The Sacred Profession

“Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up for work.” – Chuck Close

I came across this quote from the renowned painter in an article about increasing focus on art in schools. Call me a slightly-bitter/neglected social studies teacher but I always roll my eyes when I hear about a new STEM initiative. Students love the humanities and to divorce children from the arts, literature and their history is to raise little monsters that have nothing to talk about at parties, nothing to think about in lonely moments, and ultimately nothing to nourish their immortal souls. It is definitively dehumanizing.

Tirade aside, this quote got me thinking about what great teaching often looks like. It isn’t about having a really amazing lesson once a week or even a mind-blowingly-awesome lesson once in a while but good teaching is steady growth for each student over the course of a school year. It is a marathon not a sprint, as they say. Good teachers often feel uninspired and really strong lessons can look fairly pedestrian but it is not about the show. Professional teachers, like professional artists, “just show up for work.”

One of my teaching mantras is this: each child has unlimited potential. I am not the judge of my students’ potential, I am the enabler. I like to come back after the holiday break and tell students that no one, including themselves, knows what they are capable of doing. I usually teach a mini lesson on someone like Helen Keller or Nelson Mandela who defied the odds and accomplished seemingly super-human feats.

We form a self-image at an early age and typically by upper elementary labels either from peers or teachers – like “smart” or “shy” or “lazy” – have become a part of our identity. As a white woman from a middle class suburban upbringing, I have to actively monitor the way I perceive students of color from low income backgrounds. It is easy to let stereotypes from the media or my own experience lead me to make unconscious judgements about students’ abilities simply because of how they are dressed or how they speak. This is even more complicated when students, because of failing school systems, are years behind in basic academics. In my class I post a sign that reads “You Have More” – it is intended to be a reminder for everyone. I finished Mindset by Carol Dweck over the holiday break (review coming!) and realized the approach I teach in my classroom is what she calls a “growth” mindset and is one of the keys to success in any endeavor.

So this brings me to Isaac Vargas. I taught Isaac two years ago as a senior (and a Sophomore and Junior actually) and know him fairly well. He is a steady student, always polite and soft spoken. When I saw this news story it totally, completely blew my mind. A carjacker held Isaac up at gun point and the mild, shy, kind-of-skinny Isaac noticed the gun was unloaded and proceeded to fight off the attacker and then hold him down until the cops arrived. If you have 2 minutes, go to the website and watch the new’s report (here) because seeing Isaac tell the story is so great. We do not know what is inside of us . . .

I watched this clip thinking “Wow, I had NO idea this was in Isaac!” My husband, who was his soccer coach, called him Isaac Bourne. No kidding. Isaac’s story is a good reminder to be open to possibility and potential in our students’ academics. None of us know the limits of our own or our students’ potential.

How do you maintain belief in your students’ potential? How do you keep from judging your students? I would love to hear tips or ideas!

Me and my former students from last year who returned from college to receive their IB Diplomas today at IDEA – so proud!

Happy 2013! I have been enjoying a lengthy holiday break here at the Sacred Profession but am excited to get back into the swing of things with daily (or at least, attempted daily) postings. Today was a wonderful and inspirational day as I spent almost the entire day catching up with former students. One of the advantages of teaching secondary students is getting to see a quicker return on your investment. I have struggled over the past few weeks to be optimistic about the future of our country (or heck even humanity in general) but visiting with these remarkable young men and women today was like medicine for my soul. Despite the challenges our community faces here in the Rio Grande Valley, these kids tackled one of the most rigorous college preparatory curriculums in the world (the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program) and were successful. Now in college, they are working hard, volunteering, earning passing grades in challenging classes, holding down thankless jobs for much needed textbook money, and generally kicking butt. I am so proud.

I was particularly proud to see so many of these college students come early to help tutor current high school seniors in Jenny Corroy’s IB English class. Many of them showed up as early as 7:45am this morning in order to help out with Ms. Corroy’s first period! Alumni are such a powerful – and often untapped – resource in our schools. It was amazing to watch the intensity and energy level in these student-to-student sessions.

At the end of each class, Ms. Corroy thanked the alumni and pointed out how they were beginning to give back to a community that invested so much in them. She also charged her current students to plan on coming back this time next year to tutor next years students. It reminded me of the quote:

“If you have come to help me, then you are wasting your time…But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine then let us work together.” – Lila Watson

The more we can empower our students with a “give”, rather than a “take” or “receive,” mentality the more we work to build healthy, sustainable communities. This is often a difficult task but after visiting with my former students today I was inspired to move into 2013 looking for ways to work along side my students rather than always at the front of the room.

Happy New Year!

On the one hand the holidays are “the most wonderful time of the year,” on the other hand I cannot think of a more slow, dragging, excruciating chunk of weeks in the school calendar than the weeks between Thanksgiving and the winter break. With just a few low-effort tweeks you can keep the cold out and bring in the cheer for your students (I’m riding the cheese-ball today folks!). Here are my ideas for making your classroom a little more jolly:

• Keep the season open to everyone: Inclusive language is much more than simple political correctness for teachers; it is the cornerstone of a safe classroom. It takes a conscious effort on my part to say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” but it makes a big difference to my students who come from other faith traditions. 
• You cannot have too many twinkle lights: The are cheap and so pretty; get a couple of boxes and line your bulletin board, encircle your white board or classroom door, and put a few around your window.
• During work time, play the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack: This recording is perfect for the classroom because it is largely instrumental, not overtly religious, and so, so, so good. Every year students ask what I’m playing or, if they know it, are super excited I have it on. It’s up beat and classic. I love it. I am listening to it right now . . .
• Get a Santa Clause hat and/or beard. Wear it non-stop and without apology: This will make students smile every time they look at you. Alternately, get a one of those flashing light necklaces for a less hard-core-holiday look. “Come on Abby,” you say, “If I do this, the kids won’t take me seriously!” On the contrary colleague, my experience with dressing up is that students appreciate and respect the effort you are putting in to your job and reciprocate in kind. If you do this, please send me a picture.
• Give your students the gift of cheap candy paired with meaningful words: I like to buy a couple of bags of holiday candy (Not candy canes because who actually likes those? I’m talking Snickers.) and either 1) write a Holiday letter that highlights fun times in your class since the beginning of the year and then make a copy for each kid. Don’t forget to write a quick personal note on each student’s letter. Then attach a piece of candy to the letter and hand them out before the break. Or 2) during group or independent work call up students one by one. Hand them a piece of candy, look them in the eye, and tell them why you are thankful they are in your class. I like to quickly jot a word or two for each student before I do this so that when I am looking at the student the words come quickly and easily. I have had students tell me that this gesture was one of the most significant and meaningful things I did in my classroom.
• Focus on the giving part and avoid the getting: Planning a classroom party? How much more meaningful would it be to set up a volunteer experience? Pick up trash, collect cans for a local shelter and then deliver them, or write letters to soldiers stationed away from their families. There are so many programs designed to make this experience really easy to execute – do a quick search online.

How do you celebrate the holidays in your classroom?

“Definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful.” In case you need some inspiration on this cool Tuesday to continue soldiering on in our sacred profession. The holidays are almost here – hang in there!

Few things are as important for teachers as working with an effective team. It is this simple: if you love and get along with your blessedly competent colleagues you will be a happy teacher. The students can be unruly and the parents crazy but if you are on a strong team of teachers you can do anything. In my experience, great teams do not just happen. There is a great article on Edutopia about facilitating teacher teams which breaks down team management into three domains: planning, running an effective meeting, and navigating team dynamics. I highly recommend the read!

Any tips for working with your team teachers?

Last night I went to the memorial service for a teacher my husband and I worked with for five years. Monica Castellano, or Ms. Rupard, was only 31 when she lost her fight against breast cancer. The room was absolutely packed with family, friends, other teachers, and student after student after student. Her former students lined the walls and waited outside. They wept openly and performed musical tributes. We watched in a reverenced awe as her husband, also a teacher, smiled broadly and told the room not to be sad. “All she wanted is for people to live up to their potential,” he said. “And so do what you have in you to do – for Monica.”

Colleagues, last night I was reminded again of the sacred nature of our profession. Monica’s life made a difference. Students are deeply impacted by the loss of a teacher and as I looked around the room I could see grief as well as a renewed sense of urgency in their desire to succeed. “It really makes me want to do something with my life,” one student said to me later, “I feel like I owe it to her.”

Monica’s service also reaffirmed the essential goodness of our profession – teachers are doing good in this world. Life is short but teaching is one heck of a great way to make a difference with the time we have. So be encouraged y’all . . . we’re doing good work. “Do what you have in you to do.”

One of my colleagues passed along this YouTube video of a dance Monica helped choreograph and perform. In it you can hear the kids chanting “Rupard! Rupard! Rupard!”