it's wrong and it's right

i generally rant and rave about education. sometimes the job can be so overwhelming and misunderstood. the kids are really the reason most people stay in the profession. it is not like people stay because they think of advancement, pay raises, travel to exotic places, or christmas bonuses.

we stay because we walk into broken down classrooms everyday and turn them into magical places where kids are safe for seven hours, where they can learn and move out of their current space, and truly believe in themselves. there are still many good merits of public education but they are lost in the midst of politics, not enough funding, and disbelief in anything related to testing. people read tests results in the newspaper and look little past failing, under performing, or excelling to understand what makes a good school or what remains to be praised in public education.

there are moments where education can be extremely depressing and time consuming. yet, there are shining moments, where as a teacher i have the opportunity to break through all that is saddening, to what is at the heart of education for me. when my students understand that they are in my classroom not just to learn to read, or do math problems that make their head hurt, but that they are there to continue their journeys as life long learners who can think critically and make their own decisions, it is as if all else fades away.

this happened this week. we are beginning to read a story from a reader we have in class about orangutans in borneo. i found several websites of information, videos, facts, and articles to support what we are reading. several groups read small books about jane goodall as an introduction to conservation, preservation, and the study of primates. one group in my class needs to be challenged beyond the fourth grade level. their reading levels are higher than most and this is the group that can become easily bored. so i decided to challenge them with an eighth grade reading level or higher article on the deforestation of borneo.

we began reading and conquered words such as raucous, primatologists, and humidity. we discussed and looked at pictures of deforestation and talked about how this impacts the orangutans. we talked about the need for jobs in indonesia and malaysia, how people needed to survive, how larger countries pay for the deforestation to have paper, chopsticks, and yes, garden furniture. the students were shocked.

i was peppered with questions. "why do people buy these things?" "how do the orangutans feel about this?" "Are zoos bad?" "Why don't people have jobs?" "don't people think about more than just themselves? you know, like about the orangutans or the trees?" "you mean the animals are just free, and wander around?" "do the trees grow back?" "if people cut down these trees, how do we breathe?"

i replied to all of them at once, these are good questions, ones you should keep asking. i don't have the answers to all of them, nor can i tell you what is right. and in the midst of all the questions, came one question that floored me.

"you mean that some things are right and wrong at the same time?"

the whole group was silent. they turned to look at this student and then back at me for an answer. i think they were quietly hoping i would say no. i replied, "yes. that is exactly what i mean."

suddenly their clearly defined and delineated world turned upside down and they realized that life was slightly more complicated than they ever imagined.

one student ended the conversation by saying, "i know another example of something that is right and wrong.

war."

i nodded unable to say much of anything.

out of the mouths of babes.

this is why i am an educator.
if these students can grow up understanding that things are both right and wrong and neither right or wrong, we've got some hope or at least a start.