A New Normal

 

Today I was helping a small group of kids find the answers to simple questions. Answers which were contained in a short arrangement of events which were laid out in sequence.  I made a huge effort to be deliberately thorough. In fact, I stopped long enough to clear up what I thought might be some confusion between the word 'sequence' (which was the theme of the lesson) and 'sequins' ...the shiny metallic discs which dominated so much of Liberace's tasteful wardrobe. I figured when you're dealing with 11-year olds who are shocked to learn that early cavemen didn't use the English alphabet to communicate, it might be wise to begin looking for possible pitfalls in anticipating other kinds of word comprehension.

Turns out, nobody knew what a sequin was in the first place and my explanation only served to intensify the flummoxed expressions on the faces of everyone at the table.

My bad.

The school where I work has the lowest reading scores in the entire district. This is the absolute rock bottom in terms of literacy, but a child's few hours of weekly exposure to overwhelmed, underpaid, and overworked teachers cannot possibly counterract the negative impact of a home where the importance of education, discipline, self-respect as well as respect for others are nothing more than humorous urban myths. Every morning that I arrive I see kids who are still being dropped off for school 30 minutes late. This morning a child was sent to the office from a class taking benchmark exams with a teacher's request for 20 pencils...because there were none in the class and no children had one in and amongst their supplies.

The teachers whom I've been hired (by the principal) to assist have little idea how to use me. I've received a great deal of support from the Special Education teacher and her tutor, but I sense resentment among the teachers whose students are doing so poorly and I'm beginning to think that my presence isn't viewed so much as another experienced hand on deck as it is a reflection of their failure to do right by these kids. As if I've been brought in to clean up the mess that's been made. Nothing could be further from the truth.

What I'm seeing is the culmination of years of this country's indifference toward the plight of the public school. Fewer funds for core classes and enrichment programs like music and art, staff and faculty cuts (many elementary librarians serve TWO elementary schools at the same time), overcrowded classrooms, low pay for teachers as well as the expectation that they serve dual roles as police officer,counselor, and parents-by proxy for those who simply can't be bothered to check their kid's homework or read to them at night.

How could anyone judge these teachers? Certainly not me.

I keep waiting for Edward James Olmos to stroll in and bring us one of those "Stand and Deliver" moments that are so inspiring. Or to see Jon Voight's "Conrack" bring the class to rapt attention with his thoughts on Beethoven, but so far? Not happening. In the meantime, I'll pull out my dictionary and recheck the definition of the word "normal". Because the one I showed up with last week just doesn't seem to apply here.

Comments

[Hilary]

That's distressing to hear. I've spent a lot of time getting to understand the school system when my kids were in elementary school... helping out in classrooms, coordinating fund raisers.. etc. In that process, I came to know, understand and respect the difficulties that the teachers encounter with some families.

The difference here, was that teaching assistants were very highly valued by the teachers. I suppose the ratio of kids with whom teachers were effective was high enough that they were more secure in their own abilities.

The school policy was that teaching was a partnership between teachers and parents. I took that very seriously. Sadly, it's very difficult to get through to the parents that do not.

I have no doubt that you'll make a difference though.

[Wendy]

My motto when I'm in similar situations* is to remember that if JUST ONE person is helped then I made a difference.

*I was a part of a self-help parent support group for many years & sometimes I was so frustrated with parents who couldn't do right by their kids that I wanted to get in their face & scream "Do you want them to be dead/in prison/an addict/living off you" but instead I thought about those parents who I saw growing & gaining strength & working through the tough times. Hang in there!

[Janet]

The schools here are in the same predicament. We are in the list of the 50 poorest counties in the nation. Hungry kids have trouble learning. And parents who actually did get an education and still can't find jobs here are questioning the validity.
My BIL found this video from Tom Chapin (possibly Harry's brother, but I haven't checked that out at all). It's funny, but also quite tragic. http://www.notonthetest.com/

[Jeanette]

Sorry to hear about your experience. My kids are in the district and what I have seen is that those kids will start failing to the point of no return in middle school. All the teachers are overwhelmed. Sometimes they have 170 different students a day. By high school they have dropped out. That's why we have a 45% drop out rate. My daughter's class in 9th grade had 475 students. The average graduating class at her school is 350.

I don't know how to fix it. It is too big for one person. So you just do what you can and hopefully you have an impact on those you encounter.

[Jenn @ Juggling LIfe]

I'm doing student teaching in a low-performing, 99% Hispanic, elementary school. The kids are amazing. The curriculum, however is mind-numbing and repetitive. Is there some rule that says you can only learn to speak English if the material is boring?!

Keep in mind that you're fighting the good fight.

[Green Girl]

Power to you! I'm rallying the forces in my hometown--unfortunately, here the power lies in the school board--middle-aged farmers who don't want to see their property taxes go up to pay for better schools. Can't complain, though, nobody runs against them so they have all the authority. The parents whose kids use the schools are too busy coaching youth soccer and running scout troops to run for school board and put new voices into the debate. I suspect we're not alone in this power vacuum.

[Michelle]

"...overwhelmed, underpaid, and overworked teachers cannot possibly counterract the negative impact of a home where the importance of education, discipline, self-respect as well as respect for others are nothing more than humorous urban myths."
Thank you! This is how teachers feel across the United States and yet it never gets discussed or even said. You said it well.

[Jay]

Maybe you also need a principal like Joe Clark in "Lean on Me?"

Okay, I have a question for you .. Do the quotes in the above comment go inside or outside of the question mark? It looks funny both ways.

[Jennifer H]

Seems like a lot of children are being left behind. In George Bush's home state, no less.

They're lucky to have you as an advocate.

[mamatulip]

Times have changed, haven't they?

It's disturbing.

(But. I can't bring myself not to mention the Liberace quip. Brilliant.)

[Prof. J.]

Good Lord. I wish you strength, my apathetic (not) friend.

[clickmom]

I was a NYC school teacher for four years before having kids and it was an amazing to me that kids came to school at age 5 without ever having been read to. Sometimes it seemed like they had practically never been spoken to. To teach kids with those kinds of experiential deficits you have to go back to square one and just touch on all the things that you hope someone showed or told them about.

Unfortunately teaching kids at risk is about keeping the kids whole as much as it is teaching them. As a new and overwhelmed teacher I was often consoled by the school counselor who told me over and over again that it only takes one person to give a kid the drive to make their lives better. She assured me that I could be that person for my students. To be honest with you, I'd rather go back and teach the kids who need it the most than teach in my current affluent suburb.

[Tootsie Farklepants]

I was watching some program on TLC or the Discovery channel last night and it was about the sun and its storms. They (whoever they are, sun scientists of some sort) were launching a rocket to the sun. It cost over a BILLION dollars. I couldn't help but vomit out my confusion over cutting costs in education. Sometimes our priorities are so misplaced.

[Betty]

You only need to turn on television to the see the results of the "dumbing down" of America. How else can we explain the popularity of Reality TV?

[Nance]

Sigh. How did it all get this way? And do NOT get me, a public high school teacher, started on how much we pay athletes, rush to increase taxes to pay for stadiums and arenas, etc. but short-shrift public education and then bitch about the results but BLAME THE TEACHERS. Ooops. I got MYSELF started.

[Kelly]

A sad, but spot-on post. Have you read Gwen, at Woman on the Verge? Her posts on her experience teaching in the inner city are entirely heartbreaking and maddening.

[Mary]

I hope you are keeping a journal. I believe that one good teacher can turn a child's life around. You may not see the impact you have on a child, but that's okay. You do have an impact.

[Cheri]

I think I've said this before, but it bears repeating: Bless you for your work.

[BID]

That's a shame. Really, you do need some kind of permit to breed in this country.

My kids are so darn lucky.

[Julie Pippert]

I hope the figure out why you are there and how to benefit from it. All of them. Teachers and students.

But I agree with you which is why I am going to go away and weep now.

[Jozet at Halushki]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for all your hard work and dedication in a job that puts your heart and soul on the line every single day.

Thank you.

[Candance]

I'm in your Insane Clown Posse!!! I just came over here to tell you thanks so much for your comment. Then I started reading and the sequin thing cracked me up and there I was.

So, thank you for the comment and for putting me in your Insane Clown Posse! Now, off to read all your stuff.

[Jess]

I also want to thank you! You are doing an awesome, awesome service...since the ol' day job is writing grants for public schools, it's hard to shut me up once I get going on the topic of education funding...yeah, I'm a real barrel of monkeys at cocktail parties. :)

[Ortizzle]

You get what you pay for. This country doesn't pay teachers anywhere near what comparable professionals get paid, so it's bound to be a mixture of people really dedicated to the profession and others... and others, maybe not so much, with everyone just trying to cope. I teach in a private school, so I can't complain. I can only have admiration for those who work in public schools. And having to go in and clean up the mess while everyone casts, at best, a wary eye at you? A.B., you deserve a medal. (With sequins on it.)

[J]

How depressing, and even worse, not at all surprising. I'm so sorry and I wish you the best of luck there.