Educating in an Ever-Changing World

Standards-based grading. Character education. Cooperative Learning. Common Core State Standards. Lessons by design.  In the age of high-stakes testing and ever-changing educational trends, the overarching question for any teacher on a personal and professional social justice journey becomes "How do I make each of these relevant and fruitful for ALL of my students?"  You see, I teach a diverse group of students from a wide range of racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds.  I constantly struggle with this question as I make curricular and practical decisions for each of these in a concentrated effort to ensure that the educational experience I provide meets each student's academic and socio-emotional needs.

So, here's my first confession: I have often failed.  I shudder each time I reflect on the number of times and ways.  I have gone home many nights and cried because I've felt the weight of my failure and prayed endlessly that my poor decision-making did not negatively impact my students' academic futures. However, from each failure, I've had the opportunity to learn what I'll do better next time.  The reality of being a teacher is that even the best college education program cannot possibly prepare you for all that great teaching entails.  The best one can hope is to come loaded with the potential to be a great teacher, a potential that slowly reveals itself as that individual encounters an endless number of experiences and learns from them.

Through my 10 1/2 years of teaching, I have spent a great amount of time attempting to learn.  I have started this blog to share what I have learned so far, as well as what I continue to learn.  This is about my journey to be the best teacher I can be for ALL of my students, my diverse, individual and beautiful lights.  As an educator, I believe in the idea that all students can learn, and I hope that this shows in my educational practice.  I will share what I can with all of you in hopes that students across the diversity spectrum can benefit from what I've learned.  Early in my career, I discovered that one should not continuously re-invent the wheel when it comes to lessons that work, so I hope that you will use whatever knowledge and activities I share as you see best.  Whether you are a parent or a teacher, I believe that this blog will help you to realize a few important pieces of information:

1. This is a journey.  We are ever progressing towards the goal of achieving educational parity for all.  It will include setbacks and all of the other metaphors for a journey: road blocks, traffic jams, rest stops, deer in the headlight, etc.
2. Teachers are imperfect people striving to be as perfect as possible.  Many of us feel a higher calling for this profession.  We certainly did not get into it for the money, so we often have other motivations.  My motivation is the belief that I can make a difference or that I can at least encourage and educate the people who one day might change the world.
3. There is an infinite amount of knowledge for us to learn.  Just when we feel that we have achieved one learning plateau, another appears in the horizon.

 At the foundation of all that I've learned is the direct correlation between teacher expectation and how much students achieve.  Studies completed as early as 1932 (The Hawthorne study at Western Electric Plant in Cicero, IL) showed the impact that teachers can have on student performance. Those teachers with higher expectations inevitably produce high student achievement; those who don't set high expectations receive what they expect.

At times, we find that even well-meaning teachers lower expectations for students of certain backgrounds.  According to Tyrone C. Howard in his book Why Race and Culture Matters in Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap in America's Classrooms, teachers can, at times, confuse the concepts of empathy with those of sympathy.  Empathetic teachers set high expectations and make decisions about students' abilities from a position of empowerment, while those who are sympathetic act upon their misperceptions and (sometimes) prejudices to limit student's ability to achieve.  In chart 2.2, he compares the mentality and behaviors of these two types of educators.

It is through this lens that I evaluate all I do in the classroom.  Though Mr. Howard applies the concept of sympathy v. empathy specifically to racial diversity in the classroom, I think it's important to realize that this remains true of any difference one may find within a group of students.  The key to my being a great teacher is to set high expectations for ALL of my students and then provide all of the requisite tools and supports for individual students to meet those expectations.  Differentiation then is defined as how I help my students achieve learning goals, as opposed to how I set different learning goals for each. 

For example, I encountered a situation this school year that tested my ability to maintain my high expectations.  One of my seniors, a young African-American woman that I had worked with through extra-curricular activities, was arriving late to school every day.  This meant that she would miss anywhere from 15-45 minutes of my class every other day (we're on block scheduling).  When I inquired why, the young lady requested that I speak with the administrator about why.  According to my classroom practice, this young lady couldn't make up assignments she missed until her absences were excused, so I was really concerned about making sure that we worked this out.  Other teachers had simply allowed her to arrive late and make up the work at her convenience, but I wanted her to meet the expectation for regular attendance and participation.  I mean, really...who would want to miss my class anyway?

Long story short, I worked with the administrator and discovered that this young lady had some catastrophic circumstances that led to her inability to arrive on time.  However, we were able to discover resources that would provide cab service for this young lady, enabling her to arrive to school on time everyday.  As a result, the last few weeks of class were filled with her incredible intelligence and unique perspective.  Above all, I was able to maintain a high expectation for her while acting empathetically as a teacher and trying to help her meet that expectation.

I want to stress again that I will still fail.

I will come home disappointed in my own performance as an educator.

I will cry.

I will reflect.

I will learn and document that learning for you.

Then I will come back the next day prepared to be better...

...because that's what my Diverse Lights deserve.