Education on a Dime

I tried putting this paper in a link with my blog, the Education of Asmaw but it did not work out well...so here it is.

Does having money in your background ensure the best education one can get in America’s educational system? This question is put forward by Jonathan Kozol in his eye-opening book Savage Inequalities about the disparity in the education of America’s rich white and poor nonwhite children. After reading Kozol’s book and from my own experience I know that money is a big factor, but not the only one that helps in getting the most out of the American educational system. For me, a Pakistani from a country where an education is only available to those who can pay for it, America is the “Golden Land of Opportunities,” that can make one from a nothing to a big something. The American system allows students, those who have little or no money, to build a foundation for future excellence and success through hard work, ambition and support from family members and teachers. I feel this system helped me get an education for my success in settings that fostered hard work and ambition yet it also transformed me into an individual with an American identity with little knowledge of my Pakistani heritage.

When I came to America and entered fifth grade in my neighborhood elementary school in Philadelphia, I was scared out of my mind with a fear of public speaking. I gained confidence in my English through the help of my ESL teacher. She gave me the knowledge that I could face this new setting and country and that I was as good a student as any with English skills comparable to those who had been born here. This experience stands out to me because I see that effort was made at my inner city school to help children who were behind others.
My elementary school was in a dreary building about a hundred years old that was falling apart with little money to hire enough teachers for the school. I remember we only had one science teacher for the whole school. My school used one large space as a lunch room, a gym room and an auditorium but this did not put me off. I remember I was anxious to work and get good grades because that meant getting on the honor roll and having your picture put up on a board in the school. The school encouraged students to work hard and rewarded those who did in this manner. My school was not a well funded rich one but its environment helped me get motivated and instilled ambition for education and excellence. I wanted an honor roll every semester.

My elementary school classmates and I were bused to the outskirts of Philadelphia for middle school, in an area that was inhabited mostly by whites. This school benefited only those children that were able to do the work at their grade level and get good grades. The school put me in one of the two sections that was supposed to be of students who were “smart” and “motivated” while it did little for those who were not. I was pushed by my science teacher to become interested in it through conducting experiments for a Science Fair. My social studies teacher made history quiet fun by bringing in food from different time periods for the students. It was a great period for building social skills and gaining knowledge of all kinds yet I felt alone because I was the only Pakistani in the whole school. My classes were entirely focused on American history and American culture.

In high school I was able to get into a “magnet school,” for selected students with certain qualifications. In this school I formed big dreams and goals. My teachers encouraged me to dream big and the school allowed me to hope for success. I was in a public school where the teachers wanted all to do well in their classes. I realize though that there was still a separation of students. Talented and fast learners were offered honors or AP courses while students who were a bit slower in learning were put into regular courses that were not very demanding. I was lucky enough to be admitted into courses that were honors and AP. I benefited from these courses. They demanded more from me, forced me to think, and molded me into a better student. My teachers were willing to stay after school to tutor students who needed help. I was able to get help from my classmates and help them too. I feel that it was one of the best experiences in my life. I was in a very diverse environment, and made friendships with people who were white, black, Asian and Hispanic. Looking back at the graduation for my class, I remember our valedictorian who was an Asian, and the speeches that were given by three different accomplished girls, all of different color.

The American system had its drawbacks too. Although my schools have been very diverse, I was not able to meet Pakistanis or learn much about Pakistan. We had an Indo-Pak organization in high school with many Indians and two Pakistanis; the emphasis was put on Indian music and food. World history was not emphasized and courses offering world cultures were nonexistent. We were pushed toward science, math and English. I feel that today, instead of having a Pakistani-American identity, I am completely “Americanized.”

My experience in the American educational system has shown me that the benefits of an education here are offered to those who are willing to work hard and have the support from their teachers and the school. I was blessed to get into a diverse magnet public school better off than many in the city and a lot better than the schools mentioned in Kozol. This opportunity enabled me to get an education that is invaluable and it got me into Penn but throughout my high school education I had to work hard and get help from others along the way, even if they were not Pakistanis.