A few weeks ago, we had an assignment to address a problem we had with a teacher. I had written mine to a teacher I had been having problems with. However, I had already addressed the counselor, so there was no need to give it to her. I did this because I wanted change.

I now have been faced with a new issue. I am a student of the class of 2020. Also known as the most talkative, disrespectful, irresponsible, lazy, disobedient, and in conclusion; negative class. We have even been told we were driving people to discover new career choices (which by their pay probably wasn’t as bad as it seemed). I interpreted this as we need CHANGE. Now most psychology articles I have read, which admittedly is a small amount, say that change starts with admitting you have a problem and finding the source of what went wrong. So, I will recap my education experience to give you a better understanding:

Kindergarten through 5th grade: I loved school, I loved friends, I loved learning new stuff and exploring, and always wanting to know “why?”... I asked so many questions to the point that teachers were driven insane! I was inspired...????

6th through 8th: There was no time to want to learn. Instead, I had to jam pack textbooks in my head in order to get a grade that represents my self value in the schooling system… Fun right!? I mean who doesn't like constant stress, anxiety attacks, and the best part I’m thirteen and already have grey hairs!!

Well I think I found the problem…  Which can be explained through the recap of homework and grading throughout my years in school:

Kindergarten through 5th grade: We learned all new interesting information in school, always having new inventive ways to understand and comprehend. Then we would get a worksheet in order for the teacher to understand what we learned and what she might have to go over to insure that we were learning to our fullest capability!
6th through 8th grade: We work during school and than we also have to work after school because there is so much work to be done we don’t get time to recuperate or have any fun whatsoever and as for the homework its just to make sure that we know how to show as much work as possible so that they can put a completion grade in order for their job to be complete in putting grades in. They don’t really care as long as they teach us the TEKS and we have grades…

Did you catch the absence of the word LEARN, well it's because we don't, we just remember facts so that we can get a good grade on test. They don't actually want to test our knowledge or creativity or know our capabilities instead they want work to grade right now!!! Don't take your time and give it all you got just give the right answer so they can judge because that is what school is nowadays! This is the reality that teachers are blocking out…
Homework is something that teachers relied on to see what we have learned. Now it’s a grade and not just a grade but usually tends to take up the weekend. Newsflash teachers, the weekends description is not two days reserved to jam pack our backpacks with homework. In fact, the actual definition describes it as a time period for leisure (the period from Friday evening through Sunday evening, especially regarded as a time for leisure). So, most homework given on the weekends isn’t done till midnight because unlike teachers who may or may not have lives, we have events with family, friends, and religion. And sorry to say, but homework is NOT on the top of our to do lists. In fact, most teachers should give us time to do our work in school if they plan to give us that much homework. As you can tell these problems are stacking up but were never addressed this year.

I had a teacher this year that I really thought would see reality and want change..I thought that she didn’t want to hide reality instead expose us to it and want to make a difference.. Although I was proven wrong:( We had a test that was fairly long. When the end of the class neared and no one finished we started to panic.  Knowing this teacher I assumed she'd give us the next school day so that we were able to give her our all and impress her by showing our progress in understanding literature and finding those hidden symbols that makes us really connect… I thought she was different and that she would let us take our time. I was WRONG, instead she gives us till midnight and says she wants it NOW.. Well being me I obviously had plans that was actually over night as a church lock in.. OH NO I will have a late grade now and she will be mad…

Is it really the teachers or is it the state or the district? Honestly I have no clue where all of the urge to learn TEKS comes from, but school is to learn and whoever took that meaning away needs to fix it. Someone somewhere did something to make school all about one standardized test and not about furthering education and that needs to be fixed.  Stress is a term all students become familiar with and it is time to change this.

Why should I as a student have to feel this? Why do teachers do this? Is wanting to influence and inspire young teens not enough for them?.......

Remember that teacher I said I had addressed with my issue.. She is now probably the most influential and idolized teacher I have. She has changed because change is possible. I look forward to her class because she made school fun, and she makes time to do homework at school, and she gives us time to do test, and she has something everyday for us too look forward to. She took our class and she made a school environment that fits us..  She makes me want to learn again because she inspired me. She has changed the way I look at school, she showed me that there is still time for change and there is still a capability for change. School is NOT an obligation but a privilege and some people around the world pray to attend school one day but those who need to go to school hate it because of what teachers are doing to the meaning of school.. We need to open our eyes and stand up for what's right… I may only be 13, but I will stand up for what I believe in even if it’s the last thing I do. Whether most people look at this and see nothing, or it influences at least one person to make change, I am crossing my fingers because as a member of the 2020 class I am looking for change. Maybe we are misunderstood and maybe we are seeking attention, but we are the FUTURE. It is time for people to take off the blindfolds that society is tying around the eyes of the people in America, and make the CHANGE necessary to impact the schooling systems and the students everywhere!