Salvete,
As a professional, I have never been called racist except by students as a half-hearted retort to save face.
I mentioned in the previous post that we are reading Poisonwood Bible. That's right. We are reading a novel that is an Opera's Book Club selection, champion of human rights for the Congolese, denouncer of traditional gender roles, and embracer of inter-racial-social-cultural communication and relationships. How dare we.
I must admit, this parent must be a lot smarter than I am if they can read the back of a book and truly know the essence of what their child is learning. Anyone who can read a 105-word synopsis and know that young adults should not read the whole novel is far more perceptive than I, who have read the entire book as well as the criticism of it. It is outrageous that students should learn to embrace other cultures. It is barbaric that students should read about self-discovery and the complicated experience of being female in a male world. It is shocking that students might read a book that challenges white dominance and the legalistic strictures of the church.
So, I will call this parent, and I will arm myself with the mantra of student responsibility. Ultimately, however, I will give in. I know that a phone call is not going to change this parent's mind.
Yes, mother of my student, I am white.
Yes, I was raised in the culture of white privilege.
Yes, racism exists in this world.
But no, you do not get to decide that I chose this book because I am white. You do not get to make that generalization about me. You can make the decision that because it is set in Africa, your daughter cannot read it. However, you will be wrong.
And as I tell my students, it is OK to be wrong, but it is not OK to stay wrong. I hope your heart changes.
Valete,
Magistra
Thursday, November 17, 2011
LOLWUT???
Salvete,
I assigned Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible as an outside novel. Every Thursday, we have literary circles where they talk about the book in a structured way in small groups. In this week's section of the novel, the village gets attacked by a ton of flesh eating ants. Whether or not it is a literal ton, I do not know, as there are a lot of ants but ants do not weigh much.
Anyway, here:
Student 1: "If the villagers are afraid of the river, why do they run there when the ants come?"
Me: "Maybe get eaten by crocs, or definitely get eaten by ants. Weigh the options. Which would you choose?"
Student 2: "That's when I start throwing rocks!"
Me: ...?
I'm still laughing, but the student has his back to me, so he doesn't know.
Also heard during literary circles:
Student 2: "I never said I was going to kill you."
Student 1: "Do you not have any common sense?"
Student 1: (Regarding shortening quotes by leaving out words and using elipses): "Just put the first letter and the last letter in quotes. They'll figure out what it is."
Valete,
Magistra
I assigned Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible as an outside novel. Every Thursday, we have literary circles where they talk about the book in a structured way in small groups. In this week's section of the novel, the village gets attacked by a ton of flesh eating ants. Whether or not it is a literal ton, I do not know, as there are a lot of ants but ants do not weigh much.
Anyway, here:
Student 1: "If the villagers are afraid of the river, why do they run there when the ants come?"
Me: "Maybe get eaten by crocs, or definitely get eaten by ants. Weigh the options. Which would you choose?"
Student 2: "That's when I start throwing rocks!"
Me: ...?
I'm still laughing, but the student has his back to me, so he doesn't know.
Also heard during literary circles:
Student 2: "I never said I was going to kill you."
Student 1: "Do you not have any common sense?"
Student 1: (Regarding shortening quotes by leaving out words and using elipses): "Just put the first letter and the last letter in quotes. They'll figure out what it is."
Valete,
Magistra
Thursday, November 3, 2011
"Siren Song" by Margaret Atwood
Salvete,
Today, I had the kids read the awesome poem, "Siren Song" by Margaret Atwood. As an activity, I had them write two questions as original posts in a forum I had set up for their use. They were two create their two questions and then respond to two other questions that their classmates had created. I know from doing this activity in the past that they never want to stop at two comments, because they are teenagers and cannot hold in their opinions once formed.
I wanted to share some of their question and responses with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did:
Q: Why would Ulysses not stuff his ears with wax?
A: Because he didn't have wax.
Q: What could have been a way to avoid the siren's song, not including the way Ulysses did so?
A: Kill the sirens.
A: Bring women to kill the sirens.
Q: Would you save the men who fell overboard?
A: Yes I would, depending on who they were. If it was Justin Beiber...NO!
Q: What man would you save?
A: Anyone I didn't dislike.
Q: Who is telling about the "Siren Song"?
A: One of the sirens.
Response: How do you know? Please give text evidence.
That last one is a future teacher! Just kidding. But that is what we say to them...Please give textual evidence! So cute.
Valete, Magistra
I wanted to share some of their question and responses with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did:
Q: Why would Ulysses not stuff his ears with wax?
A: Because he didn't have wax.
Q: What could have been a way to avoid the siren's song, not including the way Ulysses did so?
A: Kill the sirens.
A: Bring women to kill the sirens.
Q: Would you save the men who fell overboard?
A: Yes I would, depending on who they were. If it was Justin Beiber...NO!
Q: What man would you save?
A: Anyone I didn't dislike.
Q: Who is telling about the "Siren Song"?
A: One of the sirens.
Response: How do you know? Please give text evidence.
That last one is a future teacher! Just kidding. But that is what we say to them...Please give textual evidence! So cute.
Valete, Magistra
Friday, October 28, 2011
Caution: Whining Ahead
Salvete,
I have not posted an angry blog entry in a while. It seems to me like it is time to rectify that.
Issue #1: It is Friday, and this is Texas, so I understand that football is more important than instruction. I get that. What I do not get is why people cannot take care of their business. Our pep rally was featured this morning on Fox 4 News, and only yesterday did Fox let us know that this would be the case.
Our administration, who is actually very good about letting us know things, told us as soon as they knew yesterday morning that our entire Friday would be flipped on its head. I suppose because they are Fox 4 News, they think, "Oh, I don't mind changing the schedules of 3000 students and 200 teachers." What they fail to realize is, high schoolers are like puppies. They need routine and structure, or they go positively nutty.
Issue #2: Our administration let us know yesterday morning about the aforementioned pep rally, but there was one thing they forgot to clarify. Yesterday afternoon during third period, they let us know that the students should check in with us first thing and then be collectively released for the pep rally. I hope I am not the only one who sees a problem here. Many teachers do not check their email until the end of the day (as we are busy teaching), and are not able to deliver a last minute announcement to their classes. The teachers I spoke to told their children to report straight to the pep rally in the morning. Some students took that to mean that they could opt out of the pep rally and arrive late to school. This morning was a giant mess of students not knowing where they were supposed to be. Honestly, it worked out fine and we went with the flow like we always do.
Issue #3: I have a new teaching partner this year. Everything has been going really well. She is very organized, great with the kids, and so kind as to let me know in advance changes in the schedule. I have greatly enjoyed working with her so far.
However.
She arrives late every day, because (as I previously understood it) she has to get the volley ballers started in the mornigns. Why their head coach cannot do that is beyond my understanding, but I Go With It, because that is what we do here. This morning, she was not there (per usual), but (not per usual) we were expecting a set of guest speakers to come talk to our kids. Please note that she had invited these speakers and had left instructions for the front desk to notify her when they were here.
Knowing that my partner is habitually late, I went to the front and ensured that the wonderful secretaries knew to call me to fetch the guests. I love taking care of other people's responsibilities.
I called my partner around 7:45 (the time we are supposed to be here per our contract) to ask if her guest speakers could use her laptop so that I could grade on mine. As it turns out, my partner was still at her significant other's house, and had no idea where her laptop was or was not, and oh, she would swing by her house and see if it was there on her way to school. I have no idea what time she got here, because (after I met her guest speakers and got them situated), I took our kids to the pep rally.
Issue #4: My partner fell asleep during our guest speakers' presentation.
I. Cannot. Even.
OK. Maybe I am too uptight. I have been told that before. I think the word was "anal". However, I do not think that advance notice, arriving on time to work, and being awake on the job are tremendous, unfulfillable expectations. They seem like normal things to expect of a human being, much less someone who is shaping the future of the nation.
I recently gave up on being an adult since I am not sure that "being an adult" actually exists. However, if we are going to expect things of the kids, we should also fulfill them ourselves. If we do not set an example for them, then what? How can we convict them to be on time when we are not on time ourselves? I woke up rather late on Tuesday, and still managed to make it here by 7:45, since that is when I am contracted to be here. Go me. Guess what being on time gets me? Additional responsibilties to compensate for the people who are late and who receive no consequences.
Valete,
Magistra
I have not posted an angry blog entry in a while. It seems to me like it is time to rectify that.
Issue #1: It is Friday, and this is Texas, so I understand that football is more important than instruction. I get that. What I do not get is why people cannot take care of their business. Our pep rally was featured this morning on Fox 4 News, and only yesterday did Fox let us know that this would be the case.
Our administration, who is actually very good about letting us know things, told us as soon as they knew yesterday morning that our entire Friday would be flipped on its head. I suppose because they are Fox 4 News, they think, "Oh, I don't mind changing the schedules of 3000 students and 200 teachers." What they fail to realize is, high schoolers are like puppies. They need routine and structure, or they go positively nutty.
Issue #2: Our administration let us know yesterday morning about the aforementioned pep rally, but there was one thing they forgot to clarify. Yesterday afternoon during third period, they let us know that the students should check in with us first thing and then be collectively released for the pep rally. I hope I am not the only one who sees a problem here. Many teachers do not check their email until the end of the day (as we are busy teaching), and are not able to deliver a last minute announcement to their classes. The teachers I spoke to told their children to report straight to the pep rally in the morning. Some students took that to mean that they could opt out of the pep rally and arrive late to school. This morning was a giant mess of students not knowing where they were supposed to be. Honestly, it worked out fine and we went with the flow like we always do.
Issue #3: I have a new teaching partner this year. Everything has been going really well. She is very organized, great with the kids, and so kind as to let me know in advance changes in the schedule. I have greatly enjoyed working with her so far.
However.
She arrives late every day, because (as I previously understood it) she has to get the volley ballers started in the mornigns. Why their head coach cannot do that is beyond my understanding, but I Go With It, because that is what we do here. This morning, she was not there (per usual), but (not per usual) we were expecting a set of guest speakers to come talk to our kids. Please note that she had invited these speakers and had left instructions for the front desk to notify her when they were here.
Knowing that my partner is habitually late, I went to the front and ensured that the wonderful secretaries knew to call me to fetch the guests. I love taking care of other people's responsibilities.
I called my partner around 7:45 (the time we are supposed to be here per our contract) to ask if her guest speakers could use her laptop so that I could grade on mine. As it turns out, my partner was still at her significant other's house, and had no idea where her laptop was or was not, and oh, she would swing by her house and see if it was there on her way to school. I have no idea what time she got here, because (after I met her guest speakers and got them situated), I took our kids to the pep rally.
Issue #4: My partner fell asleep during our guest speakers' presentation.
I. Cannot. Even.
OK. Maybe I am too uptight. I have been told that before. I think the word was "anal". However, I do not think that advance notice, arriving on time to work, and being awake on the job are tremendous, unfulfillable expectations. They seem like normal things to expect of a human being, much less someone who is shaping the future of the nation.
I recently gave up on being an adult since I am not sure that "being an adult" actually exists. However, if we are going to expect things of the kids, we should also fulfill them ourselves. If we do not set an example for them, then what? How can we convict them to be on time when we are not on time ourselves? I woke up rather late on Tuesday, and still managed to make it here by 7:45, since that is when I am contracted to be here. Go me. Guess what being on time gets me? Additional responsibilties to compensate for the people who are late and who receive no consequences.
Valete,
Magistra
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Death and All of His Friends
Salvete,
This is sort of a continuation of the previous post.
As some of you who (probably don't) read this blog may remember, I had a student (let's call him Christopher) attempt suicide last year. He shot himself through the chin, and fortunately did not have enough sense to angle the gun to do the job thoroughly. His lack of attention to detail led to him destroying his face and tongue, which had to be reconstructed through many painful surgeries. I went to visit him when he was in the hospital -- mouth wired shut, trach tube in, and down to a skeletal 95 pounds.
Late last week, Christopher opened my door and came into my classroom with the same goofy, optimistic smile that I remembered. His face is a bit different, and his teeth are not what they once were, but he still gave off that air of confidence and adolescent joy that he usually did around me. He hugged me and overwhelmed me with his repeated thanks of coming to see him in the hospital. He told me that not many people did, and that he appreciated me taking the time to visit. I was honestly surprised he remembered, as the number of drugs he must have been on at the time was probably substantial. He told me about the surgeries yet to come and told me he would come see me again.
Yesterday morning we got an email that an 11th grade student, though not one I know, had died at home the previous night. Word got around that it was suicide, though I have not had any official reports as far as the cause of death. The sorrow I feel for his family, teachers, and classmates connects directly to the sorrow I felt when I heard Christopher had shot himself last year. I am thankful that my student lived, and so sad that this other student died. These kids still have so much to do. Heck, I still have so much to do, so many people to meet, so many people to love.
So to you, my non-readers, I say, value the people in your life and know that your life is valued by others. Taking yourself away from them is not a solution, it is a creation of more problems. Take pity on those of us who love you and stay with us a while longer. Things will get better.
Valete,
Magistra
This is sort of a continuation of the previous post.
As some of you who (probably don't) read this blog may remember, I had a student (let's call him Christopher) attempt suicide last year. He shot himself through the chin, and fortunately did not have enough sense to angle the gun to do the job thoroughly. His lack of attention to detail led to him destroying his face and tongue, which had to be reconstructed through many painful surgeries. I went to visit him when he was in the hospital -- mouth wired shut, trach tube in, and down to a skeletal 95 pounds.
Late last week, Christopher opened my door and came into my classroom with the same goofy, optimistic smile that I remembered. His face is a bit different, and his teeth are not what they once were, but he still gave off that air of confidence and adolescent joy that he usually did around me. He hugged me and overwhelmed me with his repeated thanks of coming to see him in the hospital. He told me that not many people did, and that he appreciated me taking the time to visit. I was honestly surprised he remembered, as the number of drugs he must have been on at the time was probably substantial. He told me about the surgeries yet to come and told me he would come see me again.
Yesterday morning we got an email that an 11th grade student, though not one I know, had died at home the previous night. Word got around that it was suicide, though I have not had any official reports as far as the cause of death. The sorrow I feel for his family, teachers, and classmates connects directly to the sorrow I felt when I heard Christopher had shot himself last year. I am thankful that my student lived, and so sad that this other student died. These kids still have so much to do. Heck, I still have so much to do, so many people to meet, so many people to love.
So to you, my non-readers, I say, value the people in your life and know that your life is valued by others. Taking yourself away from them is not a solution, it is a creation of more problems. Take pity on those of us who love you and stay with us a while longer. Things will get better.
Valete,
Magistra
Tardies and Tartness
Savete,
It has been a while since anything really compelling has happened in my classroom. A few little incidents have occurred, and I will record them here today.
One of my very good students (shall we call him Roger?) walks into my class about five minutes tardy. I had seen Roger go in for a tardy during first period, as I was waiting in the office to attend a meeting. He walks into my room third period, and I ask for his pass. He does not have one, and tells me so as he shoves his backpack onto a computer table with controlled frustration. I ask him to please go get a tardy and he tells me, "I really don't want to do that, Miss. I'm already having a bad day." As I sigh with dejection and sorrow for the impending office referral that I sense, I ask him again to please go get a tardy. He thinks for a moment and says in a tone that does not reflect compliance, "OK! Here!" He pulls out a sheet of white paper which is - lo and behold - a tardy. Now, he saw me saw him get a tardy first period. He knows I am not stupid.
And yet...I look at the time stamp on the tardy, and it is most incorrect for the circumstances of this moment's particular tardy. I let him know that I realize what he is trying to pull, all the while maintaining my Sugar-Plum-Fairy-Smile-of-Goodness-and-Grace. I tell him he has tied my hands and left himself with only two choices. I can write him up for non-compliance or he can get a tardy. I "beg" him to get a tardy, and then move on with my life. I continue class (a lecture over the glorious topic of Archetypes) as I pull out an office referral form. He sees me do so, and I see him thinking. He interrupts my lecture with a sad but not unpleasant, "All right, Miss," and exits the room only to return with an appropriately time-stamped tardy several minutes later.
This experience was quite a show for my class, as they had never seen me have to discipline anyone outside of the occasional redirection. During my confrontation with Roger, they were watching with baited breath. Would I become angry at his defiance? Would I lose my temper? Would I let it slide because he was having a bad day? No, no, and again no. This is not personal. There was no reason to be mad. There was protocol to follow, and I followed it. All ended well, and Roger served his lunch detention the following day.
A few days later, a student (shall we call him Travis?) hung back once it was time to switch classes and waited for the rest of the students to leave. I had seen him do this before, usually to discuss some issue he was having with some class or teacher. Today, that issue turned out to be me.
I realize that my teaching style is what one might call "blatantly honest about real life and what I will and will not put up with." I make no efforts to spare the feelings of my students when it comes to how things are meant to run in my classroom. I have discussed before in this blog my policy for extra credit. I usually give the students two bathroom passes per 9-week semester. Each bathroom pass is worth 10 points of major grade credit.
On Wednesday, when I was explaining to the students how turning in bathroom passes works, this is what I said: "Make sure your name is on the passes, or I'm going to throw them away, because that is not my problem." They laughed a little and we moved on.
So, after class Travis stayed to tell me this: "Miss, did you know that sometimes you come across a little...well..."
I filled in for him, "Harsh?"
He blushed and nodded. He said, "I don't mind it so much, I kind of like it, but some other students might react negatively."
And I said, "Well, that's up to them; I just tell it how it is." He thanked me and left. So weird.
There was one more thing, but I think it should go in a separate post.
Valete,
Magistra
It has been a while since anything really compelling has happened in my classroom. A few little incidents have occurred, and I will record them here today.
One of my very good students (shall we call him Roger?) walks into my class about five minutes tardy. I had seen Roger go in for a tardy during first period, as I was waiting in the office to attend a meeting. He walks into my room third period, and I ask for his pass. He does not have one, and tells me so as he shoves his backpack onto a computer table with controlled frustration. I ask him to please go get a tardy and he tells me, "I really don't want to do that, Miss. I'm already having a bad day." As I sigh with dejection and sorrow for the impending office referral that I sense, I ask him again to please go get a tardy. He thinks for a moment and says in a tone that does not reflect compliance, "OK! Here!" He pulls out a sheet of white paper which is - lo and behold - a tardy. Now, he saw me saw him get a tardy first period. He knows I am not stupid.
And yet...I look at the time stamp on the tardy, and it is most incorrect for the circumstances of this moment's particular tardy. I let him know that I realize what he is trying to pull, all the while maintaining my Sugar-Plum-Fairy-Smile-of-Goodness-and-Grace. I tell him he has tied my hands and left himself with only two choices. I can write him up for non-compliance or he can get a tardy. I "beg" him to get a tardy, and then move on with my life. I continue class (a lecture over the glorious topic of Archetypes) as I pull out an office referral form. He sees me do so, and I see him thinking. He interrupts my lecture with a sad but not unpleasant, "All right, Miss," and exits the room only to return with an appropriately time-stamped tardy several minutes later.
This experience was quite a show for my class, as they had never seen me have to discipline anyone outside of the occasional redirection. During my confrontation with Roger, they were watching with baited breath. Would I become angry at his defiance? Would I lose my temper? Would I let it slide because he was having a bad day? No, no, and again no. This is not personal. There was no reason to be mad. There was protocol to follow, and I followed it. All ended well, and Roger served his lunch detention the following day.
A few days later, a student (shall we call him Travis?) hung back once it was time to switch classes and waited for the rest of the students to leave. I had seen him do this before, usually to discuss some issue he was having with some class or teacher. Today, that issue turned out to be me.
I realize that my teaching style is what one might call "blatantly honest about real life and what I will and will not put up with." I make no efforts to spare the feelings of my students when it comes to how things are meant to run in my classroom. I have discussed before in this blog my policy for extra credit. I usually give the students two bathroom passes per 9-week semester. Each bathroom pass is worth 10 points of major grade credit.
On Wednesday, when I was explaining to the students how turning in bathroom passes works, this is what I said: "Make sure your name is on the passes, or I'm going to throw them away, because that is not my problem." They laughed a little and we moved on.
So, after class Travis stayed to tell me this: "Miss, did you know that sometimes you come across a little...well..."
I filled in for him, "Harsh?"
He blushed and nodded. He said, "I don't mind it so much, I kind of like it, but some other students might react negatively."
And I said, "Well, that's up to them; I just tell it how it is." He thanked me and left. So weird.
There was one more thing, but I think it should go in a separate post.
Valete,
Magistra
Friday, October 7, 2011
So a Lawyer Walked into a Bar...
Salvete,
I meant to write this down a few days ago, but had not had the chance due to homecoming week taking over everyone's life at school. I wanted to take the time to write this blog entry because I never want to forget the event that inspired it. I believe that the following is a great reminder of why the job I do is important.
I got to school on Tuesday and met a student waiting for me. She is a good one, not the brightest, but definitely full of potential because of her desire to learn.
Somehow we got onto the topic of what she wanted to do after high school. She told me she wanted to be a lawyer. In the past, students have given their reason for wanting to be lawyers as they love to argue. While arguing is certainly part of a lawyer's job, there is much more too it (I would imagine, anyway).
When I asked my student why she wanted to be a lawyer, I expected the average answer. However, she said to me with such conviction, "I want to be a lawyer because I love justice."
"That's a good reason to be a lawyer," I replied.
She said to me, "Yes, miss, did you know that in Africa, if a man dies, his wife gets nothing? It all goes to his family? That is not right. They built that life together, and then she is not considered part of the family. No, miss, that is not right. I want to go back to Africa and I believe that I can make it right if I am a lawyer."
I hope that she does not lose that conviction. She said those words with so much belief, so much longing. She has lived in Africa before, and seen the injustice with her own eyes. Talking to her gave new meaning to what I do every day. I want to give the kids the skills to succeed, whatever that looks like for them. If they love justice, let them be lawyers. If they love healing, let them be doctors. If they love education, let them be teachers. And let me be ocean that helps their ship sail past the horizons of their dreams. Let them be "sailors of the world, bound for all ports," and let one of many currents along the way.
Valete,
Magistra
I meant to write this down a few days ago, but had not had the chance due to homecoming week taking over everyone's life at school. I wanted to take the time to write this blog entry because I never want to forget the event that inspired it. I believe that the following is a great reminder of why the job I do is important.
I got to school on Tuesday and met a student waiting for me. She is a good one, not the brightest, but definitely full of potential because of her desire to learn.
Somehow we got onto the topic of what she wanted to do after high school. She told me she wanted to be a lawyer. In the past, students have given their reason for wanting to be lawyers as they love to argue. While arguing is certainly part of a lawyer's job, there is much more too it (I would imagine, anyway).
When I asked my student why she wanted to be a lawyer, I expected the average answer. However, she said to me with such conviction, "I want to be a lawyer because I love justice."
"That's a good reason to be a lawyer," I replied.
She said to me, "Yes, miss, did you know that in Africa, if a man dies, his wife gets nothing? It all goes to his family? That is not right. They built that life together, and then she is not considered part of the family. No, miss, that is not right. I want to go back to Africa and I believe that I can make it right if I am a lawyer."
I hope that she does not lose that conviction. She said those words with so much belief, so much longing. She has lived in Africa before, and seen the injustice with her own eyes. Talking to her gave new meaning to what I do every day. I want to give the kids the skills to succeed, whatever that looks like for them. If they love justice, let them be lawyers. If they love healing, let them be doctors. If they love education, let them be teachers. And let me be ocean that helps their ship sail past the horizons of their dreams. Let them be "sailors of the world, bound for all ports," and let one of many currents along the way.
Valete,
Magistra
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