Why is that Child so Rude

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uxN-lxD3AduQP1igFF0WaJ6RdXHhIfw3/view

We all have background experience in our life. We grow up and live our lives. We have a community and culture we all come from and that is ok. What we should not do is project our experiences of life onto others without really knowing why. As a teacher you may not get the whole story or get pieces of it revealed to you.

A student may dress a certain way or blurt in class and we might question it. We might call it naughty. Not everyone's background is the same and we can't assume that everyone has the same set of expectations as us.

We just scratch the surface when we teach our students and we slowly learn about them and build trust. This whole article reminds of me of this poem.

Trust Blog

Close your eyes and fall backwards and hope that you will be caught. Trust is no delicate subject and when it comes to the way people trust it can vary. Some people are open and willing while others are reserved. I am a person that will trust cautiously. I believe most if not all the signs of being to trust someone are there.

"When a person shows you who they are...believe them the first time" -Oprah

The way I show others my trust is by keeping my word and by being positive. I think trying to stay out of the drama and being supportive is the way to go. I am not a pot-stirrer. When someone says please don't tell anyone I will NEVER tell them. I respect the privacy of others. I believe that creates a stronger connection with people. I am trustworthy myself. I have a character that is always trying to be respectful.

Honestly, when it comes to trust it takes time to build a bridge. Making connections and getting to know people is the first step. I am not a threat nor will I be one. I just want to support and help. I am friendly and willing to go above and beyond to protect and help you.

Middle school is full of mistrust and all my students are experiencing moments of betrayal. It could be from a parent or a peer. Being a routine person who shows through actions and words that this classroom is a safe place and that they will be protected is the biggest thing I can do.

When I first meet people I get a sense of who they are and by the way they speak about others. I take a long time to make up my mind and for certain people, I find to be more judgmental or hurtful. I stay away from them and don't give opportunity for a relationship. I make them arm's length away. It is much safer and I leave room for a few people who fill my cup.

Stop Humiliating Teachers

I chose this article because it had a catchy title to it and I thought it was interesting. We live in a society that sets up our education system and shames teachers. Teachers spend many hours and time working hard to create the best learning environments and they have been set to fail and be humiliated by the system.

A lot of people think...

"Our view of American public education in general has been warped by our knowledge of these failing kids in inner-city and rural schools."

but in reality...

"There are actually many good schools in the United States—in cities, in suburbs, in rural areas. Pathologizing the system as a whole, reformers insist on drastic reorganization, on drastic methods of teacher accountability. "


The biggest point being pulled from this article is that teachers are not being respected and are being pulled in many different directions.


"Teachers run from one testing regiment to another. But using the tests to evaluate teachers themselves has been questioned again and again by statistical experts as well as by critics of these programs. The heart of the criticism: the tests measure demographics (the class and wealth level of the students) more than teachers’ abilities."


It simply talks about test-taking has demoralized the profession itself. It made everything competitive and made teachers unwilling to share materials and help/cooperate to ensure that they would be high achieving and teaching to the test.



"We also have to face the real problem, which, again, is persistent poverty. If we really want to improve scores and high-school-graduation rates and college readiness and the rest, we have to commit resources to help poor parents raise their children by providing nutrition and health services, parenting support, a supply of books, and so on. We have to commit to universal pre-K and much more. And we have to stop blaming teachers for all of the ills and injustices of American society."

Honestly, it is all about the approach. We can either look at the facts and real issues or find another finger to point in another direction. 

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/stop-humiliating-teachers

The Rock of Loss

This is such a personal blog to write about because for me it stems from hurt. Rocks that I carry and now have to walk with are dealing with loss right now. I miss my grandmother. I miss going to her house every Thursday and making her dinner. I miss her hugs and kisses. I miss her support. I miss her strength.

I have to learn to live with loss and honestly I made it very far in my life without having to deal with it. One of the steps I have taken is to understand grief more and wanting to educate others. I also wanted to help my students understand how to respond to someone in grief. I was transparent about my absences from school with her passing.

I think we don't always realize how to handle sadness or loss. A lot of people avoid it or don't acknowledge it. Let's face it! I'm not a keep it to myself kind of person. I shared with my students' phrases and ways to respond to people when they lose a loved one. My favorite phrase was"I'm glad you are here today". It is simple but acknowledges a tough situation for someone. If someone is willing to open up and feels comfortable they will.

Time will help me move forward but my heart hurts often. Right now, it's Thursday and I would be with her right now. I would in her house and we would be talking. The reality is that I don't have that anymore. What I can do is acknowledge the change and be thankful that I had the time I had. I can be thankful that my son got to meet her and love her too.

I can empty my shoe of the painful rock and realize that it had just been love the whole time. As a result of this rock, I can learn to love more. I can learn to make each moment count. I can learn to live with no regrets. I will not live forever but I don't want to carry hurt with me. I don't want to get bitter with sad. I want to live with positivity. I want to live a life like my grandmother, Audrey. I will continue to impact lives like the way she has impacted mine with love and kindness.

I dislike the rock but it made me a stronger more thankful person.

Agape Adding Fun to the classroom

Tis the season for some FUN!

This time of year in the classroom is crazy wild and fun! Today is a pajama day and it is two days from the break. BTW, I'm giving a quiz! 

In working with "A Christmas Carol" I had a few students who could not do the same kind of lessons I had planned for the other students. I was excited to take this as an opportunity to create fun for these students. These kids would work in the library and I added elements of fun like a warm-up of chess and other games. Is that really funny? They are reading Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and responding to questions and summarizing to me what they read in a Video Email. 

Oh, media staff had agreed to supervise while I taught.

Sounds really fun? Right? No, not really. Each day I try to give them something in the email that is goofy for them to do. One time I had them make a funny face at the end of the video, another time a goat noise, this time I had them do a British accent. Why? It is about being a little silly sometimes. My hope is that they find more excitement in the work they have to do. I hope it gives them something to look forward to and allows them to get into the time period. I try to connect each funny task to the lesson. It actually has me laughing quite a bit while viewing and watching them. I really liked what I added to these lessons and if I would have gone too crazy it could have taken them off the learning in front of them.

The kids are enjoying the videos and are hilarious! We still have a couple more days before the break but I think these kids are having a great experience and are happy with the tailored lessons for them.

A Make you or Break you Moment

There are moments in our lives that change everything. It is one second to the next and in a flash everything is different. In my teaching career, I have had one huge make it or break it moment for me. This moment could have shut the door to teaching for me forever. It almost did.

It all happened years ago in 2011 when little baby Taisha started her first student teaching. I was ready! I envisioned it all. I was going to be a teacher and I would achieve all my dreams. I had worked hard in college those last few years and here was my moment to shine.

The only things is...I didn't shine. My whole student teaching experience was a mess from day one. The person who took me on had to drop me for medical reasons and I was left wandering the school looking for the place I was supposed to be. It was really strange and awkward. Long story short I left that first day with no coordinating teacher and a little confused as to why I showed up.

I get a call and someone from that same school was willing to take me on. YES! They thought I looked professional and promising. I started my student teaching and I was shy. I was nervous. I was quiet. I took tons of time to plan because I wanted it to be right. I was thinking a lot about myself and the way I presented. It felt like mini assignments. I didn't contribute much those first weeks because I wanted to observe. I jumped in and was a little shaky. It went ok but not great.

My new coordinating teacher sat me down and told me I didn't have it. I didn't have the basic teaching skills I needed for this profession and she didn't know what to do with me. She didn't know how to teach me. It was all a weird experience in the first place but I felt like I was putting the time in. I felt like I had connected to the students. It was heartbreaking. The conversation was a bit cold.

I was not a teacher in this person's eyes nor would I ever be at that moment. I just didn't have the basic building blocks. I couldn't be taught.

So, I cried...and cried...and cried all weekend. My entire life was crushed. Everything I worked for was now gone. By Sunday this became my fuel. I almost think my coordinating teacher expected me not to show up. I disconnected more from her and put everything into the kids. I poured my energy and thoughts into the ones who did believe in me. I was going to finish this student teaching no matter what. I don't quit. I had to apply active encouragement to myself in a dark moment.

I taught and paid close attention to the kids. I didn't do everything right but I was going to give it my all and if I didn't have the basic skills then I didn't have the basic skills. I made an impression and kids were learning. On the last day of student teaching, I felt love. I had never felt so much love and care in my life. I had gifts and cards. The kids were going to miss me. It was all about the relationships and connections. I had made a difference and an impact. I was a teacher. I found my way.

I had done a 180. I was completely different and that was a fantastic conversation to have from my coordinating teacher. One weekend to the next something shifted and I rose up to what I needed to be. I could have quit the profession. I could have said, "I tried oh, well". I knew I had it in me and realized I didn't need to be perfect. When I realized it was less about me and all about the kids. I became a teacher and I am SO thankful I did. I have never doubted myself since.

Grateful

Gratefulness. Life is this crazy messy ongoing process. We have challenges thrown at us left and right. Personally, I feel like I am just making it some days. I'm constantly being pushed to my max to think and produce. What I got from this week's readings is to breathe. To take moments and reflect on my state of happiness. I have a beautiful little family that needs me. I just need to be more aware of it and to share it with my loved ones.