Aretha Franklin said it best....

Since I am a history teacher, I am deeply interested in this political cycle. As citizens, we want our elected officials to work for us. We want our representatives to hear our concerns and do what is best for us. When we feel that our elected representatives are no longer listening to us, we begin to see it as "them" vs. "us". This "them" vs. "us" relationship doesn't always allow for healthy communication and cooperation. We feel like nothing is accomplished. We feel like decisions aren't made with the people in mind. We feel forgotten when we should be the focus.

Is that how our kids see us? Shouldn't our kids expect the same from their teachers as we expect from our elected representatives?

As teachers, we have to consider who our constituents are. We need to consider where our kids go after school. I grew up with a mom who was home when I got home from school. We could sit down and have an after school snack while talking about the day. My husband was a lock and key kid. His mom came home later than he did. They would talk about the day while making dinner. I remember discussing our after school experiences once and realizing that each kid has a different story.....whether the experience is good, bad, ugly, or just complicated....it is their experience. 

Our story is not their story. To assume anything different, is a disservice. 

When we create assignments or lessons, we have to keep in mind the reality of our students lives. Whether students have after school activities or family responsibilities, we have to remember to respect the time of our students. I don't want a student to miss out on a family dinner because they have to copy vocabulary words for my class. We ask a lot of kids while they are with us at school. We need to remember that just as we enjoy our time at home, so do our kids.

As a teacher, I want to create assignments that have some purpose so my students will hopefully see that when I ask them to complete an assignment, there is a reason. When students understand that teachers respect them, their time, and their reality.....we have a better working relationship. My students will tell you.....I have high standards and I'm not easy to please. I want their best. I want them to push themselves and grow to become the best person they can be. Sometimes I make their life difficult. Sometimes they don't like me.....and that's ok.

It is always my hope that my students see that I work for them. Am I always successful? Absolutely not. Do I have room for improvement? Yes (x100)! But as long as I remember who I work for, then at least I have that. 

Cement or Sand?

In my online class we are currently discussing the changes that must take place within education so we (teachers and schools) stay relatable and valuable. Several video links were posted that proposed thought provoking questions about how education might evolve. What struck a cord with me was a video post that compared the way a classroom was set up roughly one hundred years ago to a classroom today. It was very familiar......because the layout looked like my room. The physical placement of the desks and people were relatively the same....granted, our fashion has evolved.

I am a history teacher so I like to feel a sense of connection to the past. But, do I want to keep churning through each school year like they did in Indiana when the term frontier applied?

The following prompt was suggested on my online class:
How could you adapt or change one of your current class/course policies to reflect a moving mindset you are willing to make? Why or why not?

Well.....good question. My initial response: um, I'm not sure.

When my students get stuck on a question, I tell them to break it down and examine what is really being asked before you try to find an answer. Dissect the question and then decide. After changing my perspective, I shifted my focus from "changing a current policy" to something much deeper. 

Do I have a "moving mindset"? Am I standing in cement or sand? 

When I was in college, I thought that the "reflection" portion of lesson planning or curriculum planning was of the least importance. Reality check: I was wrong. Since I am in many ways a creature of habit, I used to think that one I found "what worked", my teaching style would be set. But reflection and adaption are crucial to staying relevant. What works for one class, doesn't always work for another. Paraphrasing my educational mentor, we have to remember to teach the kids we have.....not the kids we used to have. 

There are basic fundamental policies of the classroom that I believe in. I am a big fan of productivity, manners, respect, and effort. But each year is different. The kids are different. So we have to be different.

Sometimes I teach history. Sometimes I teach manners. Sometimes I teach organization.

But I always teach my kids. 

The delivery of the subject, lesson, and policy must have the potential to be fluid and changing.  But the dedication to try my best to positively teach them is cemented within me because policy can never overpower the vocation to teach. 

-enjoy the coffee-

Hannah