All Blog Posts by Erin Teater

OK, Finland. We get it. You are infinitely cooler than us.

Edweek's recent article about Finland’s move from factory-style school buildings to more innovative and architecturally stimulating buildings made me green with envy. The article claims that these “contemporary campuses [will] meet the pedagogical and social needs of their students and teachers.”

Everything about the structure is intentional, and it is meant to create a more purposeful environment for teaching and learning. Sometimes this means an atrium in the middle of the school where students can get a little vitamin D between classes. Sometimes this means a teachers lounge with an espresso bar. Finland already has one of the most successful education systems in the world. Now, with these new buildings, our sexy Scandinavian friends have really outdone themselves.

Teachers and volunteers paint the walls at Henson Elementary School, Photo courtesy of Erin Teater.

But just when I was staring over the edge of an isn't-Finland-so-great-abyss, I spent a day at Henson Elementary School in Chicago and realized that visionary leaders right here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. are doing a lot of the same work. Henson is an old building, but it is full of hope and potential. In an effort to create a more joyful environment for kids and teachers, we painted the walls bright green. It may not seem like much compared to Finland’s state-of-the-art facilities, but a small change like this in a school that’s strapped for cash can go a long way for school culture. Sometimes all you need for a fresh start is a fresh coat of paint. I know that the kids will be so excited when they come back from summer vacation and see Henson 2.0. 

In 2008, I joined the Houston corps and taught 6th grade reading at a predominantly Latino school. At that point, I knew little about the culture of the immigrant families living and working in Houston. Although my mom’s house was less than two miles from my school, my world and those of my students seemed disconnected and distant. Over the course of two years, I heard countless stories about families struggling to realize their own American dreams on this side of the border. For most parents, that meant working multiple low-wage hard labor jobs with little to no health benefits.

Of course, I encouraged my students to work hard, stay in school, stay out of trouble, and go to college so they could get higher-paying jobs with better benefits. But I soon learned that for the vast majority of my students, college was not an easy option. Take Jonathan: because he lacks documentation, the high cost of college will almost definitely prevent him from enrolling. Although Texas is one of 12 states that offers in-state tuition to undocumented students who meet qualifications, Jonathan still cannot apply for federal financial aid. He once told me that he wants to be an engineer. I felt like a liar telling him that all he had to do to get into college was work hard and get good grades. It would take far more work than that.

Graphic from the National Immigration Law Center.