1) My first interview was with one of my older brothers, Aaron, who is 29.
In response to my questions on his sentiment towards schooling he
had chuckled and said the following,“you know me, it was just about
working the system.” He later explained how he had several older friends
who had saved their tests and notes and would pass them on to him.
Aaron stated, “Honestly we didn’t just work the system, we cheated
the system. If we didn’t cheat we found out what the teachers wanted
and then played the game. We played the part so that teachers
thought they were in control, but in my opinion we just did what we
wanted.”
As far as higher education goes, Aaron never finished college. “I
understand that it’s really hard to get a job without getting a degree.
But college isn’t for everybody. It wasn’t for me, at least not at that
point in my life. I have been able to do what I want to do without
finishing at a university. When people ask me about my degree I tell
them I went to Appalachian and then transferred to Wilmington. I
don’t tell them I didn’t finish, and no one asks to see my diploma.
I think a lot of it has to do with ambition and connections.” Aaron
also expressed that he thinks a lot of his friends wasted their time in
school. “The reality is that you can learn just as much by reading and
teaching yourself than from being in the classroom.”
2) I also interviewed a friend from my hometown, Peter Boardman, he is
26.
I asked him, what the first thing that came to mind was when he thought
of his schooling. “The first thing I think of is that it was pretty easy, I
don’t think I was challenged enough.”
He expressed that his overall feelings were positive and that he had
especially enjoyed college. He described a certain professor from Clemson
University that he had especially appreciated. “Professor Crosston was
relatable. He was young and it was obvious that he wanted to be able
to “hang” with the college kids, but man, was he smart. He had a way
of playing devil’s advocate that left everyone searching for truth and
softening all of us up to the reality of different perspectives. He was
interested in individuals students and would meet with us at coffee
shops to talk politics or even just to talk about life.”
On the flip side Peter briefly mentioned one of his seventh grade teachers,
whom he had not enjoyed. “It was the fear of most students to be
placed in Ms. Honeycutt’s class. She was a teacher that resented the
fact that she taught. She was not supportive, always seemed bitter
and had a very short temper. I’m not kidding when I say that she was
one of the most negative people I have ever met. Her attitude was
projected onto all student’s and I recall that class as my least favorite
ever taken.”
3) My third interview was with my mentor, Erin Rodriguez, she is 32 and
hearing impaired.
She stated, “My experience with public schooling is perhaps a bit
different than most because of my hearing impairment. I went to a
special “deaf school” when I was in primary school, the focus of our
learning was often spent on communication strategies. Specifically
how to have effective communication and how to recognize and
repair communication break downs.” My parents recognized
my impairment but wanted to combat any isolation I might feel
from it. They encouraged me to be engaged, supported my gifts
and with the help of, therapists, family and friends. I made a
relatively easy transition into public school in middle school. (It
helps that my twin sister Laura is also deaf).
I’m not sure if I had to work harder than my peers, but I know
that the learning I did was just very different, I had to be
very aware and others had to be aware of me. I know many
hearing impaired people who struggle with feeling alone, I
had my sister Laura. But I also had a community of people that
wanted to see me succeed, both in school and out of school.
All of my teachers tried to be sensitive to my needs… and how
I communicate, reading lips etc. I had a math teacher who
was also my soccer coach who was highly influential. She had
influence because she encouraged. It’s incredible to think of
how different my schooling would be if not for her presence
in my life. To this day we still keep up. Those are the types of
teachers we need more of.
I don’t think school wounded me. If anything it would have
been my “circumstances” and how people responded to me.
As a whole all of my teachers were helpful and supportive.
I was in an encouraging and safe environment and I’m sure
that made all of the difference. I can’t imagine being in an
environment where I wasn’t supported and encouraged to
succeed with or with out “special needs.”
Overall feelings seemed positive. The first two interviews reflected on
the lack of challenge they faced. How they were able to manipulate
and work the system. The last interview focused on the support and
encouragement that she received making her schooling a positive
experience.
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