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Diverse Teachers
"While conformity amongst teachers may help increase standardized test scores, there are serious consequences for the individual students."
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By Ramika Gourdine
I was recently flipping through my 8th grade yearbook when I noticed something strange. There were 250 people in my class, but it seemed like I was looking at the same 5 pictures over and over. We had the same haircuts, jewelry, and outfits. When most people hear this, they jump to the conclusion that we are all clones of what we see on television. Going beyond looks, however, we are each unique individuals. This is partly because of our teachers’ encouragement. But administrators are trying hard to stifle creativity.
Much of the education community now seems to be under the illusion that conformity is good, that there is a right way and wrong way to do everything. Often, our teachers are sent off to specialized workshops where they learn this philosophy.
What many administrators don't realize is that while conformity amongst teachers may help increase standardized test scores, there are serious consequences for the individual students. If students are expected to develop into unique adults, why are our role models being taken away from us and turned into textbook copies of one another? It's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. As a community we have to take a stand against this blatant hypocrisy.
-Ramika Gourdine is a sophomore at Grady High School.
Youth Radio Atlanta is produced in cooperation with WABE and funded in part by The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
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