The Man in the Mirror

The Man in the Mirror

“I remember the first time I saw Javier. He had eyes that pierced right through you. Angry eyes, but sad, plaintive eyes too, eyes that asked you for something. He had been thrown out of class for using profanity.” Donn K. Harris

In our discussion about inclusion, one very interesting idea was brought up. It was suggested that if we had a mirror in our class, every time we had a student with an angry outburst, we could send them to the mirror to reflect. This idea took made me remember a class I took, where one of the songs we read and rehearsed many times was The Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson. In this class we discussed art in prisons I left that class with a bitter sweet feeling, and lots of questions. I often thought of where we send people that are classified as trouble and a hazard to society. The image that people acquire of “I am a bad person” can be reinforced in school and follows them into their adult life. As teachers we have the power to guide students towards a self image that they are proud of. We can either show them the great things they can be or the terrible person that they see.