Students and their families are exposed to people, programs, resources, and connections that can open doors for them, and they are able to navigate and access those opportunities.
Providing access to students is about exposing students to people, programs, resources and connections that can open doors for them. Access--particularly for Baltimore City students--is a civil rights issue. In Baltimore, access to appropriate resources can literally be the difference between life and death. Baltimore is one of the top 10 most segregated cities (Comen, 2019, n.p.). Unfortunately, this segregation has meant that children who live in "black neighborhoods" receive significantly less resources compared to areas where white families live (Urban Institute, 2019, n.p.). In other words, Baltimore City students living in segregated black areas have fewer opportunities than those living in wealthier areas. According to Lawrence Brown, assistant professor at Morgan State University, in "black neighborhoods" there are over 50 low resourced schools while in areas with more white people, schools are higher resourced (2016, n.p.). As an educator, this knowledge fuels my desire to make sure that my students have access to as many opportunities as possible to ensure equity.
I structure my units with outside experiences and field experts to open up access gateways to students. As I highlight in the following sections, I share the importance of access to mentors and community partners in the facilitation of education. The African Diaspora Reading Group (ADRG) Mentoring section is a great example of some of the work I did with my students that opened up new forms of access for them. Having a mentor allows students to have individualized support and opens doors to realms that they have yet to consider. The ideal mentor connects with their student's individual interests and personalities, and often serves as windows and mirrors to the possibilities of college, entrepreneurship, and more.
When access and educational equity are provided, students build partnerships with their communities extending beyond school walls. While Baltimore has many struggles, the people of this city have not given up hope on their city or their students. There are incredible opportunities that exist within Baltimore, including DewMore Poetry League and the Young Playwrights Festival, which were created for students to grow as individuals and community members. In exposing my students to these outside experiences, we track how the arts impact students' knowledge, learning, and retention. The sole goal of access is to move students forward in life and create opportunities that our current education system has failed to provide for them.
Through my students' stories, you can see how mentors and community partners enhance learning both in the moment and across time. While over 105 years of racist policies still plague Baltimore, my actions as an educator can minimize the impact that my students feel. Mentoring is a powerful force that allows students to see their potential as well as what they can do with their instruction. And community partnerships add to the resource banks of schools. Teachers are often given very little resources to transform lives; applying for community partnerships can significantly add to our people-power, finances, and opportunities for students. I am committed to continue searching for opportunities that can change the lives of my students.
Brown, L. (2016, June 28). Two Baltimores: The white L versus the black butterfly. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved from http://www.baltimoresun.com/citypaper/bcpnews-two-baltimores-the-white-l-vs-the-black-butterfly-20160628-htmlstory.html/
Comen, E. (2019, July 19). 25 most segregated cities in America. 24/7 Wall St. Retrieved from http://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/07/19/25-most-segregated-cities-in-america-2/5/
Urban Institute (2019). "The black butterfly": Racial segregation and investment patterns in Baltimore. Washington, DC: Theodos, B., Hangen, E., Meixell, B., & Foster, L.