I love my job.
I love my job. I do'nt love the notes from parents:
"Dear Miss K:
I would like to express that I think your grading is drastic. First of all, with all due respect, I think his effort along deserves more than a 0. Secondly, he tried his best by looking up the information, organizing his page with lines and drawings, and then writing it out. I'm sorry, but this topic was not an easy topic to do, due to the fact that it's part of history and you cannot change the facts or the wording. I think these types of essays are a little hard for a 10 year old who is learning English and trying to put it into his own words. The information has to come from somewhere and writing out that information (the facts) is not stealing (she underlines those words). I think your wording is a little harsh, and I think he should be given the opportunity to do it over, not just be given a 0. Please forgive me for being upset, but his grades and his feelings and efforts matte to me."
This was all over the fact that my classes (both fifth and sixth), as a part of their weekly homework and outside of class activities have to research a given topic and construct a one page (5th or 2 pages for 6th) essay. The topic ties in to what we're covering in class...for example, they've researched topics like the Oregon Trail, Mexican holidays (during Independence Day), cultural traditions, etc. We've had the discussion that goes: "Who knows about plagairism? You cannot go to the internet, download a page, and give it to me. Why is that not okay? (we don't learn, it's stealing, etc.) Yes. It's stealing because someone else took time to construct that page or information and you are giving me that paper as though it were your own....with your name on it. Also, if I wanted to know about something from a professional or scholar on the subject, I could do my own research. The point is for you guys to critically think through things and write your ideas on what you find out. I do'nt expect perfection (and I certainly don't grade solely on that....my lowest levels receive as high or higher grades than those who are native speakers...i completely go off of personal ability and use a grading criteria so that it's fair). Therefore, I want to see YOUR work and your work only."
The funniest thing about this particular letter is its timing. This kid has received straight 9-10's.....he's a fabulous writer...and more than that, he speaks and writes almost perfect ENglish. For that reason, it came as such a shock to me that I typed the first few lines of his essay into google...and discovered the entire Wikipedia article copied to his "lined" page. So I wrote on his paper: "This is copied from Wikipedia. Don't steal others' work. Yours is SOOOO much better. You're a FABULOUS writer- I like what YOU create." I gave it back to him with a zero on the top.
The thing is: this is the 6th week of essays. He's given me his own work every week...and more than that, we specifically had the conversation last week that thye could use all of the notes I gave them in class (becasue I downloaded pictures and information from the net, as well as hauling my laptop everyday so that they could have a more hands-on experience with visuals....as the Oregon Trail is not the most familiar topic to fifth grade Mexican students. For that reason, I gave them information on top of information and had the conversation about using that information to construct hte essay. Furthermore, they had to construct several "comprehension check" activities....
They had to paint their "parts of our class mural"...but completing the following: This week, I discovered....
Cowboys...
The most interesting thing this week was...
I couldn't believe....
And so on and so forth. So what I'm saying is that they had plenty of prep time to prepare their thoughts to construct the essay.
Furthermore, this kid, as mentioned, has never copied or had trouble creating his own stuff before...for that reason, it blew my mind that it happened....
Anyways...so I'll take the opportunity to go over all of this with her in a meeting that I've asked her to arrange with me...
I do love my job though. Today in fifth, I had three of my best English speakers copying each other's homework...and I was so proud when I asked them to come outside..and they all completely owned up to their mistake. There was no blame game. It was a straight up: I did that. It was wrong. I was so proud. I sent them to chat with my director...but they were very accepting and responsible about their behavior. It made me smile...all of the talks....all of the chats about stealing (such as the one mentioned above)...it paid off for those three.
Also, I started class with my sixth graders...and as I was checking homework, a few of them were throwing this molding clay they've been using in their science class. I looked at the primary culprit and said, "What happens if you throw the clay in the class?" Everyone chimed in with "report!"....that equals suspension, a phone call to parents for a meeting...and it's three strikes you're out...so only two remaining chances.
Anyways...finished checking...and I was making my way back to my desk, when, once again, he threw another clay ball. Mind you, I'd already written in his behavior log from last week about this issue....his parents had to sign it...and then again, I've given him a thousand warnings...and finally made it clear that I would follow the rules as set up in his Spanish class: report for throwing clay.
I asked him to step outside...and went looking for the Spanish teacher so that I could be sure as to the rules that have been established in the class....we had a long talk. He admitted his mistake. He chose to clean the entire salon (classroom)....and we had a serious heart-to-heart about what it means to be responsible and mature...to be a young MAN....I asked him if he has what it takes to protect others in his classroom...and to protect the feelings and time of the people that have to clean the room. He told me he didn't understand the question, so I called the cleaning lady over. I made him ask her about cleaning the room, about the time it takes, about what she has to do to scrape the clay off the floor, about what it feels like to have to clean up after the messes of other people...and bless his heart, the kid got tears in his eyes.
Then, as I returned to the class alongside him....I noticed that the others had continued throwing clay rather than obeying my directive to read the story from the reading book. Of course, I get there to the chimes of: "Miss K. I finished. I did it. I read. I...blah blah blah..." pure mentiras (lies).
I looked at them...and with the most serious tone and mirada (look) I could, I said...."if you had any part in throwing clay"...i was interrupted by the blamers and the accusers....i calmy and firmly said, "I do'nt want to hear anything about what anybody else did. You know in your heart if you had any part in throwing anything...and if so, stand up out of your chair right now...and pick up every piece of clay on the floor." WIth that, every single child stood up out of his or her seat...and began making a sweep of the room. Following, two of my most trouble-making boys (that have really had a turn-around...even completing HOMEWORK...God bless Mexico!) went over, got the broom and dustpan...and as a team, swept the room.
Emmanuel (the original castigado) gave me a thumbs-up and a huge smile. His justice had come. He was proud of what he'd done...and of the cooperation of his classmates.
We had a long talk in Spanish with their Spanish teacher AND the cleaning lady...about being responsible, mature, and learning to value others' time...and not take advantage of a service (cleaning) that is offered to them by adding to the workload that is NOT prescribed to the victims....it was cool to see their faces...they clicked.
We moved on about our business after several questions from them....and then I had them write letters to the custodian...half in English...and then translated in Spanish since she can't speak English. It was amazing to read their words. They really felt what had happened....it was a cool moment for me, as their care-taker, instructor....teacher.
Also, I got to have some serious talks with the counselor (psychologist) today.....as well as with my director. And it's like maybe I'm getting somewhere. Maybe I'm being understood....not that I haven't fought for it...but to be able to show that while introducing the selection on Rosa Parks....I tied in so much about Mexico's own history and experience with fighting for freedom against the Spaniards....
As well as just the cognition that has happened in the last week in our classroom. It blows my mind to read the papers they prepared for the mural....they had to finish statements like:
I saw....
Racism looks like...
Rosa Parks...
I couldn't believe....
The most interesting thing was...
I discovered....
Buses in Alabama....
And to read what they wrote...mind you, it's not perfect...and it's so badly phrased sometimes...but they GOT IT....they got the message that I was pushing for....I spent a whole day allowing them to watch a youtube video I found that is a tribute to the Civil Rights Movement...and I had them analyze the music used, the contrast of color and black and white....the references to Abraham Lincoln....the faces of the kids and why they were inserted as such...the motive of using only a HAPPY face for Rosa Parks' memories...the arrangement of the scenes from history.....motives of the Ku Klux Klan, as portrayed in the video....
That's stuff I learned in COLLEGE in my rhetoric of protestation movements class.....and my sixth grade students in MEXICO...got it! They understood. They processed it...they figured it out...and they let me know with their work for the mural and their participation in class discussions.
The stop sign as the background on one of their pages that says: Racism have to stop! was the moment of sheer joy and hope for me.
I love teaching. I love teaching because I can see when they GET IT. It has so much more to do than this language or that language...so much more to do than a story about a girl who rescues a bird or a man named Davy Crockett....or this curriculum or that one....when they see the value beyond what we're doing...when I'm able to mold them just slightly...into young adults who have purpose, healthy self-esteem, values, and core principles that they are willing to stick by.....that's what does it for me...
And it beats every battle I have to fight in order to get there.....it beats every frustrating parent conference...like the three I had yesterday...and the one where the mom flat out told me that English really wasn't a big deal. Their main focus was Spanish and that her son WOULD NOT be attending after-school tutoring....
No. The notes from my kids...that say things like: "Miss K...I couldn't believe what I was reading when I looked for this information about the Titanic. It must have been really scary to know that you and your kids were going to die on that boat. It made me really sad." Or when they give me hugs and flowers...and little notes that say "Tank you for yu class...."and then accompany that with a big smile...or the kid that just burst into tears today...and then came to me and buried his head against my chest....holding on for dear life...he wasn't afraid to...he did it right in front of the class...
And the little triumphs...like when the girl that won't talk to me even when she is standing looking at me face to face...RAISES her hand to VOLUNTEER information in front of the entire class....or the other one who comes to ask me if I think it's bad that she likes a boy....or the other one, whom I continually tease about stopping his drug use (since he's always in the clouds...)....he's the cutest kid in the world...and I love him to pieces....so it's become the joke now...but today I'm deep in the middle of instructions for something...and bless his heart...as though he had just landed from a long trip to another world, he pipes up: "Notebook??????" He hadn't heard another word I'd said...and that was the only thing he caught...so just in mid-sentence, he cuts me off...with the cutest look on his face, jumps out of his chair...and goes to his cubby. I couldn't help it. I DIED laughing. I put my head on my desk..and the others roared in laughter too. It was the funniest thing....it was one of those like you fall asleep in church and then jump up and start clapping or something during the altar call music becasue you want to pretend like nothing ever happened.
Yeah....I love my job. There are parts I hate...and there are things about the system that drive me crazy...but at the end of the day, after the millions of extra-curricular activities and battles....it's worth it. It's an amazing thing to be charged with the responsibility of investing in young people....to be privileged to be a part of their formation. I love my job. I really do.
"Dear Miss K:
I would like to express that I think your grading is drastic. First of all, with all due respect, I think his effort along deserves more than a 0. Secondly, he tried his best by looking up the information, organizing his page with lines and drawings, and then writing it out. I'm sorry, but this topic was not an easy topic to do, due to the fact that it's part of history and you cannot change the facts or the wording. I think these types of essays are a little hard for a 10 year old who is learning English and trying to put it into his own words. The information has to come from somewhere and writing out that information (the facts) is not stealing (she underlines those words). I think your wording is a little harsh, and I think he should be given the opportunity to do it over, not just be given a 0. Please forgive me for being upset, but his grades and his feelings and efforts matte to me."
This was all over the fact that my classes (both fifth and sixth), as a part of their weekly homework and outside of class activities have to research a given topic and construct a one page (5th or 2 pages for 6th) essay. The topic ties in to what we're covering in class...for example, they've researched topics like the Oregon Trail, Mexican holidays (during Independence Day), cultural traditions, etc. We've had the discussion that goes: "Who knows about plagairism? You cannot go to the internet, download a page, and give it to me. Why is that not okay? (we don't learn, it's stealing, etc.) Yes. It's stealing because someone else took time to construct that page or information and you are giving me that paper as though it were your own....with your name on it. Also, if I wanted to know about something from a professional or scholar on the subject, I could do my own research. The point is for you guys to critically think through things and write your ideas on what you find out. I do'nt expect perfection (and I certainly don't grade solely on that....my lowest levels receive as high or higher grades than those who are native speakers...i completely go off of personal ability and use a grading criteria so that it's fair). Therefore, I want to see YOUR work and your work only."
The funniest thing about this particular letter is its timing. This kid has received straight 9-10's.....he's a fabulous writer...and more than that, he speaks and writes almost perfect ENglish. For that reason, it came as such a shock to me that I typed the first few lines of his essay into google...and discovered the entire Wikipedia article copied to his "lined" page. So I wrote on his paper: "This is copied from Wikipedia. Don't steal others' work. Yours is SOOOO much better. You're a FABULOUS writer- I like what YOU create." I gave it back to him with a zero on the top.
The thing is: this is the 6th week of essays. He's given me his own work every week...and more than that, we specifically had the conversation last week that thye could use all of the notes I gave them in class (becasue I downloaded pictures and information from the net, as well as hauling my laptop everyday so that they could have a more hands-on experience with visuals....as the Oregon Trail is not the most familiar topic to fifth grade Mexican students. For that reason, I gave them information on top of information and had the conversation about using that information to construct hte essay. Furthermore, they had to construct several "comprehension check" activities....
They had to paint their "parts of our class mural"...but completing the following: This week, I discovered....
Cowboys...
The most interesting thing this week was...
I couldn't believe....
And so on and so forth. So what I'm saying is that they had plenty of prep time to prepare their thoughts to construct the essay.
Furthermore, this kid, as mentioned, has never copied or had trouble creating his own stuff before...for that reason, it blew my mind that it happened....
Anyways...so I'll take the opportunity to go over all of this with her in a meeting that I've asked her to arrange with me...
I do love my job though. Today in fifth, I had three of my best English speakers copying each other's homework...and I was so proud when I asked them to come outside..and they all completely owned up to their mistake. There was no blame game. It was a straight up: I did that. It was wrong. I was so proud. I sent them to chat with my director...but they were very accepting and responsible about their behavior. It made me smile...all of the talks....all of the chats about stealing (such as the one mentioned above)...it paid off for those three.
Also, I started class with my sixth graders...and as I was checking homework, a few of them were throwing this molding clay they've been using in their science class. I looked at the primary culprit and said, "What happens if you throw the clay in the class?" Everyone chimed in with "report!"....that equals suspension, a phone call to parents for a meeting...and it's three strikes you're out...so only two remaining chances.
Anyways...finished checking...and I was making my way back to my desk, when, once again, he threw another clay ball. Mind you, I'd already written in his behavior log from last week about this issue....his parents had to sign it...and then again, I've given him a thousand warnings...and finally made it clear that I would follow the rules as set up in his Spanish class: report for throwing clay.
I asked him to step outside...and went looking for the Spanish teacher so that I could be sure as to the rules that have been established in the class....we had a long talk. He admitted his mistake. He chose to clean the entire salon (classroom)....and we had a serious heart-to-heart about what it means to be responsible and mature...to be a young MAN....I asked him if he has what it takes to protect others in his classroom...and to protect the feelings and time of the people that have to clean the room. He told me he didn't understand the question, so I called the cleaning lady over. I made him ask her about cleaning the room, about the time it takes, about what she has to do to scrape the clay off the floor, about what it feels like to have to clean up after the messes of other people...and bless his heart, the kid got tears in his eyes.
Then, as I returned to the class alongside him....I noticed that the others had continued throwing clay rather than obeying my directive to read the story from the reading book. Of course, I get there to the chimes of: "Miss K. I finished. I did it. I read. I...blah blah blah..." pure mentiras (lies).
I looked at them...and with the most serious tone and mirada (look) I could, I said...."if you had any part in throwing clay"...i was interrupted by the blamers and the accusers....i calmy and firmly said, "I do'nt want to hear anything about what anybody else did. You know in your heart if you had any part in throwing anything...and if so, stand up out of your chair right now...and pick up every piece of clay on the floor." WIth that, every single child stood up out of his or her seat...and began making a sweep of the room. Following, two of my most trouble-making boys (that have really had a turn-around...even completing HOMEWORK...God bless Mexico!) went over, got the broom and dustpan...and as a team, swept the room.
Emmanuel (the original castigado) gave me a thumbs-up and a huge smile. His justice had come. He was proud of what he'd done...and of the cooperation of his classmates.
We had a long talk in Spanish with their Spanish teacher AND the cleaning lady...about being responsible, mature, and learning to value others' time...and not take advantage of a service (cleaning) that is offered to them by adding to the workload that is NOT prescribed to the victims....it was cool to see their faces...they clicked.
We moved on about our business after several questions from them....and then I had them write letters to the custodian...half in English...and then translated in Spanish since she can't speak English. It was amazing to read their words. They really felt what had happened....it was a cool moment for me, as their care-taker, instructor....teacher.
Also, I got to have some serious talks with the counselor (psychologist) today.....as well as with my director. And it's like maybe I'm getting somewhere. Maybe I'm being understood....not that I haven't fought for it...but to be able to show that while introducing the selection on Rosa Parks....I tied in so much about Mexico's own history and experience with fighting for freedom against the Spaniards....
As well as just the cognition that has happened in the last week in our classroom. It blows my mind to read the papers they prepared for the mural....they had to finish statements like:
I saw....
Racism looks like...
Rosa Parks...
I couldn't believe....
The most interesting thing was...
I discovered....
Buses in Alabama....
And to read what they wrote...mind you, it's not perfect...and it's so badly phrased sometimes...but they GOT IT....they got the message that I was pushing for....I spent a whole day allowing them to watch a youtube video I found that is a tribute to the Civil Rights Movement...and I had them analyze the music used, the contrast of color and black and white....the references to Abraham Lincoln....the faces of the kids and why they were inserted as such...the motive of using only a HAPPY face for Rosa Parks' memories...the arrangement of the scenes from history.....motives of the Ku Klux Klan, as portrayed in the video....
That's stuff I learned in COLLEGE in my rhetoric of protestation movements class.....and my sixth grade students in MEXICO...got it! They understood. They processed it...they figured it out...and they let me know with their work for the mural and their participation in class discussions.
The stop sign as the background on one of their pages that says: Racism have to stop! was the moment of sheer joy and hope for me.
I love teaching. I love teaching because I can see when they GET IT. It has so much more to do than this language or that language...so much more to do than a story about a girl who rescues a bird or a man named Davy Crockett....or this curriculum or that one....when they see the value beyond what we're doing...when I'm able to mold them just slightly...into young adults who have purpose, healthy self-esteem, values, and core principles that they are willing to stick by.....that's what does it for me...
And it beats every battle I have to fight in order to get there.....it beats every frustrating parent conference...like the three I had yesterday...and the one where the mom flat out told me that English really wasn't a big deal. Their main focus was Spanish and that her son WOULD NOT be attending after-school tutoring....
No. The notes from my kids...that say things like: "Miss K...I couldn't believe what I was reading when I looked for this information about the Titanic. It must have been really scary to know that you and your kids were going to die on that boat. It made me really sad." Or when they give me hugs and flowers...and little notes that say "Tank you for yu class...."and then accompany that with a big smile...or the kid that just burst into tears today...and then came to me and buried his head against my chest....holding on for dear life...he wasn't afraid to...he did it right in front of the class...
And the little triumphs...like when the girl that won't talk to me even when she is standing looking at me face to face...RAISES her hand to VOLUNTEER information in front of the entire class....or the other one who comes to ask me if I think it's bad that she likes a boy....or the other one, whom I continually tease about stopping his drug use (since he's always in the clouds...)....he's the cutest kid in the world...and I love him to pieces....so it's become the joke now...but today I'm deep in the middle of instructions for something...and bless his heart...as though he had just landed from a long trip to another world, he pipes up: "Notebook??????" He hadn't heard another word I'd said...and that was the only thing he caught...so just in mid-sentence, he cuts me off...with the cutest look on his face, jumps out of his chair...and goes to his cubby. I couldn't help it. I DIED laughing. I put my head on my desk..and the others roared in laughter too. It was the funniest thing....it was one of those like you fall asleep in church and then jump up and start clapping or something during the altar call music becasue you want to pretend like nothing ever happened.
Yeah....I love my job. There are parts I hate...and there are things about the system that drive me crazy...but at the end of the day, after the millions of extra-curricular activities and battles....it's worth it. It's an amazing thing to be charged with the responsibility of investing in young people....to be privileged to be a part of their formation. I love my job. I really do.
posted by Courtney @ 3:18 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home