I recently read an article entitled (It was posted on my Facebook page by a friend and fellow teacher)..."What Teachers Really Want to Tell Parents" from cnn.com...it was very interesting, and to the point. In short, the article was about the struggles that teachers have with parents nowadays regarding their childrens' grades, and/or behavior in school. A certain adored by staff principal was quoted upon her retirement as stating..."I just can't deal with parents anymore, they are killing us!"
Within every school district there are horror stories about combative parents who go as far as to hire a lawyer if their child has been reprimanded, disciplined, or given a grade lower than the parent (s) feels is deserved. A teacher's word isn't good enough anymore for most parents. The climate certainly has changed from when I was in school.
I am not writing today to take issue with this topic, though I feel sorry for the new teachers. They have entered a once revered profession and must contend with an outside rank of bullies made up of parents. My fear for them is that no matter how well trained or educated, these newbies must learn to survive while surrounded by wolves. Statistics show that the average new teacher continues teaching only about 4.5 years...much of this has to do with parent issues (Believe it or not). If I could say something to all of the novice teachers out there it would be...this may be how it is, but it isn't how it has to be. Be strong, cover your bases, write everything down, and always have a witness. I hate having to state this...it is smart, but goes against the integrity of being an educator. At Open House...explain your philosophy, and classroom management style. Make sure your parents know everything upfront.
OK...Another part of the article spoke about what a good teacher is, and what a bad teacher is. In defense of the teacher that gave little Johnny a 79, the article stated that the parents of little Johnny should not battle this grade, and fight the teacher about it. The parents should be grateful to the teacher, because giving little Johnny a 79 promotes a good work ethic, and that if Johnny works real hard he will get a better grade next time. The article states that this teacher is a good teacher, not an enemy. Then the article speaks about the teacher who gives nothing but good grades...all A's, and B's...never a failing grade in the pot. This is a bad teacher who would rather fake their students' excellence so they don't have to deal with the parents. I agree with the bad teacher analysis to an extent. Any teacher who manufactures grades should be sent packing.
I do wish to take issue with every kid succeeding. With every kid achieving. With every kid mastering. It is a reality, and it can be done in a classroom.
I consider myself a NON-traditional teacher. I take pride in this, and it is no small matter to me. I make it a top priority that ALL of my kids succeed...not just a few, not just most...ALL! My philosophy has always been that if even one of my kids "Doesn't get it"...I teach it again. My grade book is not a place that I record failures...only achievements. I also don't rely on my own abilities to teach...I pair students up so they can teach each other. Many times a student who doesn't understand algebra, or how to find a predicate will "Get it" with a peer. I do NOT put practice items in my grade book, especially when we begin a new topic. During the first marking period I give my students the chance to fix what they may have done wrong on classwork or a classroom test...this helps them see where their mistake are, and further know what I expect of them on future tests. I encourage my kids to read what excites them for AR, and we do AM twice a week to keep the math-juices flowing...every marking period my kids make their AR & AM goals!
Let me make it clear. I teach a regular ed, 5th grade classroom. I am self-contained (Which means that I have the luxury of time). I will not stand for a failing grade, nor will I accept the notion of putting a zero in my grade book. I work with individuals who struggle with Math or with Reading, or I have peers work with each other. I do not pound my kids into submission, nor do I take away all freedoms if the kids do not achieve. I encourage, I give pats-on-the-backs, I give free time, or extra recess to the kids for working hard, and acknowledge those who have gone above and beyond. I talk to my kids, and they talk to me. When there is a problem we handle it all together...as a community. I promote honesty, respect, and compassion in my classroom. I have fun...WE have fun. After a lengthy day of hard work and tests, we take a break (5 minutes or so)...and listen to music, or talk about current events...or anything that strikes my students' fancy.
I AM that teacher who gives all good grades. Does this make me a bad teacher? I don't manufacture grades...THE KIDS EARN THEM! It came to my attention many years ago that I had been talked about...by colleagues...regarding my entire class doing so well. When I say talked about, I don't mean in a good way. It continues to this day. Then, I didn't understand why...didn't take me long to figure it out. Over the years I have heard teachers say things like...Johnny got a 69 in Reading, what an idiot...or....Sally would have done better if it weren't for all of those zeroes! I guess these are the traditional teachers. The ones who record the failures when their kids don't get it. The teachers who have no problem putting zeroes where achievements should go. These are the good teachers!
I no longer give a rat's pa-toot what my colleagues think. Over the years I have received many new students at mid year. Not from other districts...from other classrooms in our school. They weren't succeeding where they were, they weren't turning in work, or doing their homework. They were sent to my classroom...to Mr. Mac World! In no time they were doing everything they weren't doing before. I love it when other teachers ask (The ones who sent their kids out)...so, how is Little Johnny doing in your room? I get to say...he is doing GREAT! Makes my day!
I have spent my career pulling knives out of my back...I say whatever! I am proud of my kids both academically and socially. I can't imagine bragging to fellow teachers about how I failed a kid, or about how many zeroes I recorded. The teachers talk as if that is all the kids' fault!
I will NOT fail my kids. I have always, and will always strive to do everything in my power to guide kids towards success. At the beginning of the year I make my students one promise, and one promise only...I will NOT let them fail!
Yes...that is a knife in my back...but I don't mind it. When I consider who is doing the stabbing...I don't mind at all.
Mr. Mac
A Classroom is a Community
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Thursday, December 29, 2011
New Year Resolutions!
In a few days the new year will begin! The chance to wipe clean life's white-board and start over again. The chance to reflect on what was...cherishing the good, and learning from the bad. Speaking of the bad...no matter how troublesome or heartbreaking...it is in the darkest hour that our true selves are revealed. Sounds very dramatic, but it is true. I wish no ill will to anyone, let's get that straight before I continue.
In the darkest hour, when our backs are against the wall...it isn't our abilities that save us. It is the choices we make! Conjugate the verb...to survive! Fight or flight...give in or fight...sit still or move forward. It is at these times that our true strength (More than just the physical) must be tapped into. It is from these dark places that heroes are born...the ones who chose (Even against insurmountable odds) to fight or move forward when everyone around them, and everything within them said to do nothing. These heroes moved through the fear, or the hurt to emerge the better for it.
I guess I am on this blog today because I just watched a video that has recently gone viral. the video was made by a young man named Ben who had a very serious heart condition. Throughout his life he was always a breath away from death. On three different occasions he DID die between the ages of 11 and 18, but was brought back. Each experience left him changed. He no longer feared what most of us fear (Our own mortality)...he lived life, and enjoyed every moment. Ben cheated death on three different occasions, and made this video...a lasting legacy. Last week...on Christmas Day...Ben died at the age of 18.
I am humbled by this young man, and I am so grateful for what he left behind. No matter how bad things are or how bad I THINK they are...I am a fighter! I am a mover! I may be up against the wall at times, but I will figure out a way to get off that wall. Thank you Ben for reminding me that no matter how bad I think it is at times...get off my ass and fix it, and that so many others have REAL worries, problems, or concerns!
I digress...sorry. The title of this Blog entry is New Year Resolutions! Though I am long winded what I wrote above has everything to do with me, the coming new year, and what I vow to do. Many of you (The very few who actually read my ramblings) don't really know me. What I will reveal to you is that my resolutions this year, are the same resolutions I have made every year (Most of them...some are new this year!). Not every year of my life, but every year since my life had true meaning. The following resolutions have been my credo since September 18, 1996. Believe it or not...these changes, these vows to myself came all at once. They all rushed in at exactly 4:27 pm. I know this sounds odd, accept it or not...it is absolutely the truth.
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
1. Never take yourself too seriously.
2. Laugh at yourself.
3. Lie only when you have thought it over...then think again!
4. Love is too powerful a thing to be given freely, but when you do...go for the gold!
5. Be honest in all things...no matter how hard it can be at times.
6. Learn from your mistakes.
7. Never make the same mistake twice!
8. Do not rely on others to make you happy...you will always be disappointed.
9. Expect from others what you put out!
10. Never give a zero to a child...anything a child does is worth something.
11. Failure is not an option in my classroom!
12. My son comes first above all!
13. Never be afraid to say...I am wrong. (You'd better prove it, though...Haha)
14. Have fun, joke, laugh...with those who are in your life.
15. Do not accept a liar, a fake, or a phony...just tolerate them if you must.
16. Take nothing for granted.
17. Give no credence to the Mayan calendar!
18. Encourage, and enrich...never belittle a child.
19. Respect your students...don't think they are less just because they are young.
20. Show respect to all...even those who don't deserve it.
21. Say I love you to everyone I love.
22. Never reveal anything to anyone who doesn't have your trust.
23. Never be a fake or a phony...be yourself!
24. Remember the past, but never live in it. I was already there!
25. The love for your students must be unconditional...kids don't learn until they have made MANY mistakes!
26. Let kids BE kids!
27. Set rules, be consistent, bulid structure...glue it all together with respect.
28. Never talk behind someone's back.
29. Eat, live, be merry!
30. When you see a child fall, help them up. When they fall again, offer your hand. When they fall yet again...encourage them to stand on their own. If they fall again...Snarl, growl, and bellow then start the whole process over again!
31. Never give up...never give in. UNLESS...it is something without substance, or not worthy of your effort.
Well...there ya go! Happy New Year friends! I have a strong feeling that this is going to be a stellar year! I am always excited about what is around the next bend, or further down the road. Hope you all are also!
In the darkest hour, when our backs are against the wall...it isn't our abilities that save us. It is the choices we make! Conjugate the verb...to survive! Fight or flight...give in or fight...sit still or move forward. It is at these times that our true strength (More than just the physical) must be tapped into. It is from these dark places that heroes are born...the ones who chose (Even against insurmountable odds) to fight or move forward when everyone around them, and everything within them said to do nothing. These heroes moved through the fear, or the hurt to emerge the better for it.
I guess I am on this blog today because I just watched a video that has recently gone viral. the video was made by a young man named Ben who had a very serious heart condition. Throughout his life he was always a breath away from death. On three different occasions he DID die between the ages of 11 and 18, but was brought back. Each experience left him changed. He no longer feared what most of us fear (Our own mortality)...he lived life, and enjoyed every moment. Ben cheated death on three different occasions, and made this video...a lasting legacy. Last week...on Christmas Day...Ben died at the age of 18.
I am humbled by this young man, and I am so grateful for what he left behind. No matter how bad things are or how bad I THINK they are...I am a fighter! I am a mover! I may be up against the wall at times, but I will figure out a way to get off that wall. Thank you Ben for reminding me that no matter how bad I think it is at times...get off my ass and fix it, and that so many others have REAL worries, problems, or concerns!
I digress...sorry. The title of this Blog entry is New Year Resolutions! Though I am long winded what I wrote above has everything to do with me, the coming new year, and what I vow to do. Many of you (The very few who actually read my ramblings) don't really know me. What I will reveal to you is that my resolutions this year, are the same resolutions I have made every year (Most of them...some are new this year!). Not every year of my life, but every year since my life had true meaning. The following resolutions have been my credo since September 18, 1996. Believe it or not...these changes, these vows to myself came all at once. They all rushed in at exactly 4:27 pm. I know this sounds odd, accept it or not...it is absolutely the truth.
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
1. Never take yourself too seriously.
2. Laugh at yourself.
3. Lie only when you have thought it over...then think again!
4. Love is too powerful a thing to be given freely, but when you do...go for the gold!
5. Be honest in all things...no matter how hard it can be at times.
6. Learn from your mistakes.
7. Never make the same mistake twice!
8. Do not rely on others to make you happy...you will always be disappointed.
9. Expect from others what you put out!
10. Never give a zero to a child...anything a child does is worth something.
11. Failure is not an option in my classroom!
12. My son comes first above all!
13. Never be afraid to say...I am wrong. (You'd better prove it, though...Haha)
14. Have fun, joke, laugh...with those who are in your life.
15. Do not accept a liar, a fake, or a phony...just tolerate them if you must.
16. Take nothing for granted.
17. Give no credence to the Mayan calendar!
18. Encourage, and enrich...never belittle a child.
19. Respect your students...don't think they are less just because they are young.
20. Show respect to all...even those who don't deserve it.
21. Say I love you to everyone I love.
22. Never reveal anything to anyone who doesn't have your trust.
23. Never be a fake or a phony...be yourself!
24. Remember the past, but never live in it. I was already there!
25. The love for your students must be unconditional...kids don't learn until they have made MANY mistakes!
26. Let kids BE kids!
27. Set rules, be consistent, bulid structure...glue it all together with respect.
28. Never talk behind someone's back.
29. Eat, live, be merry!
30. When you see a child fall, help them up. When they fall again, offer your hand. When they fall yet again...encourage them to stand on their own. If they fall again...Snarl, growl, and bellow then start the whole process over again!
31. Never give up...never give in. UNLESS...it is something without substance, or not worthy of your effort.
Well...there ya go! Happy New Year friends! I have a strong feeling that this is going to be a stellar year! I am always excited about what is around the next bend, or further down the road. Hope you all are also!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Keep Humbug Out of the Classroom!
I love this time of year! For me there truly is such a thing as the Christmas spirit. It fills me the day after Thanksgiving, and remains constant until the New Year. That is to say...as January moves forward into February, then into March, the Christmas Spirit moves back. By April it has tucked itself away into a place deep within me; the same place that houses my most cherished memories and best emotions. From April until the following November it sleeps there, undisturbed...no doubt charging itself up for the next Great Awakening.
I wish I could lie and tell you...The Christmas Spirit lives within me now, and all the year through! How Ebenezer in the final act that would be! No...I won't tell you that. Christmas sleeps while other spirits arise. By spring I am possessed by a new awakening, by summer yet another...then there is the fall! The Great Pumpkin rises from his patch and enters my soul. Just after, the familiar stirrings of the Christmas Spirit. A constant, never ending cycle. I love it!
During this time of year (Especially the month of December) in my classroom it is an especially warm, and delightful time for me. I see and feel the excitement my kids are feeling about the coming holiday, and days off from school. Each new day the kids get a bit more fidgety. A bit more chatty. A bit more animated! Being an educator that places Classroom Management at the top of the list of an effective teacher...I certainly maintain a sense of calm in my classroom...a stable, and structured environment. I also allow the Christmas Spirit to set up residence! This is not to say that I am any more lenient when it comes to the rules, or student conduct...it simply means that I remember. I know how each of my kids are feeling, and at times...deemed appropriate by me...I allow my kids to be kids and let their excitement out.
Sealing a lid on a boiling pot of water is going to cause a big explosion, right? Sealing a lid on a kid is going to have the same affect! At least once a day during December I make time in my classroom for the kids to cut loose, to have some fun, to sing, to dance...to be joyous! What I know is...allowing the kids to blow off steam will always create excellent students! a student sitting prim and proper all day long simply does not make logical sense to me...not at this time of year! When your kids have something to look forward to...they will work effectively, they will listen more attentively, they will move mountains! Dancing to Jingle-bell Rock takes only 3.12 minutes. Singing Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer takes only 4 minutes. That is enough time for the kids to get there excitement out in the open and validated. Do it at the beginning of the day...at the end...just before a test, or just after....makes a world of difference! Plan your classroom Christmas party...let the kids know it is coming, allow them to help plan it! LET THE EXCITEMENT HAPPEN!
Whoever reads this will probably think that this kind of thing is good for Grade five on down to pre-school. I say Crusty-Christmas balls to that...and here is why. Last week we (The teachers at JBM) had our annual Christmas party...food, drink and good cheer. School districts and companies around the nation are doing the same thing. Families have Christmas parties, hell even the SPCA has a Christmas party for the animals in the shelter! What I am getting at here is...every year I hear from my past students who tell me that they are not having a classroom Christmas party because according to their teacher they (The students) are too old for that kind of thing. If adults can frolic the night away under the mistletoe, and allow their Christmas Spirit to rock-out...why are sixth graders too old for a party? Why is it not appropriate for eighth graders to share some fruit-cake during Algebra instead of battling algorithms? Why can't a tenth grade ELA class haul out the holly for one day before break? I have no answers to these questions. I can only state that nurturing a young person towards adulthood takes more than just academics, rules and regulations. More than anything it takes heart, truth and the validation that what a person feels...excitement for the holiday say...is just as important as anything else worth learning.
To the teachers who get frustrated at this time of year with the excessive talking, fidgetiness, and over exuberant personalities in their classrooms...get a clue. Take a pill if you have to. Find the Christmas Spirit, hell fake it if you have to! Take a step back and allow your kids to feel it! It eases the tension, and allows for more productivity. Sixth graders are too old for a Christmas party? Hum-freaking-bug!
I wish I could lie and tell you...The Christmas Spirit lives within me now, and all the year through! How Ebenezer in the final act that would be! No...I won't tell you that. Christmas sleeps while other spirits arise. By spring I am possessed by a new awakening, by summer yet another...then there is the fall! The Great Pumpkin rises from his patch and enters my soul. Just after, the familiar stirrings of the Christmas Spirit. A constant, never ending cycle. I love it!
During this time of year (Especially the month of December) in my classroom it is an especially warm, and delightful time for me. I see and feel the excitement my kids are feeling about the coming holiday, and days off from school. Each new day the kids get a bit more fidgety. A bit more chatty. A bit more animated! Being an educator that places Classroom Management at the top of the list of an effective teacher...I certainly maintain a sense of calm in my classroom...a stable, and structured environment. I also allow the Christmas Spirit to set up residence! This is not to say that I am any more lenient when it comes to the rules, or student conduct...it simply means that I remember. I know how each of my kids are feeling, and at times...deemed appropriate by me...I allow my kids to be kids and let their excitement out.
Sealing a lid on a boiling pot of water is going to cause a big explosion, right? Sealing a lid on a kid is going to have the same affect! At least once a day during December I make time in my classroom for the kids to cut loose, to have some fun, to sing, to dance...to be joyous! What I know is...allowing the kids to blow off steam will always create excellent students! a student sitting prim and proper all day long simply does not make logical sense to me...not at this time of year! When your kids have something to look forward to...they will work effectively, they will listen more attentively, they will move mountains! Dancing to Jingle-bell Rock takes only 3.12 minutes. Singing Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer takes only 4 minutes. That is enough time for the kids to get there excitement out in the open and validated. Do it at the beginning of the day...at the end...just before a test, or just after....makes a world of difference! Plan your classroom Christmas party...let the kids know it is coming, allow them to help plan it! LET THE EXCITEMENT HAPPEN!
Whoever reads this will probably think that this kind of thing is good for Grade five on down to pre-school. I say Crusty-Christmas balls to that...and here is why. Last week we (The teachers at JBM) had our annual Christmas party...food, drink and good cheer. School districts and companies around the nation are doing the same thing. Families have Christmas parties, hell even the SPCA has a Christmas party for the animals in the shelter! What I am getting at here is...every year I hear from my past students who tell me that they are not having a classroom Christmas party because according to their teacher they (The students) are too old for that kind of thing. If adults can frolic the night away under the mistletoe, and allow their Christmas Spirit to rock-out...why are sixth graders too old for a party? Why is it not appropriate for eighth graders to share some fruit-cake during Algebra instead of battling algorithms? Why can't a tenth grade ELA class haul out the holly for one day before break? I have no answers to these questions. I can only state that nurturing a young person towards adulthood takes more than just academics, rules and regulations. More than anything it takes heart, truth and the validation that what a person feels...excitement for the holiday say...is just as important as anything else worth learning.
To the teachers who get frustrated at this time of year with the excessive talking, fidgetiness, and over exuberant personalities in their classrooms...get a clue. Take a pill if you have to. Find the Christmas Spirit, hell fake it if you have to! Take a step back and allow your kids to feel it! It eases the tension, and allows for more productivity. Sixth graders are too old for a Christmas party? Hum-freaking-bug!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
How Do You Know If You Are A Good Teacher?
Being knowledgeable and intelligent is essential for a teacher, but this does not mean a knowledgeable teacher is a good/effective teacher. Being organized is important, but this is not a true/accurate way to measure an effective educator's salt! Dressing well, attractive white-board penmanship, or knowing how to work a mimio are not what makes an effective teacher.
One of the truest ways that can indicate if you are an effective educator is simply this...if your students sit quietly for five minutes or more, working quietly on an assignment...you are an effective educator. If your kids raise their hands because you said this is how its done...you are an effective educator.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT...the most important part of being a teacher. If you are an intelligent, well dressed, and organized teacher who writes well, but lacks classroom management skills...it might be best for you to sell insurance instead.
Teachers who need a bit of a "Push" in the classroom management department...swallow your pride. Talk to those who lead their class, and not the ones who are lead by it. No Ivy League college, nor amount of education can ever prepare you for managing your class. It is one of those things that must be learned on site...as you go. Reach out...be unafraid, and tap the resources in your school. Seek out the leaders...the educators gifted in classroom management.
One of the truest ways that can indicate if you are an effective educator is simply this...if your students sit quietly for five minutes or more, working quietly on an assignment...you are an effective educator. If your kids raise their hands because you said this is how its done...you are an effective educator.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT...the most important part of being a teacher. If you are an intelligent, well dressed, and organized teacher who writes well, but lacks classroom management skills...it might be best for you to sell insurance instead.
Teachers who need a bit of a "Push" in the classroom management department...swallow your pride. Talk to those who lead their class, and not the ones who are lead by it. No Ivy League college, nor amount of education can ever prepare you for managing your class. It is one of those things that must be learned on site...as you go. Reach out...be unafraid, and tap the resources in your school. Seek out the leaders...the educators gifted in classroom management.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
The Sword of Damocles!
Do you know the story of Damocles? In 4th Century BC there was a king named Dionysius ll, and Damocles was part of his court. It seems that Damocles would go on and on about how good it must be "To be da' king!" He raved and expounded that the king had every fortune and led a good, rich and problem free life.
The king...being somewhat sporting for a king...gave Damocles a chance to sit in his throne, and see what it felt like to be the fortunate king. What Damocles didn't know was that the king had secretly taken a long, sharp sword, and suspended it from the ceiling over the throne by a single hair from a horses tail. So...in the mighty throne sat Damocles, and above his head a dangling sword...held above by a hair tied round its handle...blade aimed downward. It wasn't long before Damocles begged to be released from the throne.
Why this ancient folktale? A few days ago I happened to be at the mall with my son, both of us heading towards Gamestop (My son's equivalent to Heaven). Along the way I happen to hear some woman state to another,
"What is she complaining about, she gots off all summer. Those teachers got it easy!"
My instinct was to stop (And I did), and state..."Are you kidding me?"
I stopped, but said nothing. Had my son in mind...being at the mall with his old dad was embarrassing enough...I didn't need to make a foolish scene. So, we both kept moving towards heaven.
It isn't the first time I have heard someone say something like this. It isn't the first time I have heard someone speak with such atrocious grammar. It is the first time that the story of Damocles popped into my head in the aftermath.
I created a fantasy...in my fantasy I approached this grammatically incorrect woman, introduced myself and made her an offer. I explained that she could take my place in the classroom. She could be relieved of whatever hard, and laborious job she had and become a teacher. She could enjoy how easy it was, and how stress free. In my fantasy...she says..."Let's git er done!"
My daydream continues...she arrives in the classroom before first bell, dressed in her best evangelical-attending polyester pants, and graphic-tee sporting the slogan...Honk if your Horny!
The kids arrive, go to their lockers and are seated. Everyone begins the Pledge...she ends it with Amen. She addresses the class, and before she finishes the kids begin asking questions. She calls on one, then another...soon the kids are shouting questions, and then begin talking chorally. She tries to quiet them down, while a few students begin having chatting circles about their night. One kid shouts "Can I go to the bathroom?"
Finally she screams...and the kids quiet for the moment. She begins the first lesson...the chatting begins again. Quietly, then louder. She screams again...then the phone rings...attendance hasn't been sent. She finds out who is absent while the kids seize the opportunity to talk amongst themselves again.
She makes it through the lesson, and realizes that 5 of the students have been drawing, and another 3 have been passing notes. She berates them, then hands out the assignment. By now the kids realize they have control...they talk, they play, they throw paper and pencils across the room at one another. She screams again! She decides to take them outside to recess...thinking it will get out there energy. Two fights break out among the students while outside because she was busy on her cell phone trying to call her husband Hank-Bob.
After recess she tries to maintain order. Students get up and go to the bathroom, while others begin the talking tirade again. The two who had been fighting at recess begin the fight again.
The fantasy goes on right up to the end of the day. She tried to keep 30 kids in their seats and attentive for more than five minutes. She tried to move them through the school in an orderly fashion...in a line instead of a large, hallway-wide group. She tried to take a break during Special, but spent the whole time setting up the science experiment that was to be done that day. She did manage to get her assignments done for the day, but realized that when the kids left at 3:35, she had 7 periods of papers to grade, and a PLC meeting to attend directly after school. By 4:20 she sat at her desk and began grading the assignments, so they could be entered onto ESchool. By 6:15 she was finished grading, then realized that she still had to plan for tomorrow's school day. She knew it would be at least another hour before that was complete.
This whole thing ends with me coming into to my/her classroom and standing before her. Her once gelled, and highly coiffed hair now wired, and frizzy...her new graphic-Tee stained with dry eraser ink...her eyes glazed, red and weepy. She then says....
"I am sorry for what I said...you teachers have to do a hell of a lot more, and deal with a lot more than I ever could have imagined. It's tough just getting my two kids to sit for longer than five minutes...how do you get 30 to do it all day, every day? Anyway...please take your job back...I wanna go back to my old job!"
Well...there you have it. In my fantasy she realized that doing what we do isn't a walk in the park. Those of us that do it...we stick with it because we love it! Not everyone is cut-out to be a teacher. Knowing stuff; being knowledgeable on the subject matter taught? This is small -potatoes if you can't control your classroom. Summer vacations? For those who don't have second jobs over the summer, or for those who do not teach summer school...this is well deserved compensation for the many, many, many hours spent (After hours, above and beyond contracted hours) doing what we do.
Like I stated...the woman was real, but her realization was a fantasy. The Sword of Damocles hung heavily over her head...she realized that our position/vocation comes with great responsibility, and much more stress than she could ever deal with. Wouldn't it be great though if this could really happen. Place someone, ignorant of what we do, on our thrones...in front of our kids for a week...NO...for a day! I truly believe this person would learn the lesson of Damocles! Our kids would eat them alive!
The king...being somewhat sporting for a king...gave Damocles a chance to sit in his throne, and see what it felt like to be the fortunate king. What Damocles didn't know was that the king had secretly taken a long, sharp sword, and suspended it from the ceiling over the throne by a single hair from a horses tail. So...in the mighty throne sat Damocles, and above his head a dangling sword...held above by a hair tied round its handle...blade aimed downward. It wasn't long before Damocles begged to be released from the throne.
Why this ancient folktale? A few days ago I happened to be at the mall with my son, both of us heading towards Gamestop (My son's equivalent to Heaven). Along the way I happen to hear some woman state to another,
"What is she complaining about, she gots off all summer. Those teachers got it easy!"
My instinct was to stop (And I did), and state..."Are you kidding me?"
I stopped, but said nothing. Had my son in mind...being at the mall with his old dad was embarrassing enough...I didn't need to make a foolish scene. So, we both kept moving towards heaven.
It isn't the first time I have heard someone say something like this. It isn't the first time I have heard someone speak with such atrocious grammar. It is the first time that the story of Damocles popped into my head in the aftermath.
I created a fantasy...in my fantasy I approached this grammatically incorrect woman, introduced myself and made her an offer. I explained that she could take my place in the classroom. She could be relieved of whatever hard, and laborious job she had and become a teacher. She could enjoy how easy it was, and how stress free. In my fantasy...she says..."Let's git er done!"
My daydream continues...she arrives in the classroom before first bell, dressed in her best evangelical-attending polyester pants, and graphic-tee sporting the slogan...Honk if your Horny!
The kids arrive, go to their lockers and are seated. Everyone begins the Pledge...she ends it with Amen. She addresses the class, and before she finishes the kids begin asking questions. She calls on one, then another...soon the kids are shouting questions, and then begin talking chorally. She tries to quiet them down, while a few students begin having chatting circles about their night. One kid shouts "Can I go to the bathroom?"
Finally she screams...and the kids quiet for the moment. She begins the first lesson...the chatting begins again. Quietly, then louder. She screams again...then the phone rings...attendance hasn't been sent. She finds out who is absent while the kids seize the opportunity to talk amongst themselves again.
She makes it through the lesson, and realizes that 5 of the students have been drawing, and another 3 have been passing notes. She berates them, then hands out the assignment. By now the kids realize they have control...they talk, they play, they throw paper and pencils across the room at one another. She screams again! She decides to take them outside to recess...thinking it will get out there energy. Two fights break out among the students while outside because she was busy on her cell phone trying to call her husband Hank-Bob.
After recess she tries to maintain order. Students get up and go to the bathroom, while others begin the talking tirade again. The two who had been fighting at recess begin the fight again.
The fantasy goes on right up to the end of the day. She tried to keep 30 kids in their seats and attentive for more than five minutes. She tried to move them through the school in an orderly fashion...in a line instead of a large, hallway-wide group. She tried to take a break during Special, but spent the whole time setting up the science experiment that was to be done that day. She did manage to get her assignments done for the day, but realized that when the kids left at 3:35, she had 7 periods of papers to grade, and a PLC meeting to attend directly after school. By 4:20 she sat at her desk and began grading the assignments, so they could be entered onto ESchool. By 6:15 she was finished grading, then realized that she still had to plan for tomorrow's school day. She knew it would be at least another hour before that was complete.
This whole thing ends with me coming into to my/her classroom and standing before her. Her once gelled, and highly coiffed hair now wired, and frizzy...her new graphic-Tee stained with dry eraser ink...her eyes glazed, red and weepy. She then says....
"I am sorry for what I said...you teachers have to do a hell of a lot more, and deal with a lot more than I ever could have imagined. It's tough just getting my two kids to sit for longer than five minutes...how do you get 30 to do it all day, every day? Anyway...please take your job back...I wanna go back to my old job!"
Well...there you have it. In my fantasy she realized that doing what we do isn't a walk in the park. Those of us that do it...we stick with it because we love it! Not everyone is cut-out to be a teacher. Knowing stuff; being knowledgeable on the subject matter taught? This is small -potatoes if you can't control your classroom. Summer vacations? For those who don't have second jobs over the summer, or for those who do not teach summer school...this is well deserved compensation for the many, many, many hours spent (After hours, above and beyond contracted hours) doing what we do.
Like I stated...the woman was real, but her realization was a fantasy. The Sword of Damocles hung heavily over her head...she realized that our position/vocation comes with great responsibility, and much more stress than she could ever deal with. Wouldn't it be great though if this could really happen. Place someone, ignorant of what we do, on our thrones...in front of our kids for a week...NO...for a day! I truly believe this person would learn the lesson of Damocles! Our kids would eat them alive!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
You Must Love the Clueless!
Through the years I have had many students. Love them all, and have fond memories...even of those students who are now adults...making their way in the world.
With each new class comes unique individuals. 30 or so young minds ripe for expansion! Each and every kid IS an individual...IS unique.
Each school year has its own unique Tonal atmosphere also. The overall feeling I have for this class is different from every other class previous. I don't just mean my internal emotions about this class, or last year's class...I mean the very atmosphere in my classroom. The environment created by this year's class, compared to the atmosphere created by last year's class, and so on. All of this is awesome, and I am so thankful for the Newness of each year...I can't imagine how boring it would be for everything to be the same year in, and year out!
OK...all of that being said...I want to express a bit about groups. Yes...kids are individuals, but as a teacher I find that my students also unintentionally get categorized into groups. I don't mean a profiling kind of thing, or an ethnic thing...I just mean...a teacher/student thing.
Every year I find I get kids that can be trusted from day one! Kids who strive to make good choices. I also get kids who strayed from the path a bit...kids who may have a bit of Devil in them. I get kids who think better on the move, and kids who think better when all is quiet. I get kids who are used to solving disputes with their fists, and kids who are afraid of their own shadow. I get artistic kids, and creative kids, and kids that travel astrally to distant planets now and again. I get math haters, and master debaters (hahaha), and I get some kids who simply do not have a clue!
When I stated above that I get some kids who simply do not have a clue...I didn't mean they are less intelligent than any other kid, or that they are unaware of what is going on in my classroom. What I mean is that I get kids...every year...who have no idea that they are awesome! It has never occurred to them that they are worthy of anything. These kids have no idea what trust is, because they have never been trusted. These kids are so clueless about their potential that they keep themselves always on the outside. They don't allow themselves real interaction with anyone, nor do they ever expect appreciation for anything they do.
Every year I get a kid or two who is clueless in this way. With their nature comes some behavior issues, complacency, and an overall malaise when it comes to school.
These kids are absorbed into me...I love them instantly. My job isn't easy...I have to un-teach...and the kids have to un-learn. I must find a way to open that closed part of them so they can see...really see...who they are.
Teachers...I guess this kind of thing is instinctual. You don't really learn this stuff in college. You kind of have to feel it. If you are an intuitive educator...if you can feel it...keep the clueless kids close to your heart, and persevere. It takes baby steps, but once the process begins...once these kids start realizing that they ARE awesome...well, there is nothing better in the world.
Most everyone you will ever meet should have to earn your trust. This makes sense...it is logical, and it is safe. There are some people out their (Many of them kids) that have no clue how to earn it. Go out on a limb...trust them anyway. Give them something they haven't got. Give these kids a reason to BE trustworthy. Watch what they do...most will fly high! In my career I have found that...this can make all of the difference to a kid, and it will create a cherished memory for you. Think about it!
With each new class comes unique individuals. 30 or so young minds ripe for expansion! Each and every kid IS an individual...IS unique.
Each school year has its own unique Tonal atmosphere also. The overall feeling I have for this class is different from every other class previous. I don't just mean my internal emotions about this class, or last year's class...I mean the very atmosphere in my classroom. The environment created by this year's class, compared to the atmosphere created by last year's class, and so on. All of this is awesome, and I am so thankful for the Newness of each year...I can't imagine how boring it would be for everything to be the same year in, and year out!
OK...all of that being said...I want to express a bit about groups. Yes...kids are individuals, but as a teacher I find that my students also unintentionally get categorized into groups. I don't mean a profiling kind of thing, or an ethnic thing...I just mean...a teacher/student thing.
Every year I find I get kids that can be trusted from day one! Kids who strive to make good choices. I also get kids who strayed from the path a bit...kids who may have a bit of Devil in them. I get kids who think better on the move, and kids who think better when all is quiet. I get kids who are used to solving disputes with their fists, and kids who are afraid of their own shadow. I get artistic kids, and creative kids, and kids that travel astrally to distant planets now and again. I get math haters, and master debaters (hahaha), and I get some kids who simply do not have a clue!
When I stated above that I get some kids who simply do not have a clue...I didn't mean they are less intelligent than any other kid, or that they are unaware of what is going on in my classroom. What I mean is that I get kids...every year...who have no idea that they are awesome! It has never occurred to them that they are worthy of anything. These kids have no idea what trust is, because they have never been trusted. These kids are so clueless about their potential that they keep themselves always on the outside. They don't allow themselves real interaction with anyone, nor do they ever expect appreciation for anything they do.
Every year I get a kid or two who is clueless in this way. With their nature comes some behavior issues, complacency, and an overall malaise when it comes to school.
These kids are absorbed into me...I love them instantly. My job isn't easy...I have to un-teach...and the kids have to un-learn. I must find a way to open that closed part of them so they can see...really see...who they are.
Teachers...I guess this kind of thing is instinctual. You don't really learn this stuff in college. You kind of have to feel it. If you are an intuitive educator...if you can feel it...keep the clueless kids close to your heart, and persevere. It takes baby steps, but once the process begins...once these kids start realizing that they ARE awesome...well, there is nothing better in the world.
Most everyone you will ever meet should have to earn your trust. This makes sense...it is logical, and it is safe. There are some people out their (Many of them kids) that have no clue how to earn it. Go out on a limb...trust them anyway. Give them something they haven't got. Give these kids a reason to BE trustworthy. Watch what they do...most will fly high! In my career I have found that...this can make all of the difference to a kid, and it will create a cherished memory for you. Think about it!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Why Teaching?
In my life...my scholastic, academic life...I have had many teachers. I have fond memories of grammar school, middle school, high school and college mostly because of the teachers who were slotted to teach at each grade level, respectively. Separating these memories into the "My Best Memories" category are time intervals where most of the educators I had became forgettable.
I know that in life there are many terrible things. Countless resources are at our disposal today to show us just how hateful, violent and apathetic our world can be. These negative, external factors do not sway my optimistic view of our world...I believe that finding the good in all things takes work, and that the work worth doing is worth doing well!
Internally...inside my own personal view on things...I can tell you that one of the worst things that can happen to a person is to become forgettable. In our lives we all interact with various individuals on a daily basis. Cashiers, clerks, bank tellers, saying Hello to a stranger on the street...and unless these brief encounters yield some profound event, we allow these interactions to move out of our memory. These people are not the forgettable types I referred to earlier...they are simply the many lights along our own pathways...a collective unit of souls that consistently remind us that we are not alone.
Let's play-act a moment. Now...imagine spending a good deal of time with someone. Envision spending time with someone for a nine month period. Could be an hour-a-day of your life, or eight hours-a-day! Fast forward a few years...someone comes along and asks...Hey, do you remember Mr. So-and-so? OR Hey, remember Mrs. Whoever's class? If your response is either...Oh my God...I forgot all about her, OR Who? Wait, let me think. Chances are good that you had interacted with a forgettable person. Someone in your life who didn't earn being remembered. An individual who served only as a place holder in time.
Last week my school hosted its annual Open House...A time at the beginning of the year when parents come and meet the teachers who will be educating their children. I was so surprised when a past student entered my classroom along with the parents of my students for this year (This past student is a relative of one of my students this year). She is now in her early 20's, out in the world and working at a job that suits her...she works, and interacts with people (She was always loving, compassionate and gifted). After the Open House she and I talked endlessly about the memories we both had about her fifth-grade year. It was amazing! I have never felt more honored. Honored that she held within her so many memories about a nine-month time frame ten years previous, and especially honored that she remembered old Mr. Mac...she remembered me, her teacher!
Needless to say...this encounter made my week, and since then other students from the past have Facebooked me...to say hello, and that they remember too.
This also got me to thinking of the people who were most memorable to me. The educators who...for whatever reason...made an impact on my life. The teachers who DID make a difference, and who inspired me...the ones who made ME want to move mountains. Honestly...there are not many.
This also got me to thinking about the many teachers I had that were just...well...just kind of there. This endeavor forced me to open locked doors in my memory...doors locked like those on a storage bin of useless things. Sure enough...there they were...the forgettables.
Recalling these forgettables gave me a melancholy feeling. Not for myself...but for them. How mundane an existence... to move through life without touching anyone. To reach the winter of discontent, unimportantly.
I have always known why I chose to teach. Admittedly...I didn't always know, but when it came it was genuine. Planting a seed in a young mind, and nurturing that seed...this is one reason. Guiding towards new paths, shedding light on dark patches...another reason. Broadening young minds, and opening new expansive horizons...yet another. I realize now that all of this boils down to my students, and what they each take with them when June comes around. To be remembered is perhaps the greatest gift anyone of us can ever receive (ANYONE...not just teachers!). Something we've done, or said...this is liken to planting a seed. That Something being remembered means that the seed had taken root!
As I get older I realize I that am teetering more towards the winter of my own life. Wherever I have been, my fondest wish is that I left some mark...some totem that I was there. When the time comes that I am on the underside of daisy roots...I don't want to be forgotten ten minutes after the funeral!
For educators...we have the greatest opportunity to touch the lives of so many people. We are charged with not only educating, but also with changing lives. Creating memories takes work, but it is work worth doing well!
I know that in life there are many terrible things. Countless resources are at our disposal today to show us just how hateful, violent and apathetic our world can be. These negative, external factors do not sway my optimistic view of our world...I believe that finding the good in all things takes work, and that the work worth doing is worth doing well!
Internally...inside my own personal view on things...I can tell you that one of the worst things that can happen to a person is to become forgettable. In our lives we all interact with various individuals on a daily basis. Cashiers, clerks, bank tellers, saying Hello to a stranger on the street...and unless these brief encounters yield some profound event, we allow these interactions to move out of our memory. These people are not the forgettable types I referred to earlier...they are simply the many lights along our own pathways...a collective unit of souls that consistently remind us that we are not alone.
Let's play-act a moment. Now...imagine spending a good deal of time with someone. Envision spending time with someone for a nine month period. Could be an hour-a-day of your life, or eight hours-a-day! Fast forward a few years...someone comes along and asks...Hey, do you remember Mr. So-and-so? OR Hey, remember Mrs. Whoever's class? If your response is either...Oh my God...I forgot all about her, OR Who? Wait, let me think. Chances are good that you had interacted with a forgettable person. Someone in your life who didn't earn being remembered. An individual who served only as a place holder in time.
Last week my school hosted its annual Open House...A time at the beginning of the year when parents come and meet the teachers who will be educating their children. I was so surprised when a past student entered my classroom along with the parents of my students for this year (This past student is a relative of one of my students this year). She is now in her early 20's, out in the world and working at a job that suits her...she works, and interacts with people (She was always loving, compassionate and gifted). After the Open House she and I talked endlessly about the memories we both had about her fifth-grade year. It was amazing! I have never felt more honored. Honored that she held within her so many memories about a nine-month time frame ten years previous, and especially honored that she remembered old Mr. Mac...she remembered me, her teacher!
Needless to say...this encounter made my week, and since then other students from the past have Facebooked me...to say hello, and that they remember too.
This also got me to thinking of the people who were most memorable to me. The educators who...for whatever reason...made an impact on my life. The teachers who DID make a difference, and who inspired me...the ones who made ME want to move mountains. Honestly...there are not many.
This also got me to thinking about the many teachers I had that were just...well...just kind of there. This endeavor forced me to open locked doors in my memory...doors locked like those on a storage bin of useless things. Sure enough...there they were...the forgettables.
Recalling these forgettables gave me a melancholy feeling. Not for myself...but for them. How mundane an existence... to move through life without touching anyone. To reach the winter of discontent, unimportantly.
I have always known why I chose to teach. Admittedly...I didn't always know, but when it came it was genuine. Planting a seed in a young mind, and nurturing that seed...this is one reason. Guiding towards new paths, shedding light on dark patches...another reason. Broadening young minds, and opening new expansive horizons...yet another. I realize now that all of this boils down to my students, and what they each take with them when June comes around. To be remembered is perhaps the greatest gift anyone of us can ever receive (ANYONE...not just teachers!). Something we've done, or said...this is liken to planting a seed. That Something being remembered means that the seed had taken root!
As I get older I realize I that am teetering more towards the winter of my own life. Wherever I have been, my fondest wish is that I left some mark...some totem that I was there. When the time comes that I am on the underside of daisy roots...I don't want to be forgotten ten minutes after the funeral!
For educators...we have the greatest opportunity to touch the lives of so many people. We are charged with not only educating, but also with changing lives. Creating memories takes work, but it is work worth doing well!
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