Welcome to a new post on gang issues in education. It has indeed been a long time since I wrote. But my lack of a post is not because I stopped writing blogs, only that I have had little time. I suppose I could just spit something meaningless out. But then it just becomes blabbing instead of blogging and offering meaningful information that can be utilized.
Being a teacher in the classroom means that once the bell tolls at the start of the year it is continously non-stop action. I know I don’t have to tell many of my readers this as a majority of you are also working in the trenches as teachers. And I also know that in addition to your teaching duties, you will have to deal with gang members in your schools and classrooms.
As if you do not have enough on your plate already, you now have a group of students who don’t care about their educations. I know it is easier to just give up on them and let them fend for themselves. But I believe as educators we should at least say we gave it a shot at teaching to them. And hopefully in the process they find something meaningful about their educational careers and will not become statistical drop outs.
I know most people get into the teaching profession to make a difference in their students’ lives, so it would be a shame to give up on this population simply because they are a problem in your class. But if you have the skills to deal with a member effectively in your classroom it makes teaching to the class that much easier.
And that is what I try to offer my readers here on this website. But the jest of my strategies are outlined in my book. The reason I offer this advice is because I feel it is extremely important to reach this population; after all they will eventually become citizens in our communities. And honestly, I would prefer they be productive tax paying citizens rather than drains on our already taxed system.
So I guess it comes down to the question of what can be done to effectively reach them. I wish there was a formula one could use that would instantly make you super teacher, able to reach all children with your magical powers. Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case, mainly because every student you come into contact with come from different home environments and all with very different needs. And to quote Forrest Gump, students truly are “like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get.”
My research shows that many wanna-be gang members are mandated to recruit as many of their peers as they can before they are kicked out of school. Because the goal of every wanna-be is to become a hardcore member. This includes doing anything that helps them achieve this goal. And I can assure you it is only a matter of time before these wanna-be’s are kicked out because of the many discrepancies they have caused in school.
But if there is one critical piece of advice I can give you in dealing with gang members it is this. No matter how much you think one trusts you, don’t be fooled into complacency with them. Because of their loyalty to the gang they will do whatever they have too to prove they belong to the gang. This includes causing harm to you in some way whether it be getting into your face or stealing something you own.
So I guess the million dollar question is; is there really a way to reach a member and hope they make a turn around in their lives? I say that they can be taught skills to help them cope with what is happening in their lives, but to truly have them be successful they must be totally removed from their predicaments. I have had this very discussion with many educators over the last few years. And I have to agree with many of them in that the short amount of time we are with students in the classroom will often not erase a life time of habits they have created.
I suppose I could go on and on about this, but if you want a more comprehensive look at this issue please buy a copy of my book. I guarantee it will be the best $19.95 you’ve spent lately. And it goes without saying that if you are not completely satisfied with the strategies I offer, I will refund your purchase price plus your shipping cost at my expense.
This is how much I believe this issue needs to be brought to the fore-front for educators. I believe we can not just sit around and wait for gangs to take over our educational systems by using them as fertile recruiting grounds without putting up some kind of resistance. And I truly believe information is the vital tool in dealing with gangs in our schools and classrooms.
Thank you and please come again to another post on gang issues in education. If you need to contact me to discuss this or any other concerns you may be having related to gangs in your schools, you may do so at cabgil@aol.com.
Gilbert R. Cabrera