If one person is entitled to something, then should everyone be entitled to it? The issue of entitlement seems to be one we cannot ignore whenever we discuss education. In a perfect world, every student would receive the time and resources required to help them flourish into intelligent, productive, and empathetic members of society. But we are not there yet…
Maybe “entitlement” is not the correct word here… perhaps “equal opportunity” would be more accurate? Entitlement implies that people deserve something, perhaps without putting in any effort. Equal opportunity (to me) says that resources will be available to be made use of, but effort will be a necessary ingredient.
As I approached a collaborative class presentation this week on “Equity and Connected Learning” my mind wandered to concerns over accessibility to technology. Of course students from more affluent backgrounds will be able to afford better computers, smartphones, and internet connections. But if I were a teacher in a lower-income school, what steps could I take to help my students bridge the economic gap?
“Sharing” is the first answer that came to mind. I reminded myself that connected learning is about knowledge seekers coming together to learn about and help each other out with common interests. As a teacher I need to go out into the community I teach in and find people with skills who are willing to convey those skills to others. I then need to connect my students to these more-knowledgeable others in a safe environment, possibly even one where there are tools they might be able to use without needing to own them. A library that dedicates floor area to a makerspace would be a fine example of this. A local garage that might invite students in to use their tools for a car repair club might be another.
Fostering a learning community in my classroom is another way to help. Encouraging my students to experience camaraderie through helping each other succeed will be a goal. This is also sharing, but a more abstract sort in which I will do my best to suggest that helping others improve makes for a better environment for everyone.
Thanks for reading,
Eric L