Hey dudes and dudettes!
I've been meaning to visit this blog for awhile now. So I was SO excited to play this Jeopardy game with my kiddos yesterday but they were overly excited and freakin' crazy! At the end of class, a lot of them ran around the hallway to my embarrassment. Ugh. Then, my next class, kids started throwing scissors at each other, running around, stomping on each other's backpacks, and other sorts of random craziness. I realized that it's not enough to say, "Stop that. Apologize. Be quiet."
Giving strikes and lunch detentions definitely work. But they go a long way if you actually have a deeper relationship with the kid. Then, you can use the "look" to shut them up in class.
I'm always inspired by my mentor teacher - she's a rockstar! I realize that a lot of the things I want to try (like more group roles!), she's already tried before. It's really important to know if the school climate is going to support the things you want to do.
I've had many moments where I ask myself if I really want to be doing urban education. It's trying to be an environment where some students are not motivated - not doing classwork or homework. It's commonplace to learn about a student's homelessness, abuse problems, rape, and run ins with the law. It's weird because it's like I expected to hear these things. So I feel simultaneously desensitized to and depressed about these sad stories. Reading the stories that Lily's students wrote about their drug-filled social lives and abusive relationships made me feel that something is backwards about the world we're living in.
It's energizing to be with students who want to learn and make me feel like an effective teacher by demonstrating growth. I sometimes get high on this feeling. It makes me want to go to a school where I will be valued by the majority of students...instead of feeling stepped on everyday by kids.
But we must stay inspired to stick with schools that need dedicated teachers like us! Why? I exactly don't know but I feel that we need to...even if that means going to teach at a suburban school first and returning to urban schools.
I'll be returning to the reasons why we should stay inspired. But toward what goal? I think we all have distinct goals. What are some of your goals for teaching? What are some reasons why you are here?
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Julie,
ReplyDeleteI do think there are things backwards, upside down, and sideways in the world we are living in. I think part of a solution is providing quality education to people. I also think there are necessary solutions that address larger social problems; like sharing our resources so people can live decently. I don't know what I do to make things better, but wondering and saying things are backwards is a start.
At its best, school can be a haven for young people. That might be too idealistic, and I don't know how to make that happen, but it's a hope. Somehow, their work has to matter, to show that they can have positive impacts on themselves and their surroundings.
My site is really strict. But I don't think it necessarily makes students want to learn more. I feel like students follow directions, rather than actively learn. The mantra is sort of, "will this be on test?"
I think I am here because I think student teacher relationships can carry a good spark for people, even if it's a little one, and that goodness spreads. I want to work an urban area because I want to be part of a more just distribution of resources (if that makes sense).
I wish I could shape a more thoughtful and helpful response, but I wanted to post a reply anyway.