FOOL! and she went to school. She had to beg for food. But she still went to school."
"You as a teacher will have this child in your classroom. Tell me, can you afford a single day that it not planned out? You only get one chance daily. If you fail that child isn't going to come back to school. That child is going to go to work instead. Can you afford to be unprepared? Can you afford to stand in front of a class and read a book report? (Everyone when presenting in my class up to this point had just read their book report.) Is that teaching?"
"Everyday you have to be prepared, because otherwise you're going to lose someone."
After a few questions my presentation ended.
Good luck to you teachers. I hope I can help you be prepared.
Rather than read my book report to the class; I decided that I wanted the class to experience the book.
This is approximately how the presentation went, and FYI, names have been changed:
"You have to promise me that you won't be offended by anything I do. First, is there anyone in our class today who is attending college but not paying for school personally? You're being supported either by parents or a spouse, but you personally are not working at all."
I guy named Eric raised his hand.
"Tell us your story Eric."
Eric: "I am attending school but not working. My wife financially supports me entirely. She pays all the bills too and she just delivered a baby that she takes to work with her."
"Oh, that's nice. FOOL!!! What are you doing??! Your wife works her tail off and you just sit here doing nothing! Baby has to go to work with her?? You can't even handle bringing your own kid! What are you doing!? What are you DOING!?"
Eric, a bit shell-shocked: "Uh, I don't know."
"Imagine waking up every morning to this. Fool. What are you doing? This is what happened to my protagonist everyday. She was told that going to school, finishing homework was worthless. She was a fool for not going straight to a job.
Turn to the person next to you, and real quick, find out which of you is the oldest."
*class chatting*
"You that are the oldest. What if I told you that you are now in charge of financially supporting the younger person. You're in charge of paying for their schooling, clothing, housing, food, everything. Can anyone here pay for it without a problem?"
(Luckily I had an older woman in my class.) Darla raises her hand.
"Oh! You can pay for it. No problem?"
Darla: "Yes, I can pay for it."
"What if I told you that the only job you're qualified for is to collect cans? 25 cents each on a good day, usually you only get 10 cents. Can you do it now? Or how about this, (I emptied a bag of mixed sand/popcorn kernels on the ground) we'll let you be a sweeper, you can sweep the dirt, maybe make a little more. If you're hungry you can pick out the popcorn kernels. Can you afford to pay for the other person now?"
"These were the options provided for my protagonist. She could collect cans for a living, or sweep. And she was in charge of providing and caring for a younger sibling. Yet everyday instead of going to work to provide that meal, those few bits of popcorn kernels, she went to school. She was called FOOL! and she went to school. She had to beg for food. But she still went to school."
"You as a teacher will have this child in your classroom. Tell me, can you afford a single day that it not planned out? You only get one chance daily. If you fail that child isn't going to come back to school. That child is going to go to work instead. Can you afford to be unprepared? Can you afford to stand in front of a class and read a book report? (Everyone when presenting in my class up to this point had just read their book report.) Is that teaching?"
"Everyday you have to be prepared, because otherwise you're going to lose someone."
After a few questions my presentation ended.
Good luck to you teachers. I hope I can help you be prepared.
