Every Wednesday at the school I work at, is “college day”. Teachers and staff are encouraged to wear jeans and a college T-shirt. The idea behind this is that by wearing college T-shirts, we might encourage students to learn about and attend college.
Teachers are also encouraged to choose one college with which to decorate their classrooms. Rather than choosing only one college, I have chosen to use every Wednesday as a college day in my classroom. Each Wednesday, I highlight a different college, and I wear that college T-shirt. Additionally, I answer my students’ questions about college. We have covered everything from crazy dorm-mates to ACT scores. I use the questions and answers from our Q & A sessions as the decor for my classroom. I also post a logo from each college that we talk about.
I teach at a rural high school, and many of my students view college as something that is not an option for them. If they do view college as a possiblity, they typically look at the colleges that are nearby, which are small community colleges or universities. Our students can get a good education at these schools, but I want to encourage them to look at all of their options, and to evaluate more than family tradition when considering a college. I have been asking them tough questions. How is the program that they want to attend ranked? Does this college offer their major?
Lastly, many of my students believe that they can only afford one of these small schools. I have been trying hard to bust this myth. I teach at a title I school, where over 70% of our students live in poverty. This means that many, if not most, of my students would qualify to have the vast majority of their education paid for.
Whether my students’ goals include a career school, a small college, a big university, or the military, close to home or far away, I want to make sure I’m taking the chance to provide my students with the knowledge they need to evaluate their options.
This is where YOU come in. I am running low on college shirts for my Wednesday bit. I’m hoping some of you would be interested in sending me a college, university, trade school or military t-shirt from anywhere in the state, country or world that I can wear to show my students I am invested in their future.
Sending a shirt (and maybe a quick note?) would mean investing a few dollars and a few minutes of your time in my students. Address below.
-CL
P.S. I wear a medium.
@cwilsonspanish 