Triumphs

After such a challenging week, I must count the triumphs.

• positive evaluation from my peer
• The same student who told me "F*** you, b*****" has been wonderful.  I wrote him a positive referral.  Today, he came into class, proud as a peacock, with his new orange backpack.  He's really trying.
• Had a formal debate on the impact of technology and communication.  They totally rose to the occasion, addressing each other by their last names, using stems like "I appreciate your opinion..."
• Talent Show auditions.  Middle school talent show.  Need I say more?
• My mentor teacher brought me a beautiful basket full of plants that she rooted just for me.
• I have this group called the Listeners.  We're doing oral history projects on black history.  Two students did their interviews with family members this week.  One of my students and his mother never heard how his grandma had to use segregated bathrooms, water fountains.  How she had to wait at the meat counter to get served after all the white folk.  Saw KKK rally signs.  Then we learned about racial profiling when a student's uncle told us about his neighborhood welcome.  Hopefully they are learning that everyone has a story.  You just have to ask.
• Teacher on my team and I are learning the viola from a couple of our students.  We make terrible students.

Things they don't teach you in college

When you hang a poster in the hall, put tape around the entire perimeter.  Someone will try to pull it down.

How to break up a fight. 

How to survive bureaucracy.

How to let things wash off your back like a duck.

How to prepare healthy, nutritious meals that are easy to fix and only take 10 minutes to eat.

How to talk to parents.

Change

I spend all this energy reflecting about what motivates teachers.  I am unwavering in stating that shaming teachers does not work.  Offering to give them money does not work.  Bringing in some external accountability like a high stakes test does not work.  These are temporary measures that I don't believe bring lasting change.  To stick and carrots, I say nay.

And yet-
I am doing the same thing with my students.  Why would I think that my students should be so different? I coax them, I shame them.  I threaten them with calls home, I applaud them with a trip to the treasure chest.  It works though.  Temporarily.  Is that all I care about?  A quick fix?  No.  Neither, I think, is that what the policy makers want either.  But they're only in office for a few years.  And I only have my students for 50 minutes.  How then can we possibly bring about real change?  Real and permanent good.

I think we have to start by believing that it's possible.  Knowing that it will be hard.  Then doing it anyway.

Pep Talk

Something I love about my mentor teacher is that she knows just how to hand over a good pick-me-up.  I did, in fact, directly request one at lunch today after revealing that yesterday a student told me, "F** you, B**!"

Action plan:

• kill him with kindness
• get him a backpack
• know that it's not personal
• know that you're not alone.  congratulations, you have been initiated.

Kid Hater?

I thought I was a positive person.  I don't want to be a Kid Hater from "New Girl"



I know I'm supposed to separate the person from the situation, but I am having immense difficulty.

And a pox upon you, standardized testing.