"Care" in Education and Youth Development

 Previous thoughts about care...

Before reading the article I though of care as youth workers and educators caring for their students. Caring about their well being and listening to them. Previously, the word "care" immediately made me think of helping the youth within my youth work. I did not really think too far into this word until after reading the article. 

After reading the article...

While the article does include the things I had mentioned, it also dug a lot deeper into explaining the meaning of "care" within education and youth work. Care is about listening to the students and valuing their opinion/concerns. It also includes helping the youth and making sure they feel accepted. The one thing I did not think enough about was the fact that care is also shown through including material that students can relate to that have to do with their languages and cultures. One quote really stood out to me and explained this aspect of care perfectly...

"School is a foreign land to most kids, but the more distant a child's culture and language are from the culture and language of the school, the more at risk that child is" -Mary Gintey

This is very true for many students. I cannot speak for everyone but in my experience, I always connected more and felt more accepted when I could relate to things around me whether it be in the classroom or at a friends house. While I agree with this quote, I do not agree with the word choice "at risk" as I had mentioned in a previous blog. 

Care is also about questioning policies in our schools that affect our students of color. These policies can sometimes harm our students and by stepping up and stating changes you believe are necessary for the well being of your students is care. Students notice when policies are unfair and none of their mentors are taking notice to it. Through taking action and reforming these policies we can show that we care for our students on a larger scale and not just inside the classroom. 

Another quote that stood out for me while reading...

...""ethic of care" means a combination of respect, admiration, and rigorous standards".

I could not think of better words to describe the "ethic of care". I think they really sum up the aspects of care and demonstrate what is takes to show care for our students inside and outside of the classroom. 

After reading and reflecting, I decided to look more into culturally responsive classrooms and I found this great youtube video I wanted to share...

New Terrain in YDEV

 Advocacy and Social Justice 

Ginwright and Cammarots's critique

I do agree with Ginwright and Cammorot's critique on youth development. I believe that to fully understand the youth and for them to be successful we need to take into account the social forces that affect them and the oppression within their community. We need to understand the envionemnets in which the youth are coming from and what is affecting their physical, social, emotional, and psychological well being. We cannot blame the youth for their challenges and behaviors but rather dig deeper into the overarching issues in their communities. I really like the word mentioned in the reading "Praxis". Freire stated that critical consciousness and social action is known as "praxis" which is reflecting on the world and how we can change it. This approach to me, is a great way to help the youth. They are facing many adverse problems that they need to understand and contribute the change so that the "toxins" in the community can be eliminated. The word "toxins" was mentioned in the reading. It was mentioned that these toxins are not just physical toxins like bad air quality or lead paint but they also include mental toxins including violence, oppression, poverty and many more.By addressing these toxins and recognizing the oppression within communities the youth are able to really dig deep and  contribute to the change needed. They are also able to contribute to the systematic change needed. This method of youth development does not hide the negative parts affecting the youth, instead it addresses it and makes the youth more aware. In the long run I believe this approach can lead to the youth becoming great advocates for change and can overall allow them to live a healthier lifestyle. 

The social justice approach to youth development has some similarities but has some important differences. Social justice youth development is concerned about the social and economic forces that affect the youth. These forces lead to oppression which but the youth are guided to be able to advocate for the change necessary. This approach to youth development is to really get the youth thinking about the systems around them that could use reform and it addresses that the youth are affected by them even if they do not realize it 

This video was very powerful and actually made me cry at the end. Kimberly Jones starts off by explaining protesting, rioting, and looting in 2020. She then made the comparison of the game Monopoly to the lives of African Americans and other minorities. She said to picture playing 450 rounds of monopoly and she does not let you own anything or have any money. Instead she gets all the money, the properties, and you buy properties for her. This is how people of color feel at this very moment. From the beginning of time they were working for white people making money for nothing in return. Fast forward to 2020 and they still have nothing. They do not own their communities or have equal opportunities. Their rights are still taken away whether we realize it or not. The ending also stuck with me when Kimberly said something like "They're lucky we are looking for equality and not revenge". Kimberly Jones mentions the oppression faced by these communities and compares it to monopoly to demonstrate the severity of this oppression. She was really able to get the point across in this way and as she is a woman of color and faces this oppression everyday. 

I know who I am and what I believe: Using theory to prepare youth workers

"Our theoretically-grounded curriculum and approach grows from our belief that youth are thoughtful, creative people who deserve opportunities to practice leadership with supportive, professional adults by their side. Through a commitment to social justice, a deliberate practice of care, and a vision of learning in community, we prepare quality youth workers who are ready to lead with youth to make a better world."

This quote really spoke to me when reading the paper. It is saying how

the ideology of positive youth development sees the youth as smart and it states that is we support and lead with the youth they can really make a difference. I strongly believe that youth need practice in leadership with our help as this skill requires mentors like myself and other youth workers. If we lead with the youth, they have a greater support to become very successful in the world and make changes that are needed. This does a great job explaining my mindset on how I view our youth and my thoughts on leadership within youth development. We should always leave room for the youth to become leaders as we once did. I believe that each and every one of them, with the support of myself and other youth workers have the power to make a much needed change in the world.

"This approach resonates with many of our students because of the ways it disrupts dominant school discourses that position young people as part of the problem, rather than part of a solution."

This quote is saying that the ideology of positive youth development eliminates the mindset people may have which is that youth are "part of the problem". This really reminded me of some teachers I had throughout grade school. They would not flat out say that we were a problem to society but they would mention things in a negative way saying that "oh this is this way because of your generation". Some teachers would say "you guys can be the change" but what is that going to do if they do not help us by leading with? I did not agree with this at all and it really downgrades youth. If we help the youth become leaders and involved in the bigger problem, they can really be part of the solution. If we do not have an open mind to our youth, we could be missing out on some very intelligent people who can help us in leadership and many other areas. They can help us understand their thoughts and can contribute to our own ideas. I believe that every youth have their own strength and by putting them together they can make amazing accomplishments.

“The kids are playing games -- they are leading games, and they are laughing and learning.  Everyone knows each other’s names.  And I saw one coach pull a kid aside and ask how his grandmother was feeling now that she is out of the hospital."

This quote really reminded me of the ideology of positive youth development. It states that youth workers who have this ideology are aware of the youth's "assets" which consist of family, school, resources, safety, and many more. The fact that the coach asked how one of the athletes grandparents was doing really makes it known that the coach cares. In doing this the student most likely feels like someone is thinking about them and also is interested to hear from them. I can relate to this as a lot of times working with kids at gymnastics I know their siblings and some of their family members. I usually ask them "how is so and so" and we have conversations about family members. It helps the child feel like you are more than a coach in a sense that you are more of a friend. As mentioned it shows that I care but also that I am not just there to coach and make money. I enjoy creating relationships with my athletes and their families. It makes the atmosphere so much better and more positive.