Whisked Away by Words

I'm sitting here in a local Wawa parking lot, drinking my coffee, listening to the CBS News Weekend Roundup and had two random reading memories.

One, I remember loving to hear my 3rd grade teacher read to us everyday. I went to Harrington Elementary down Southwest Philly. The memories that just flooded my mind were of Mrs. Ross reading Matilda, The BFG, and other Roald Dahl books. I remember just being whisked away, complete suspension of disbelief, as I imagined the characters interacting with each other. I remember loving being read to!

As I reflected on that, I recalled being in a PD at John B. Kelly, my former school, and one of my former principals leading the session. She remarked that everyone loves being read to and proceeded to read a book to us. Teachers. I don't remember the book, but I do remember two things. One, it had something to do with whatever the session was about. Two, I remember that I liked being read to...again.

Flem, what's  your point? I don't care how old or young your students (or staff lol) may be, many points can be highlighted with a short story, a poem, or a news article. My former principal was correct. Everybody likes being read to. My 9th graders preferred my voice with a book we were reading over the audio book's rendition. Even high schoolers liked to be whisked away every now and then.

I know we are living in a test and grades obsessed culture, but I dare you to resurrect the read-aloud every now and then and watch and see if your students (or staff lol) don't take that journey with you to.....wherever the words whisk you!

Dear Parents

Before you read the letter below, a little background...
I came across this incomplete and unedited letter that I drafted in frustration a few years ago.
I did not finish drafting it.
I did not send it out.
I did not intend to send it out.
I write all of this because I know some higher powers secretly...you know...watch. How do I know? One day I was observed and in reading the observation notes after a 90-minutes observation and the subsequent memo drafted by that administrator and delivered by a school police officer, it became very clear what that person was looking for and found (sort of). I'll save that complete story for another post and day.

Ok, enough of all of that.

If this is the school year that I'm thinking it was, I remember writing down my frustrations a lot just to get them out of me. The only changes that I made a moment ago are indicated in red. Since this draft, I've learned a lot about myself and have grown as a person and teacher.

The letter...

Dear Parents of the Students in Room _______,

I must apologize to both you and your child for being a failing teacher. I thought that I was providing the best possible instruction that I could provide, using teaching techniques and approaches based on the research and works of educational philosophers and psychologists like Howard Gardner, who believed that students learn differently. He believed that some may learn better through music, other through nature, some via reading/writing, still yet others need to move, etc. So that’s what I did. I apologize. I apologize because according to some, I’m a failing teacher because I didn’t phrase learning objectives on the chalkboard using acronyms provided by the school district. I apologize.

I even used Lev Vygotsky, who believed in cooperative learning and that such learning should include someone who is a bit wiser (teacher or someone else) to help guide the students and propel them forward from where they are. He called it learning within their “zone of proximal development”, the work is not too easy but also not too hard that learning cannot be accomplished. It’s challenging, but attainable. I thought I was doing this when I assigned certain readings, certain projects, etc. Again, I apologize because according to some, I’m a failing teacher because I didn’t phrase learning objectives on the chalkboard using acronyms provided by the school district. I apologize.

Many education theorists and researchers believe that learning should be experiential, which is why we took that trip to City Hall to interact with a judge about the law.  This is also the reason we went to the Insectarium so that we could not only read about insects, but touch them, see them up close, and even taste one. This is why we went to the Academy of Natural Sciences, Grumblethorpe, the National Constitution Center, so that we can experience what we learned about in class. This is why we had a visiting entomologist come to the class with bugs and why we wrote pen pals in Colorado and why we video chatted with other entomologists. But yet again, I apologize because according to some, I’m a failing teacher because I didn’t phrase learning objectives on the chalkboard using acronyms provided by the school district. I apologize.

I’m even a failing teacher because the students were unable to analyze an Emily Dickinson poem on their own in writing and when compared to how government laws saved eagles, I really failed. Their rough drafts were rough and their rough drafts shouldn’t have been rough even though it WAS a….oh never mind. I’m sooooo sorry for being a bad teacher!

They can read and talk about history, science, and the law, but I’m a horrible teacher!

They can spit off many many math facts, but I’m a failing teacher!

They publish a class book, but I’m the worst teacher!

They can analyze figurative language, but I’m a bad teacher!

They can recite and analyze poems like “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes, but I’m no good!

They can challenge 5^th grade students to math competitions and have them run away because they don’t want to compete, but I’m good for nothing!

Going forward, I must strive to put those acronyms on the chalkboard. I must do everything I’m told to do even if your child is not prepared to do it. I mustn’t teach for understanding, I must train for state tests that change every year! I must  teach them that reading is only good for testing and is in no wise to be enjoyed!

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I apologize for failing your child this year by teaching and not test-prepping, using acronyms, and by [For some reason, I didn’t finish this letter and it ends there]