The Will of The People
It was a beautiful election day in New York city. The indian summer air was infused with that late-fall glow that bathes painterly light on finally-turned trees. The oranges and yellows have at last eclipsed the greens, and one's feet now feel the crunch of leaves beneath them as they trod their owners to work, to school, perhaps to the polling booths to fulfill their role and duty as proud citizens of the United States. Today was the reason fall should be my favorite time of year.
Except...at my school today, the adminstration "treated" us to mediocre coffee (half the teachers had bathroom "emergencies" as a result) and Munchkins from dunkin donuts-- no bagels mind, you, no full donuts, no muffins. Then we were lectured for half an hour by our likeable but angry picipal about the things we do wrong, including:
1-giving out bathroom passes too frequently (she suggested we use an egg timer to make sure our kids keep their bodily functions in check)
2-not having something for the kids to do (the proverbial "do now") the minute they walk through the door (but we're supposed to be in the hallways ushering them in between classes, which leaves those of us sans outlets/overhead projectors in a bit of a pickle)
3-Letting them finish work five minutes before the bell, even the hour-and-a-half kids.
4-kicking students out of our classrooms, which is the biggest NEVER on the list of NEVERS (it was neglected to mention that the ladder of referral for kicking students out can take days/weeks, and in addition, the SAVE room, where we're supposed to send them, is all but unmanned right now.)
5-not decorating enough bulletin boards
These complaints came of course, from the stern and strict superintendent whom I had the pleasure of watching as she sniffed disapprovingly at my students who were doing their usual awkward-guy thing and dropping books all over the place. I realized after she left with el principale I hadn't been asking my kids to raise their hands, but had been eliciting comments from the class in general. We were reviewing the major elements of Poe's writing, after eading four stories, three poems and a brief biography, I had liked the way it was going, but I wonder how much of a no-no my format might have been.
Incidentally, I also had the pleasure of watching the superintendent chew the principal out for the lack of a rubric on one of the walls. It made the whole shit flowing downhill thing so clear-- unfortunately, our school system is a top-down structure. Instead of people striving to please their superiors, everyone lives in fear. No wonder the kids are so miserable.
And after that, there were some outbursts to our union reps who were fabulous in an old-school, rough and tumble working-man pragmatist way, some applause and jeers, and we spent the rest of the day learning how to use technology which I can safely guarantee I will/might NEVER ever ever see in my classroom.
At long last, we broke up into our curriculum teams, where I learned how strictly regimented my sophomore curriculum will be come february, due to the need to "teach to the test"-- the June regents, one of the dumbest and least effective test I've ever laid eyes upon. When a colleague of mine expressed her frustration, she was shot down by defensive veterans, who rightly pointed out that this test is crucial to our students' futures. But the sadness of it all was the way no one was even willing to engage the discussion on a higher, more idealistic level, because everyone was so exhausted, frustrated and who has time to care, really, when we just want to push our little black and hispanic students out of high school and into a moderately successful life. We don't acknowledge that we are creating an underclass, or that we are, despite our best intentions, leaving our students intellectually, socially and emotionally starved.
All thoughts of staying for another year are dwindling. I could barely contain my rage as the day waned and I headed off to the polls to choose between two lukewarm candidates. Tomorrow, I administer three tests.
Except...at my school today, the adminstration "treated" us to mediocre coffee (half the teachers had bathroom "emergencies" as a result) and Munchkins from dunkin donuts-- no bagels mind, you, no full donuts, no muffins. Then we were lectured for half an hour by our likeable but angry picipal about the things we do wrong, including:
1-giving out bathroom passes too frequently (she suggested we use an egg timer to make sure our kids keep their bodily functions in check)
2-not having something for the kids to do (the proverbial "do now") the minute they walk through the door (but we're supposed to be in the hallways ushering them in between classes, which leaves those of us sans outlets/overhead projectors in a bit of a pickle)
3-Letting them finish work five minutes before the bell, even the hour-and-a-half kids.
4-kicking students out of our classrooms, which is the biggest NEVER on the list of NEVERS (it was neglected to mention that the ladder of referral for kicking students out can take days/weeks, and in addition, the SAVE room, where we're supposed to send them, is all but unmanned right now.)
5-not decorating enough bulletin boards
These complaints came of course, from the stern and strict superintendent whom I had the pleasure of watching as she sniffed disapprovingly at my students who were doing their usual awkward-guy thing and dropping books all over the place. I realized after she left with el principale I hadn't been asking my kids to raise their hands, but had been eliciting comments from the class in general. We were reviewing the major elements of Poe's writing, after eading four stories, three poems and a brief biography, I had liked the way it was going, but I wonder how much of a no-no my format might have been.
Incidentally, I also had the pleasure of watching the superintendent chew the principal out for the lack of a rubric on one of the walls. It made the whole shit flowing downhill thing so clear-- unfortunately, our school system is a top-down structure. Instead of people striving to please their superiors, everyone lives in fear. No wonder the kids are so miserable.
And after that, there were some outbursts to our union reps who were fabulous in an old-school, rough and tumble working-man pragmatist way, some applause and jeers, and we spent the rest of the day learning how to use technology which I can safely guarantee I will/might NEVER ever ever see in my classroom.
At long last, we broke up into our curriculum teams, where I learned how strictly regimented my sophomore curriculum will be come february, due to the need to "teach to the test"-- the June regents, one of the dumbest and least effective test I've ever laid eyes upon. When a colleague of mine expressed her frustration, she was shot down by defensive veterans, who rightly pointed out that this test is crucial to our students' futures. But the sadness of it all was the way no one was even willing to engage the discussion on a higher, more idealistic level, because everyone was so exhausted, frustrated and who has time to care, really, when we just want to push our little black and hispanic students out of high school and into a moderately successful life. We don't acknowledge that we are creating an underclass, or that we are, despite our best intentions, leaving our students intellectually, socially and emotionally starved.
All thoughts of staying for another year are dwindling. I could barely contain my rage as the day waned and I headed off to the polls to choose between two lukewarm candidates. Tomorrow, I administer three tests.
Labels: Teaching from the trenches
posted by SarahMarian at 2:44 PM
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