As I sat in my Differential Training this past week, my life as a teacher shifted- it shifted for the benefit of my students and myself. I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to share and discuss with teachers from across this state the challenges- and yes, I will say it- the frustrations I have had in the classroom this year.
I think I came in with all of these great ideas and expectations for my students, and while I loved my training at Great Expectations, I think my expectations were a little too far out there at times- like I would teach it and they will get it. That should be all they wrote, right? Not and let me explain.
Suzanne Maxwell is a teacher for WIDA- the ELL standards company for our diverse student population. She is brand new to the program. We were her second group of teachers that she has had the opportunity to train. She is from North Dakota, speaks French fluently and hosts a plethora of refugee families from Africa and other parts of the world on her personal time. She has worked for years with children and families who are learning the English language for the first time, and she taught a lesson in French. I have sat in Spanish classes before and have struggled through them, but I have a small high school background on the subject, so I kind of knew the language. This was totally new to me. In the lesson, she spoke totally in French, did not use any type of help or props or actions and she yelled when we started to discuss the ideas she gave us (what little we understood if any) and told us to speak only in French. We just looked at her like "What?!" Then she changed it. She added props to the story, pictures, and gestures. She repeated herself multiple times and pointed to things as she named them and she really did all she could think to do to help us understand the language as she spoke it. It hit me like a lightening bolt: not only are my ELL kiddos not completely understanding the requirements, my regular ed kids are struggling too.
I believe this to be true when I lose them in a lesson and when they start to act up or start to talk over me. I know realistically that I cannot always reach every student, but when I realized that all students are just that- they are students, it changed the way I have thought about the profession I am in and the way I have been approaching my classes. It reaffirmed why I am in my profession and how I need to approach each new day. My students are children and they are still learning and every student is not the same. I have found that I am feeling more compassion for their learning struggles and less agitated when they do not get the ideas I am teaching right away. I came in this morning revived and regenerated with same principles and same requirements, just a new way to look at the learning of my kids.
We are still pressing on with MLA in 11th grade. I checked what they did and did not do when they came in and moved on instead of getting on to them. I believe it held them more accountable and made them realize that I am paying attention and that they need to tow the line as well.
My 10th graders need refreshment of their activities as well, and I did some clean-up for them, with the exception of the one young lady 7th hour who told me that I teach really well, but I was too boring and I needed to do a song and dance for her to stay awake- "you know you could like juggle for me or something..am I right? You could even yell and I would pay more attention to you."
This was said by a young lady who is what the other kids call "salty." I just smiled and told her I had two more items and that I will be asking her to repeat the requirements of the task. This was also the same student who told me to not expect her to produce the poster I wanted from her because I was asking for too much...hmmmm...any thoughts?
Just a few thoughts in perspective and now looking forward to the next few weeks of school.
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