- Aug 16, 2011
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As some here may know by now, I work at a very inner city school district. This comes with many challenges for teachers (but who cares, we applied for these jobs after all) and even more challenges for the students. Challenges of greater number and manner than most here will likely be able to imagine. It is truly inspiring to see so many young people trying so hard to succeed under such trying conditions. They know the value of education, and they fight against terrible odds to attain it. Sometimes the daily frustrations of the job can make it hard to keep the important things in mind and think about walking a mile in a student's shoes before losing patience with him or her. Sometimes the students can feel sort of isolated and discouraged. It is important to keep all this in mind. Knowing that someone gives a crap about them can be very encouraging, and can give students a sense of belonging that really can have a significant impact on their learning.
Yesterday:
Today:
Make no mistake, this is in no way intended to be a "look at me!" thread. The point is that I am all but certain that ALL of my colleagues would do the same, if not more. No CRT, no inappropriate topics, no "hate this group or that group" nonsense. Don't just parrot what the media commands you to; talk to people who are actually on the job and try listening to them for a change.
Yesterday:
- I was monitoring a hallway (Every day teachers have one period devoted to doing stuff the school needs that is not exactly teaching. For obvious reasons, I have been assigned to monitor a particular part of the school where fights break out pretty frequently) a girl was passing down the hallway and she complained that in the cafeteria two boys started fighting and knocked over her lunch tray. She didn't have time to go get another (the school is so overcrowded that lunch periods are cycled in and out rather quickly). As a result, she never did get to eat lunch. Since my wife usually packs me a sack o food that would tide me over for a month if my plane crash-landed in the Andes, I usually have a little something left over even when I get back home. I scrounged around and found a few things she could eat quickly before returning to class. She was so glad that someone gave enough of a crap to offer a hand, and I'm sure she was better able to concentrate in class.
- About 20 minutes later a girl was basically staggering down the hallway, and upon questioning it turned out she had been working 10 hour night shifts for the past few weeks then going straight to school. She was clearly exhausted and couldn't keep her eyes open. I helped her walk back to her classroom, then returned with a hot cup of green tea. She looked very pleased that all her classmates saw someone caring enough to notice. Her teacher (a friend and colleague) found it amusing.
- A student in one of my more advanced ESL classes who also works a lot outside of school mentioned that his uncle was frustrated at not having enough time & money to work on his English while his nephew was getting better and better. The student's eyes widened like saucers when I offered to tutor his uncle for free at the local public library after wrestling practice. Not sure his uncle will in fact find the time, but the offer was appreciated.
Today:
- A student I had in an early college class last year came looking for me after school because for the first time ever he has an F in a class. Since it turned out to be his History class, I offered to help. He grabbed his History book and the DBQ they are working on in class and we outlined how he can work through the primary sources. I'm penning an email with notes on the Qin Dynasty for him right now.
Make no mistake, this is in no way intended to be a "look at me!" thread. The point is that I am all but certain that ALL of my colleagues would do the same, if not more. No CRT, no inappropriate topics, no "hate this group or that group" nonsense. Don't just parrot what the media commands you to; talk to people who are actually on the job and try listening to them for a change.
