Where are we leading youth

            A lot of readings have resonated with me this week in more ways than one. For starters Ben Kirshner’s chapter on “Apprenticeship Learning in Youth Activism” highlighted the relationship that can be built with youth and mentors in building active youth activists. Kirshner did a good job outlining the strengths and weaknesses with adult mentors while also explaining what successful mentors do. The implications in developing young leaders understands the opportunities that mentors need to offer to youth while also balancing how much of their own views are influencing their mentees. Mentors need to understand when they need to focus youth in a particular direction while also knowing when to fade into the background to allow for the mentee’s own voice to come out and gain agency. As a future teacher, this is the relationship that I want to foster with students. In many ways, the act of being a mentor has been a larger draw towards education then the art in teaching. This doesn’t mean that I hold the values of teaching lower than being a mentor, but rather I believe that apprenticeship fosters a stronger pathway towards education and learning. Personally my best teachers, in and out of school, have acted the role of a mentor.

            A mentor brings their own understanding of the world to relate to their mentee and guide learning, growth, action and development. Much like the Korina Jocson’s use of critical media ethnography, youth are inspired by mentors that see the potential in youth and help them achieve a voice through the act of an apprenticeship. Jocson’s research and programs like DV Poetry have allowed for youth to find a voice and become activists through poetry and hip hop. The world needs more people building these relationships with youth to promote activism, much like Jocson. While it may be obvious that adults need to mentor youth and build apprenticeships, “Takin the LEAD” raises good questions about what we are doing as adults to generate leaders. Who is leading the country? Who is speaking up for us? Who is generating the future leaders of the world? The questions brought up in this made me think of the documentary ReGeneratrion, which investigates our youth and the culture which is enables a passive generation through the media and politically silences them. This week’s readings bring serious questions about what we are doing as adults to prepare the future generation for success to the foreground.