I realize it's been awhile since I last posted. Also, I chose to change the URL to this blog to make it more difficult for my students to find it since I'm sure many posts will be about them, but with changed names, of course! I haven't posted lately because I've been too busy having emotional breakdowns about the fact that I'm an "adult" now. I'll be honest- I HATE transitions (unless, of course, they're blended beautifully in a student's paper...get it?). Change is a huge trigger for me, and let's just say I've reverted back to having the emotional maturity of a 16 year old, not a 22 year old, but, nobody's perfect, right? And thank the good Lord that my family and friends have patience. I'm really trying to trust God and am working on memorizing Scripture to combat the enemy's tactics of using my anxiety to get in my head and heart.
This has been a summer full of travelling around the southeast: Mexico Beach, Chattanooga, Athens, Lake Burton, Nashville, Chattanooga (again), and soon to Durham, NC to meet the latest member of the Rivard/Workmon/Theis/Lucas clan! I'm also literally up to my eyeballs in books, which I love, of course. Thanks to Allisa I have a very substantial classroom library, but I am sorting them by genre and making lists and all of the kinds of scaffolding that my 8th graders need. My mom is an angel and has been helping me sort them and hasn't once complained about the stacks and boxes of books constantly strewn across the family room floor (thanks, Mom!).
I'm at a very exciting and intimidating time in my life: I literally feel like I have the world at my feet. I'm happiest when I'm learning and planning for my classroom because I feel like it's something I'm good at, but then I spend a good 50% of my time thinking, "crap. Can I really do this?" Then there's the whole part where I've never lived anywhere other than a house or a residence hall, and to me being an adult means I'll have to buy my own toilet paper because I've. never. actually. done. that. I know, I know. Anyway, the whole point of this blog is to address the fact that EVERY PERSON I MEET is "entitled" to give their opinion on my chosen career. I'm constantly being asked, "What are you doing now?" Which I excitedly respond that I'll be teaching 8th grade Language Arts. Many people congratulate me for getting a job out of college or tell me they could never do that, etc. which is much appreciated; however, responding with, "Good luck with that." "Kids don't care about school." "Parents aren't involved." "Kids expect technology to do things for them." and more. Let me ask you a question:
Is that really what you think of for the future of the world?
That they're lazy, arrogant, un-involved, easily influenced and manipulated, and a plethora of other demeaning adjectives? Also, I'm pretty sure my grandparents said the exact same thing about the generation coming after them, and what our parents said about us, and now what we're saying about them. NEWS FLASH: these will be the young people paying our social security (if it still exists), furthering the ideas for cures for cancer, AIDS, and more. These kids mean something to me. I see young minds eager for someone to believe in them, to tell them they're capable, that they mean something to me, and that, believe it or not, their opinions and the way they view the world matter to me, and to the world.
I know education reform is greatly needed, believe me, I'm aware. Obama's new plan to put millions into schools is giving money to schools that already have it. I'll be testing my students 50 out of the 180 days of school- that's almost a third of the school year! I'm already reading fine print in my contract and reading lists upon lists of things I "can't do" and ways that I "have to teach" something. Fortunately for me, I have a lot of freedom at my school, which further proves that God has provided abundantly for me. I know that reform is needed: we don't have enough teachers, money, and class sizes keep increasing. Ask me where reform starts and I say hire more teachers and cap class sizes at 18. Oh, and the people making decisions about education shouldn't be so far removed from the system, but actually have teaching experience in today's age. But I digress...
People often give me their opinions and then ask, "Why Language Arts? Why English?" Well, gee, now that you've completely belittled my livelihood and passion, let me break it down for you: LITERACY. "What did you say?" I didn't stutter: LITERACY, as in, the ability to read, write, and essentially function as a productive member in today's society. We degrade our kids for their "text" lingo, but thank goodness they're reading something. Just because our idea of reading involves pieces from the canon doesn't mean our kids don't read. That's how you hook them. They say they "don't read" and that "reading is stupid," but don't realize they read all day long! You want to get your driver's license? How do you think you will be able to drive unless you read road signs? You have to read a manual in the state of Georgia to even get your driving permit.
This idea of literacy opens a whole new can of worms in conversation. Then people tell me what I should do, as if I haven't just gotten a four year degree, student taught, received my certification, and been offered two teaching positions, and am not constantly seeking advice from veteran teachers and reading informational texts. "You should make them read all nonfiction" (barf); "You should make them write every day" (no, my kids will step into my class and NEVER write, what?!); "You should be super strict since you're so young" (I'm young, I had no idea that I was closer in age to my students than my coworkers!), and the list continues. Now, don't get me wrong, I am grateful that so many people are willing to offer advice, but I would never give my doctor advice on how to treat someone else's illness, or a tell a surgeon where s/he should cut, or tell a construction worker how to fix the road I'm driving on, or inform an accountant on how to do my taxes. I can't teach my kids by constantly shoving "you should" down their throats, I have to show them, demonstrate, instruct, praise, discipline, and provide ways to learn.
I want to teach because I'm constantly learning. I picked English because books were, and are, my coping mechanism. I am so grateful to my parents for instilling the love of reading in me; I always had a variety of books to choose from. I was read to every night. I saw my parents read every day. When my dad died, I escaped into other worlds through reading. Not everyone grows up like I do, but my goal is show my students HOW reading and writing can be helpful and therapeutic. I watched alongside Allisa as our students from this last year discovered these things. I had students excitedly tell me about their books, read essays about books by students who never turned anything in, watched as students discovered they could write and enjoy it, and so much more. We live in a literate world, and if you're illiterate it's pretty hard to get around. I have this crazy notion that once we tell kids they can, that they can conquer a lot of obstacles. Am I idealistic? Yes. But do you think any change would happen in this world if people weren't dreamers? I sure don't.
Smile, God loves you!
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