"Waiting for Superman"

Poster for 2010 release of "Waiting for Superman"

"Waiting for Superman" is a full length documentary that recently made it to theaters across the United States. The documentary highlights the pitfalls of the current educational system in North America. It provides commentary on Jeffrey Canada's teaching methods, how some schools are truly succeeding in educating students, and questions why other schools around the U.S. are not taking the same approach. It basically explains the root of America's educational problems as the education system itself and the teachers within that system. Some teachers simply teach 1/3 of the content they should in one school year. The movie basically says these teachers should be removed from schools, but due to tenure, as well as teacher's unions, this becomes an impossible feat. Finally, the movie tugs at heartstrings by showing 4-5 students who are looking to get into charter schools as a better option to the previous schools they have attended, or failing public schools they may have to attend. Each student must go through a lottery process and many do not make it into the school they hope for. Instead, they must attend a school where they will most likely fall behind grade level, ultimately meaning they are less likely to go to, or be successful in, college.

Jeffrey Canada with Students in the Harlem Children's Zone

I found this movie to be extremely discouraging for teachers. Of course, I have heard others say it is extremely motivating. A friend of mine told me this movie was meant to point out what is truly wrong in our educational system and motivate everyone to fix the issue. However, I am quick to point out the movie actually claims the problem with education are the teachers who do not know how to teach and the educational system itself. Say I am a teacher who is dedicated to fixing the system. Say, I am a good teacher and I work as hard as I can to teach my students. Just because I am one teacher, does that mean I actually can make a difference in the whole system? Michelle Rhee had influential power over the DC educational system and she ended up resigning from her position, disappointed that her efforts to fix the system did not work. Personally, I do not believe Rhee's efforts were really in the right mindset, but that is for another time. If this extremely motivated young woman with so much power over a district cannot make a difference in a classroom, how can I as one teacher?

Michelle Rhee- Former Chancellor of D.C. Public Schools

I was sitting in one of my education classes the other day, when I really began to question what other teacher's might think about changing the system. We were having a discussion about "tracking," trying to determine if we thought it was a good or bad thing to have in a school system. As the discussion continued my classmate explained that students should be able to chose their track. She said "If a student is simply lazy and does not want to do the AP courses, they should be allowed to chose the lower track. Then, they can get good grades in these lower courses, rather than bad grades in the upper courses." This was a sad moment for me. I looked at my classmate and said "How does this set high expectations? This student is simply lazy. They know the information necessary, but need to apply themselves. Taking lower classes is not going to prepare them for college or the workforce. They need to be pushed to work hard in order to learn that effort is necessary in life." She looked at me in an angry fashion and said "but that doesn't make sense. He would get better grades in the lower track!"

Suddenly, I realized the problem. This movie was right, we need good teachers who are willing to push their students. We need teachers who know their content and who have experience teaching that content to their designated age level. However, look at the future teacher from my story. She will meet all the requirements of content and methodology for an Indiana Teaching License. She will probably be a student who maintains a high GPA through college and will gain enough experience to become a teacher. But will she ever change her mindset about pushing students to challenge themselves to do better? And if she doesn't, how effective will she be as a teacher? When I see this, I have to wonder how much of a systemic change could be made when even trained teachers still do not believe in pushing their students to challenge themselves. How can I counteract this as just one teacher, in one school, in one district, in one state?

I believe that if we truly can put enough good teachers in the schools-- the ones who have experience with methodology and content and who also care to see each and every student challenge themselves to succeed, then our education system will see great improvement. The question is, HOW do we fill our schools with the best possible teachers? HOW do we know who they are? HOW do we know where to find them?

My First Board Meeting

On Monday, November 22nd I attended my first educational board meeting. The Goshen Community School's board met to discuss various issues including giving ceremonial awards, budget cuts, how to improve AYP (adequate yearly progress) and to make decisions on various items such as whether or not to replace the windows at Goshen High School.

The world of this board seemed so natural to everyone involved. They spoke candidly when it was their turn and every board member expressed an opinion on one matter or another. They all took each other's decisions into consideration. However, there really wasn't much debate until later in the evening. The earlier discussions had a few board members sharing their ideas. Then, the board member in charge would say "that's a good viewpoint. I agree." There were no arguments, no conflicting points or no "I don't think that will work." Perhaps this group of people have been working together for a significant amount of time that their ideals have begun to mesh. I have never been able to make decisions this quickly. Usually, after a discussion, I weigh all the opinions and evidence in order to form a new opinion or revise my original idea. The board moved so rapidly through these items that it was hard to decipher if they were considered important or not.

There was even a two minute discussion about whether or not the state of Indiana would be able to fund full day Kindergarten next year. The president of the board explained that she would hate to see this happen. Then the conversation ended. There was no "should we talk to our legislature about this?" or "should we as a board consider pooling money from our resources or raising money to support full day Kindergarten?" Instead, the board shared their opinions and moved on to the next subject.

To make matters worse. The next subject of conversation was about spending $500,000 to replace all the windows at one of the local high schools. There was definitely some debate about this issue. Three board members explained that $500,000 was way too much money to simply spend on windows, especially when Kindergarten might be taking a financial hit in the next year. Other's explained that it would have to be done at some point anyway because the windows are currently letting in cold air, which increases heating costs within the school.

Overall, my experience at this board meeting can only be described as culture shock. The meeting was extremely formal. Board members sat around a desk, each displaying a nice black laptop right in front of their faces. The entire meeting they were writing and reading to each other. Their were microphones set up, which was good because I don't think they would have been able to hear each other without the microphones; they were all so soft-spoken. Each member also had a specific position and duty which was clearly met. The secretary seemed to be taking the most extensive notes. The vice president always gave the first motion. The secretary would remind the president when she would forget a formality such as a motion by the vice president. They all had their duties and followed them rigidly. I am not used to this type of meeting. I am used to a committee coming together over coffee and having a free discussion about what should be done. There might be shouting, talking out of turn and not a ton of note taking.

After watching this board meeting I see both positives and negatives to how this effects education. This process seems to prevent actions from being decided quickly. This can be good and bad. If a scenario is presented to the board that would effect whether or not a school is shut down and the decision is not made quickly enough, the school would be shut down. However, the good thing about how this system works is it allows plenty of time for board members to think individually and then to present their opinions to each other in a small debate format. If the board is not ready to make a final decision, it is motioned to bring up the issue at the next board meeting and is saved for a later date. Thus, taking time allows the board to make a more informed decision.

I see that as a teacher I will have to work with these board members. I may not be able to expect quick results if I run an idea by the board. In fact, I may have to wait several weeks or months before a decision is made. However, I know this is simply because the board is careful in making decisions. They want to do what is best while at the same time being economically and financially sound. They have tough decisions to make and I would rather they take their time to make a well thought-out decision rather then quickly making one they did not consider thoroughly. There are many challenges to being a board. They have obligations to the state, they have limited funds and they are trying to do what is best for many schools, not just one.

Life Lessons from an Ex-Black Panther

I recently received the opportunity to hear Ex-Black Panther Angela Davis speak in a small public meeting in Michigan. As a small introduction, Angela Davis is and was a political activist, professor, author and a symbol for the black liberation movement of the 60's and 70's.

As soon as she began speaking it became obvious that Angela Davis was used to speaking to motivate her audiences. Almost immediately she had me feeling a tad uncomfortable and already questioning myself as a culturally diverse and accepting individual. She began by looking out at all the people present and simply asked "What color is my skin?" As I glanced around at the others around me, I discovered that there were about 70% whites, 7% Latinos and 23% African Americans in the audience. It was a really interesting moment. I saw many of the White individuals afraid to say the answer. They looked down, seemingly every single one of them was too uncomfortable to respond. However, the Latinos and African Americans looked up and seeming very proud stated "Black!" It was a cheer. It was an affirmation of skin color. So, why did the Whites in the audience feel so uncomfortable? I know that I personally felt afraid to respond. As a person who tries to be consciously politically correct around many issues, I found myself afraid that if I said "Black" it would somehow come out as offensive. I realized quickly that it was not. It was a source of pride to Ms. Davis. She was proud of her skin color and wanted everyone in the audience to know this. So, why was I so uncomfortable? Perhaps it is the huge history that surrounds how African Americans have been oppressed by whites. I was afraid by saying the word "black" I might offend someone. Really, I feel as if I should have been confident enough to shout "black" as a compliment. Because that's what it was, and that's what it should be --an acknowledgement and compliment to someone. Angela Davis immediately made me uncomfortable to point out the fact that it is a good thing to be Black, Latino, and Red, and Americans should be more than willing to encourage others to be proud of their image. Thus, I should not have been afraid to cheer for Ms. Davis' skin color.

The next question Ms. Davis asked pertained significantly to how education works here in the United States. She first asked "Who studied the KKK in school, or at least learned what it was?" Every single member of the audience raised their hand in response. Next, she asked "Who studied or learned about the Black Panthers?" About 4-5 members of the audience raised their hands to this one. It was a sad moment. While, many associate the KKK and the Black Panthers as horrible organizations, is it still some sort of sign that the KKK is taught in schools, but the Black Panthers aren't? Angela Davis spent a lot of her time glorifying the views she had throughout her life -- why she became a member of the Black Panthers and how she believed it was a huge part of the civil rights movement and has helped African Americans come to where they are today.

Personally, I continue to reflect on Ms. Davis' point about education. Many associate the Black Panthers as a negative organization. This makes me wonder, is this why it is not portrayed in text books? Is it some sort of conscious effort on the part of Whites to prevent a negative image of the Blacks to make it into a textbook? Granted, there may have been benefits to the organization, as Ms. Davis pointed out, but there were also negative aspects. Shouldn't we be taught in schools about both the good and bad no matter which race it applies to? When we are studying the KKK it would make sense to also study the Black Panthers. To discuss why each group was formed, how they countered each other and the impact each one had on our country as a whole. It seems a racist tendency to leave it out of textbooks or curriculum altogether because it shows a conscientious thought of how Blacks and Whites are different. However, Angela's point at the beginning comes back to me. I shouldn't be afraid. Everyone needs to embrace their past. The Germans study Hitler and discuss why he was good or bad for their country. Just the same, I believe our curriculum should not have holes, like leaving out information on the Black Panthers, because it is more racist then not discussing these issues. The makers of our textbooks may feel uncomfortable about publishing something negative about another race besides their own, but that in itself becomes a racist tendency. They should be telling American's the truth. We need to know the truth about our history, our ancestors, our roots, and all the events and organizations that have had both a positive and negative impact on the United States.

I learned a lot from Ms. Davis. I realized that many times I simply allow myself to be uncomfortable in certain situations and that tends to me more racist than the other option. For example, me being afraid to shout "black" at the beginning of the lecture seemed more racist then if I had shouted it. It is a compliment that we are different from each other. We are made to be unique and skin color is a part of this uniqueness. We should embrace each others' personality differences, height differences, food choice differences and even skin color differences. Fear of acknowledging these differences is simply a way of perpetuating racism.

Based on what I learned from Ms. Davis I believe it is best to constantly challenge my students notions of stereotypes and classifications. We should openly discuss important issues of race. It is a discussion that will ultimately help us to overcome racism, rather than simply ignoring it and pretending everything is okay.

Weaknesses

As explained in the "Strengths" blog, Grant and Gillette claim there are ten main actions that all teachers need to experience to be effective teachers. Unfortunately, I have to admit there are two categories in which I have no experience up to this point in my life. They are subjects that are undoubtedly important for all teachers; however, they are categories I have not given much though to in the past. These two actions include "Develop ways to 'recharge your battery'" and "Practice Democratic Principles."

I would like to think I have developed ways of "recharging my battery" during my four years of my undergraduate programs. Unfortunately, I cannot think of specific experiences. There are not specific activities I like to do to relax, there are not places I go to build my confidence or to think. I am an impulsive person and tend to do what I feel is best in the moment. If I am working on a large paper and find myself frustrated there's no telling which activity I would choose to give myself a break. Sometimes I found myself visiting a few good friends. Others, I found myself on a nice long solo walk (so long as it wasn't too cold outside). If the paper was particular frustrating, I might also suddenly find a bowl mint chocolate chip ice cream in my hands as I turn on one of my favorite television shows or movies. Roller blading was always a good option, as well as taking a nice dip in the pool or hot tub. Basically, I have lots of ways of "recharging my batteries" but they are unpredictable even to myself. I have not had much experience choosing one specific activity that always makes me feel better; however, there is a chance that playing roller hockey might be this activity. This will probably be determined in the next couple months.

Next, I look at "Practice Democratic Principles." I have grown up in a family that has a strong military tradition. Every generation in my family has had at least two people in some branch of the U.S. Army. In fact, before making the decision to attend Goshen College, I heavily considered joining the Air Force as a videographer/photographer. My uncle is currently a member of the Air Force. I spent a week touring the facilities, speaking to commanders and interviewing members to determine if the Air Force was the right choice for me. Eventually, I let indecision make my decision. I took a year off rather than joining the Air Force and during that time I found, and fell in love with, Goshen College. That was the only reason I knew the Air Force was not right for me.

Even though I did not go into the Air Force, I am still a Patriot. A term that many times conflicts with the views of Goshen College (a pacifist orientated college) and a good majority of it's students. Just after I started at Goshen College my Uncle was sent to Iraq to fight in the current war. Two days later I was sitting in a chapel at Goshen College, listening to a speaker tell those in attendance that anyone fighting for our country in this war were ignorant. He explained that we needed Peace soldiers. They would take the place of war soldiers and would talk to those in Iraq instead of fire guns at them. An anger blared inside me. I do not approve of the war we are currently in, but I couldn't help but ask this man "What happens if your peace soldiers get shot at? What happens if they are treated meanly? Are they really going to walk in and just take as many bullets as it takes until there is peace?"

I support my country. I support my family. I support my uncle. As a teacher, I will not force military ideals on students; after all, I chose not to go into the military. But, I want to make my students aware of the world around them. I want them to see a war and the soldiers and decide how they feel about it as individuals, rather than being told how they "should" feel. I want them to become political citizens. I will encourage questioning and reasoning so that students do not continue to vote blindly like many Americans in our society do today. I want students to think critically and apply that to how this country is run. They can chose to respect the president, the war, our soldiers, but what they really need to learn is the democratic principal of freedom of speech. Everyone can believe what they want but what we really need to do is respect each other's personal views and choices. These are the main Democratic Principles I believe all students need to learn and I will do my best to teach these principles. No one should have to feel the anger I felt the day my Uncle, as well as many members of my family, was called ignorant.

Strengths

I just began taking collegiate education courses a little over two months ago. I am nowhere near ready to jump into full time teaching and have not yet had the full experiences I hope to have before I do have my own classroom. However, I believe that upon entering the teaching field I come with a few strengths that can only grow stronger in the upcoming years. According to Grant and Gillette there are 10 main actions that all teachers need to experience in order to become more effective teachers. I believe I come to the table with major strengths in two main categories: "Get experience with all types of learners and their families," as well as “Volunteer in, or join, an organization; get involved in a group comprised of people who are significantly different than you.”

1. "Get Experience with all Types of Learners and Their Families:"

As seen in "The Journey Begins" blog post, I spent two years working at a local Boys and Girls Club. I know I was able to work with many different types of students through this experience. Including students with ADHD, Auspergers Disease, students who are poverty stricken, as well as students who come from very traditional middle class homes. I also gained experience working with autistic children due to the fact that two of my three nephews have autism.

I remember the fist time I really understood how autism effected my oldest nephew. He loved meeting new people and definitely loved talking to people he had just met. However, one day my family threw a big Easter party. My nephew knew absolutely everyone at the party - he had met them before, but as soon as the first group of party-goers arrived my nephew ran to the back bedroom and began crying. I followed him. I sat down next to him and asked "what's wrong?" I was absolutely shocked when he said "there are too many people." At first I wanted to just say "but you love talking to people," but for some reason I knew this would not be the best way to respond. So, I sat there in silence for a minute or two while my nephew kept mumbling "too many, I'm scared," under his breath. Finally, I looked at my nephew and asked "are you scared of Uncle Ted?" He said no. So, I asked "Are you scared of Aunt Julie?" He said no. I went through every name at the party and he responded "no" to each one. At the end I looked at him and said "so what are you scared of?" He stopped for a minute, thinking. Then looked at me and said "nothing" in an excited voice. Before I could say anything else, my nephew had jumped up and ran into the living room. He immediately started singing and telling jokes to everyone he could find. He was the life of the party.

My Nephew Andrew (age 6) and Myself.

It was this particular experience with my nephew that helped me realize everyone needs something different. He needed someone to talk him through the situation. He needed a little guidance to help overcome his fear. It was on this day, that I began to think about how each of my students at the Boys and Girls Club also needed different things. Some needed to be talked to in a nice, calm manner. While, others really needed someone to be strict with them before they were willing to follow the rules or do their work. All students are different. All I have to do is figure out how to reach each one individually.

2. Volunteer in, or join, an organization; get involved in a group comprised of people who are significantly different than you:

Over the past two years I have participated in several different volunteer organizations including Americorps, The Boys and Girls Club, and independently volunteered as a teacher and drama director for three months in Lima, Peru. I am also currently a member of the National Council of Teacher's of English.

During my three months in Peru is when I first began to think about teaching as a potential career. I went to Peru expecting to provide some theatrical voluntary services. Within a few weeks, I found myself teaching English, Art and Drama in a small public elementary school right in Lima. I even led an after-school drama club for any students who wished to remain.

I remember being frightened of teaching Drama in Spanish. I knew a great deal of theatrical warm-up games, I had great lesson ideas and knew of great ways to implement them. But this time everything was in Spanish. Could I really lead a typical English warm-up in Spanish? To my surprise it worked better than I would ever have imagined. One of my sixth grade classes immediately jumped into our first ad-lib activity and created stories based on "a day in the life of a Lima student." They had so much energy and were also excited and extremely creative. Typically, this same level in the United States would need more prodding before they would jump into such a risky activity. It was truly one of the best experiences to see how happy drama made these students and how creative they could be. They were so creative, the school decided to make a special public viewing of the plays we practiced.

I love volunteering to work with children. Through my time in Peru, as well as my time with Americorps and the Boys and Girls Club, I find myself hoping that within 5-10 years I can spend a year or two serving students who need good teachers in South America. I would love to go back to Peru or visit another South American country in order to spend more time experiencing South American school systems and helping students to develop both intellectually and creatively.

(Right) 3rd grade Drama Club rehearsal at Senor De Los Milagros Elementary, Lima, Peru.

(Bottom) My first grade Art class at Senor De Los Milagros Elementary.

The Journey Begins

There is one main goal at this point in my life – to help students learn. Now, I could sit here and tell you all the experiences in my life that have already helped to prepare me to be a teacher. However, I know these experiences are not what creates a good teacher. They are simply a part of the whole. Grant and Gillette (2007) identify ten different actions teachers can do in order to become excellent educators. I know I am still far from being one of these excellent teachers, which means there are plenty of opportunities and experiences I can, and should, gain before entering the teaching profession.

The story begins two years ago when I was offered a theater internship at a local Boys and Girls Club. I was excited about the prospect of leading a drama troupe and was told to expect about fifteen sixth graders to participate. I was in for a surprise my first day of training. My boss walked up to me and said “Sarah, do you like little kids? It turns out we need you to be an activities leader for first and second grades.” When I didn’t respond to this comment my boss continued by saying “don’t worry, you’ll still be able to do drama club. The kids will love it.”

My first day, I was terrified. I had never worked with young children before. I do have nephews, but that’s different, they have to like me. I found myself walking into a room with 150 screaming children. They were asking to go to the bathroom, some were running around the room playing tag, and others were shouting “I win!” at the foosball table. I didn’t quite know what I had gotten myself into.

As time went on, my mentality began to change. I really loved spending three hours a day with these students. They would draw pictures for me and give me hugs when I walked into the room. I found it easy to start up conversations – and real conversations, not silly superficial ones such as “how was school today” which always received the simple “boring” or “okay” response. We talked about life at home. Actual homework trouble, how to handle issues with siblings and we even discussed our favorite books, games and television shows.

Everyday, I walked into the club knowing these students would make me smile and laugh. On some level, I believe my initial infatuation with this job was the personal satisfaction I received. Students actually looked up to me. After those first couple of weeks though, I also began to discover the disappointment and hardship that came along with this job. One day, one student entered the room wearing his typical tennis shoes – only he had duck tape wrapped around the toes. All the other students were making fun of him and saying “why don’t you just buy new shoes?” My heart broke a little. I knew this boy’s parents, and I knew his father had just been laid off at work. Just two weeks later, a little girl walked into the room crying. She gave me hug and told me I was the only friend she had ever had. Finally, the biggest challenge, and heartbreak of all --A new girl arrived to the Boys and Girls club. Her name was Deja and she was the smartest and happiest little girl I have ever met. She loved meeting new people and wasn’t afraid to walk up to others. Deja was a dwarf. Many other students made fun of her before they got to know her. They never even gave Deja a chance, even though she had a great personality. It was these situations that changed my view of my job. No longer did I arrive to find personal satisfaction. It wasn’t about me at all. It was about the students. I was there to be friends with the little girl who had no others. I was there to help the student with duck tape around his shoe feel welcomed, loved and important. I was there to show a dwarf that she could win in relay races so long as she worked hard and never gave up. In the end, when these students felt better, I felt better. But I know now that it was always about them and never about me.

It is because of the many different students and challenges I worked with at the Boys and Girls Club that I believe I have experience with a variety of learners and their families. I experienced first hand how students learn to socialize, how they learn rules and how they learn to overcome the challenges in their own lives. I also got to see how a parent’s attitude towards education effected a student's beliefs about school. It is because of this experience that I want to be a teacher.

(Left) Pajama day at the Boys and Girls Club of Goshen, Indiana.

(Right) Boys Game Night

Introduction

To this point in my life, I have had many different experiences. In fact, I have undergone so many different experiences that I have found myself wondering where they will take me in my lifetime. Originally, I wanted to be a public speaker. Over time, I morphed into an English loving theater nerd who spent all of my spare time memorizing lines, designing sets, and trying to write my own theatrical plays. I believe everything in my life has happened for a reason. This includes my newly found desire to become a secondary educator.

Due to the fact that teaching is a relatively new goal in my personal and professional development, I believe it is wise to reflect on what experiences, up to this point in my life, have prepared me to be a diverse and effective teacher. As time continues, I will gain more and more insight into the teaching field that will help to shape the teacher that I ultimately become. This blog is where I will explore who I am now, the experiences I will undergo in many diverse subjects in the coming year, and how these new experiences will play a role in my future classrooms.