Education is one of the best ways to empower individuals and strengthen communities, reducing poverty while encouraging innovation and contributing to overall societal progress. Unfortunately, many individuals face barriers in accessing this form of empowerment.
Breaking down barriers to learning takes investment, inclusive practices, and advocacy. Here, we explore several stories of educational overcoming and perseverance.
Dan Geiter’s Story
Dan Geiter spent years serving time for various theft-related offenses before taking steps to transform his life through higher education. Once back at school, his life changed for the better and his outlook became much brighter.
Geiter began his college education at Moraine Valley Community College, earning an associate degree. Following graduation he was accepted to Saint Xavier University but tuition exceeded his budget; to find help finding money he turned to Sister Sue Sanders who later became his mentor and helped find him the funds he required for tuition fees and books.
Today, Geiter serves as President of Ward College, a non-profit that assists ex-offenders to access education to reduce the risk of reincarceration. He also works as Professor and Research Specialist at Saint Xavier, part-time instructor with Langston Hughes Educational Initiative in Chicago's general education program, as well as being a member of American Conference on Education, Urban League Educators of Chicago, and American Association of African American Educators.
Angela Smith’s Story
Angela Duckworth, a psychologist and MacArthur Fellow, offers two new indicators of success - passion and perseverance - to measure success in our culture where success is often measured using narrow metrics such as IQ or family income. According to Duckworth, these qualities allow individuals from various socioeconomic backgrounds and abilities to pursue their dreams with equal passion.
Smith's success as a stand-up comedian rests upon her rigorous preparation. She spends hours crafting jokes that will allow her to engage her audience even when she feels nervous on stage.
This Little Blue Reader introduces young readers to perseverance through engaging text and vibrant photographs. Social-emotional learning concepts and growth mindset provide support, while sidebars, table of contents, picture glossary and index enhance its value as an ideal classroom or homeschool resource.
Angela Levy’s Story
Angela Levy is a writer who has overcome considerable barriers to education. Born after her father sailed onto England aboard the Empire Windrush in 1948, her family struggled financially while feeling embarrassed of their Jamaican heritage; writing helped Angela express these emotions while accepting and celebrating her cultural identity.
External barriers may prevent learning; however, students can also face internal roadblocks, such as lack of motivation or disinterest in certain subjects. It is therefore imperative that these internal and external roadblocks are dealt with to maximize student achievement and promote learning.
Levy writes about breaking through internal barriers through narrative and humor in her novel Small Island. Rather than emphasizing discordance and aporia that often characterises postcolonial trauma theory, Levy emphasizes storytelling's capacity for mitigating loss - this work is powerful, poignant, and insightful.
Kimberly Williams’ Story
Perseverance can help overcome obstacles or roadblocks when encountering them, just as Thomas Edison did when it came to creating the light bulb. Perseverance also has its place when overcoming educational barriers.
Education is a fundamental right and key component of human development, yet many individuals still face barriers that prevent accessing quality education due to various economic, social and systemic obstacles.
Systemic barriers include issues related to the educational system itself, such as inadequate school infrastructure or teaching resources. Furthermore, systemic obstacles include social and cultural restrictions like gender discrimination or language barriers for ethnic minorities and migrants that require policy adjustments and significant investments to overcome; furthermore they often necessitate collaboration among stakeholders in order to be effectively addressed.
