As a Language Arts teacher, I push my kids every day because reading isn't seen as "cool" in our culture anymore. I hear "I hate reading," "reading is dumb," "I just can't get into it," and the like every day. I guess I was a nerd, but I can remember exchanging books and talking about books in high school. We would talk about books before school in the cafeteria and after school. My best friends and I would give books that "spoke" to us to each other as gifts. Sadly, this doesn't really happen anymore.
And no, it isn't just because books are on tablets and apps. The real issue: the adults in kids' lives aren't reading anymore.
I came from a privileged home, there is no doubt about that. Both of my parents had college degrees, and my father had a law degree. My grandma also had her associate's degree which, in 1940, wasn't very common for the "average" woman. Add to that fact that I'm white and middle class, so I recognize that I was privileged. I've read articles and seen first hand the effects it has on a child's education when their parents are college educated- it usually means there are more books in the house.
My students have been challenged to read 12 books each this semester and we track their progress on poster boards with sticky dots. I have some students who haven't been able to finish a book, and one student that I have to take books away from so that student will complete their work during class. Out of 122 students, we've totaled over 400 books before the end of the first quarter! I am so proud of them.
Last year I watched in awe as Allisa challenged our students to read 12 books and saw students read through the things happening in their lives. I teach in a more affluent area, so the enthusiasm and support I get from home is much different than last year, but I realized that I read more last year than I probably have any other year of my life. Between August and April, I read 38 books. I remembered again what a coping mechanism that was, so of course I assumed I could keep up that reading pace this year.
WRONG.
I got busy between IEPs, grading, parent communication, meetings, making copies, getting to know my coworkers, trying to find a church, and so much more. I realized I've only read about 4 books so far. I caught myself saying that I didn't have "time" to read. And then I thought about it...
How dare we, as adults, call this upcoming generation lazy and unmotivated, especially as it comes to literacy, if we won't set an example?
We all know the expression, "monkey see, monkey do," yet we tell these kids to "do as I say, not as I do." How can I tell my students to read 10 or so pages every night if I'm not doing it myself. Yes, in reality, I have a lot more to do than my students, but it's all relative. They're overwhelmed by their school work and extra curricular activities and social lives, so asking them to read 10 pages seems like a lot to them, even though it may sound like nothing to me. No, I don't have children which is a whole other kind of busy, but I watch as my sisters have kids and they still read their own books. I vividly remember the stacks of books on my parents' nightstands and my dad sitting on the back deck with a book in hand. My mom often found solace from the insanity of 4 daughters by sitting on her bed and reading for 20 minutes.
We, as adults, cannot call this generation lazy because they don't read because we aren't reading ourselves.
I've asked my colleague's to stop saying "I don't have time to read" in front of our kids. That's not enough though- just because I don't say it doesn't mean I don't think it. Yes, I'm overwhelmed by work. I feel like I'm treading water just trying to keep my head afloat and not drown in the craziness. I just stress-cleaned my bathroom because I couldn't turn my mind off for 5 minutes.
We've got to change how we think. I bet, if we really tried, we could find 15 minutes a day to read a book. I flipped through pages while I got my oil changed today and will read a few more before I fall asleep.
The truth is, if we stop reading, so will those who look up to us. And if they stop reading...well, we're all kind of doomed, and they will become the lazy and unmotivated generation that they're predicted to be.
Please, never stop reading.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Thankless
This has been the longest I've gone without posting in a looong time, but I had a lot on my mind tonight and purposely left work at work (imagine that), so here it goes.
People tell you your first year of teaching will be hell, and they're not lying. I'm almost a quarter of the year through my first year and dang- I've never been so drained and exhausted and frustrated.
I think the biggest things my student teaching experience didn't prepare me for are the accountability, pressure, and parental accusations. I won't go into much detail, but one parent was so vicious and rude that I cried in front of my coworkers on Monday. No kids or parents were present, but I definitely ugly cried and was mortified. One ever wonderful coworker told me to grow a thicker skin, which only upset me more, but I didn't let them know that.
I'm worn. I was not prepared for my name to be said a minimum of 14 times within the first 5 minutes of class. I solve about 14 crises at the beginning of every class.
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"I forgot my homework. Can I turn it in tomorrow?"
"Can I have a bandaid?"
"I need to go to the clinic."
"My mom wants to know XYZ."
"What's my grade in this class?"
"Can I switch seats?"
Not to mention that I'm not supposed to get on my email during class, but I need to check my email in order to know if something is happening in the school, if someone needs to go to the front office, oh, and put in attendance. And if I forget to record attendance then I get an email reminding me to put in attendance. But don't be on your computer during class.
Some people think I'm incompetent because I'm young. I can't tell people how old I am, and I have a student try to catch me off guard. This is all because their parents don't think I'm qualified. I wish they cared as much about their grades as they did about my age.
There are so many acronyms my head spins and I have to perform just "so" in order to be "proficient" and keep my job.
And God forbid if someone is failing, it's my fault. Not the student who didn't do the work, not the parent who waited until the last minute to check the grades. Some people think it's my responsibility to notify a parent EVERY time a student gets a zero. I have 121 students, "ain't nobody got time for that."
I've also never been so disrespected in my life. I have a temper about me, but I took a theoretical page out of Michelle Duggar's book and make my voice get softer the more upset I get. Occasionally I yell, but I can't help it, and we all have a breaking point. But if I break too much I get a lovely email from someone whose feelings I hurt.
This has been the first week this year that I haven't been excited about going to work. And I know no career is perfect. I know people are tired of hearing teachers complain, but please also remember that some of you can go into an office or a break room for 5 minutes and gather your thoughts. I don't get that. I am surrounded by students from 8:15-4:15, including at lunch time, and I don't get a moment to breathe. I can't even go to the bathroom for more than 1 minute. I use every ounce of patience I have within me during the day and I am wiped. Sometimes, even as a first year teacher, I wonder why I chose this career. Why on earth would I pick a career where my salary depends on how other people perform? That doesn't even make sense!
At the end of the day though, I have to remind myself that my kids are 13 and 14, and they're still learning. Despite having a horrible Monday and a "could be better" Tuesday, I had a day like today. Nothing remarkable happened. I still had to discipline; I still had to raise my voice and countdown from 5 about 27 times; I still had to give out zeroes. BUT I had kids BEG to keep reading the novel we read together because it got "too good" to put down. I heard conversations in the hallway about the plot twist in the book and how the kids had predicted the right/wrong thing. And I had student who has probably spent more days in trouble outside of my classroom than in it make a 91 on an assignment. I was so proud I cried. I can't wait to show that grade to said student tomorrow and witness the reaction. I also couldn't stop laughing in first period because a kid farted and stunk up my whole room but laughingly admitted it. No, nothing out of the ordinary happened, but it was a day that made me realize why I chose this career.
And maybe I won't want to throw my alarm clock across the room in the morning.
Smile, God loves you.
People tell you your first year of teaching will be hell, and they're not lying. I'm almost a quarter of the year through my first year and dang- I've never been so drained and exhausted and frustrated.
I think the biggest things my student teaching experience didn't prepare me for are the accountability, pressure, and parental accusations. I won't go into much detail, but one parent was so vicious and rude that I cried in front of my coworkers on Monday. No kids or parents were present, but I definitely ugly cried and was mortified. One ever wonderful coworker told me to grow a thicker skin, which only upset me more, but I didn't let them know that.
I'm worn. I was not prepared for my name to be said a minimum of 14 times within the first 5 minutes of class. I solve about 14 crises at the beginning of every class.
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"I forgot my homework. Can I turn it in tomorrow?"
"Can I have a bandaid?"
"I need to go to the clinic."
"My mom wants to know XYZ."
"What's my grade in this class?"
"Can I switch seats?"
Not to mention that I'm not supposed to get on my email during class, but I need to check my email in order to know if something is happening in the school, if someone needs to go to the front office, oh, and put in attendance. And if I forget to record attendance then I get an email reminding me to put in attendance. But don't be on your computer during class.
Some people think I'm incompetent because I'm young. I can't tell people how old I am, and I have a student try to catch me off guard. This is all because their parents don't think I'm qualified. I wish they cared as much about their grades as they did about my age.
There are so many acronyms my head spins and I have to perform just "so" in order to be "proficient" and keep my job.
And God forbid if someone is failing, it's my fault. Not the student who didn't do the work, not the parent who waited until the last minute to check the grades. Some people think it's my responsibility to notify a parent EVERY time a student gets a zero. I have 121 students, "ain't nobody got time for that."
I've also never been so disrespected in my life. I have a temper about me, but I took a theoretical page out of Michelle Duggar's book and make my voice get softer the more upset I get. Occasionally I yell, but I can't help it, and we all have a breaking point. But if I break too much I get a lovely email from someone whose feelings I hurt.
This has been the first week this year that I haven't been excited about going to work. And I know no career is perfect. I know people are tired of hearing teachers complain, but please also remember that some of you can go into an office or a break room for 5 minutes and gather your thoughts. I don't get that. I am surrounded by students from 8:15-4:15, including at lunch time, and I don't get a moment to breathe. I can't even go to the bathroom for more than 1 minute. I use every ounce of patience I have within me during the day and I am wiped. Sometimes, even as a first year teacher, I wonder why I chose this career. Why on earth would I pick a career where my salary depends on how other people perform? That doesn't even make sense!
At the end of the day though, I have to remind myself that my kids are 13 and 14, and they're still learning. Despite having a horrible Monday and a "could be better" Tuesday, I had a day like today. Nothing remarkable happened. I still had to discipline; I still had to raise my voice and countdown from 5 about 27 times; I still had to give out zeroes. BUT I had kids BEG to keep reading the novel we read together because it got "too good" to put down. I heard conversations in the hallway about the plot twist in the book and how the kids had predicted the right/wrong thing. And I had student who has probably spent more days in trouble outside of my classroom than in it make a 91 on an assignment. I was so proud I cried. I can't wait to show that grade to said student tomorrow and witness the reaction. I also couldn't stop laughing in first period because a kid farted and stunk up my whole room but laughingly admitted it. No, nothing out of the ordinary happened, but it was a day that made me realize why I chose this career.
And maybe I won't want to throw my alarm clock across the room in the morning.
Smile, God loves you.
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