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Volunteer teaching Ten years ago, I never would have envisioned myself becoming a teacher, let alone a teacher that would often work for free. Needless to say I was the awkward child in high school, whom had big dreams of moving to the big city and working for a nationally circulated magazine or newspaper publication. I had dreams of high fashion, trading my orthodontic braces in for beautiful red lipstick and a steady list of important things to do; International fashion shows and Oprah interviews. However, after some growing, I realized that those childish fantasies were in fact not my passion. By far my love for service, concern for humanity and the way the world viewed the ?have nots? would be the sole ideals that forever changed the path my life would take. Of course money is necessary for survival but not essential for attaining happiness. Despite the non-existent salary or barter system, one who spends their time volunteer teaching will gain something more rewarding; a sense that they helped someone who was deprived of the necessary tools to further or even commence their education. .
Regardless of where you may reside, all over the world people are facing an economic crisis and unfortunately the publicly government funded schools are one the first areas to feel those budget cuts. Whether those cuts present themselves in the form of eliminating after school programs, closing schools completely, eradicating lunch programs inside the schools or cancelling bus transportation they are happening everywhere. Even though politicians, dignitaries and some tax payers believe this is the solution, the only people that are suffering are the children.
To paint a clearer picture of how dramatic these cuts are I would like to use my state as an example. According to the 2009 National Census, my city, Toledo, had a population of 316,238 and a median annual income of $32,546 (http://www.city-data.com/city/Toledo-Ohio.html). However, this data is skewed because even though it states the average income at $32,546, this is only based on families that own their home or have a steady taxable income. In reality only about 30 percent of Toledoans actually own their home, because the National Census stated that in 2010, out of Toledo?s population only 60,000 people of the total population actually owed their home. So those facts further demonstrate that only 60,000 people within my city have an income of $32,546 while the remainder of the city?s population only earns the National per capita income, which is $17,816 (http://www.city-data.com/city/Toledo-Ohio.html). Per capita income is a term used to explain what average income is across the county.
The reason I have mentioned these facts were to reinforce how important it is for more individuals today to volunteer their time teaching or opt for a pay cut. If the average family in my city is surviving off of less than $1200/month and that includes all of their expenses, such as food, rent and transportation cost how is it even feasible for them to further invest in their children?s education? More and more public schools in my city are closing because families are being forced to choose the quality of education there child can receive. Today, specifically in America, many parents do have the money to buy school uniforms but don?t have the money to cover the cost of public transportation or either they have the money to provide uniforms and transportation but the child suffers in school; by attending a school that has fallen victim of school budget cuts. Schools with cut funding are over populated and there are no after school tutor programs, extra-curricular activities or free school lunches. This school year alone six schools have already closed (Toledo Blade Newspaper)
I could state facts endlessly about the dismal Toledo school conditions but my hope is to emphasize the need for more teachers inside free based tutoring programs or charter schools. Of course many times there is no salary but the reward is far greater than anything currency could buy. Personally, I believe there is no greater reward than knowing that you showed up for a kid when the system abandoned them. Our children deserve a chance or there future will be uncertain.
