Inspiration

As I walked down the hall the other day, I greeted a child who looked a bit sad, so I asked the inevitable question, "What's wrong?" 

She answered, "I don't really want to go on the break."   

In my mind, I was thinking, "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!  Who wouldn't want a break?  Teachers have been counting this thing down since a week before Thanksgiving..."  What I said out loud was, "Oh really?  Why not?"

"'Cause I loooove learning.  I don't wanna miss school,” she said.

Now that one threw me.  I'm hardly ever at a loss for words--EVER.  But what was I supposed to say to that one?   "Oh," was all I managed. Certainly something much more "teacheresque" should have come out--reminiscent of one of those Hollywood movies that are "based on a true story."  You know the ones I'm talking about.  The young, idealistic brand-new teacher struggles to gain the acceptance of the incorrigible, usually delinquent class that hates her very existence.  But then in the middle of the movie she says that one thing that changes the course of their relationship, the school year, and yes, most definitely, the movie.  Everyone remembers the quote and it suddenly becomes the quote of the year.  This, clearly, was not one of those moments.

I began to wonder about that child and the few (so very few) like her.  What inspires children such as this to loooove learning?  A parent?  A teacher?  Learning itself?  I've been in education for nearly two decades (Oh man, that's a long time!), and I have encountered hundreds of different kinds of students--the one who could care less about school, but likes you so he comes anyway; the student who doesn't like school or you or anyone else for that matter (his mom made him come.  He really doesn't like her.)  The creative student who feels rather than thinks (about nearly everything) and takes the extra time to draw pictures and write poetry about the objects that no one else (NO ONE ELSE) notices--like the gum on the bottom of the desk--usually at top of the essay that you asked for a week ago.  And then there's the student who is self-motivated.  Any teacher in public education (and I'm not talking about magnet schools) can tell you that, unfortunately, they don't see as many of these as they would like.  This is the one who comes to school every day, probably has had a perfect attendance record since kindergarten, and may or may not have a supportive parent at home.  He gets straight A's, regardless of the class he's in, and has a positive attitude despite that fact that he's in the class from you-know-where!

So what is it that drives this kind of kid to go above and beyond, regardless of obstacles or apathy from his fellow classmates?  Judging by my less than eloquent answer to that nine year old, I'm a bit fuzzy on this one.  So I asked some educators to weigh in on the subject.  Overwhelmingly, people told me that children are inspired by the passion or enthusiasm of others.  Jane Fetters, English Teacher at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee and former Teacher of the Year, said, "Children are inspired by people who are passionate about what they are teaching or doing.  Learning can be contagious."  Ahhh...now wouldn't it be nice if every student could catch this? 

Bruce Curtis, the Discipline Coordinator for Metro Schools in Nashville, agrees. He said that inspiration comes to children by "the inspiration and enthusiasm of those that are teaching them...It’s simple," he said, "but that is the key to getting a child to learn."  Hmmm... Now why didn't I think of that?  They also said that kids are inspired by having real world experience, through hands-on learning (now that's good teacher-language!), and by example.  So does that mean that I can't do any and everything and post it on a social networking site and expect children to do as I say, not as I do?  Okay, okay.  That's a topic for another blog.  The point I think, being made by these people is that kids are watching. 

Right behind passion, people told me that building relationships with children is what truly inspires them to learn.  Now isn't that the very thing that all the research says inspires adults?  Interesting. Tesia Morton, a Mentor Teacher in Nashville says that it is love that inspires children to learn. She told me, "From my experience with all children that I have encountered...[When] you love them; you have captured their hearts and minds!"  Now that is a movie-quote that you take home with you!  

Where the good teachers are

According to Roseanne Liesveld and Jo Ann Miller, authors of the book Teach with your Strengths, "...great teachers have something that less effective teachers don't have--innate talent for the job."  I have had the pleasure working with some of the most talented, most patient (and might I add most underpaid) people on the planet.  These folks can get children to do anything--walk up and down a flight of steps carrying a bag loaded with weights (to illustrate a point in a novel),  recite a speech in front of the most difficult audience in the world--a crowd of school-aged children, and or even don a ridiculous costume of a character in a story--all in the name of educating our young people! 

Now, with that said--and this will sadden those people pulling for me to come on over to the elementary school camp--I do believe, with all my heart, that there are people uniquely designed to teach certain things.  For example, people who faint at the sight of the quadratic equation should probably not obtain a math degree. Or if you don't really like kids, maybe don't go into education...I'm just saying.  I think that as much I love children of all ages, I do not ever need to teach elementary school.  Don't get me wrong.  I do enjoy working in my role a mentor in an elementary setting (which I know I would never have even thought of saying out loud a year ago).  In fact, I wouldn't mind even moving over to this role permanently.

Okay back to teachers.  I won't say where I heard this, but there are some high school teachers, who after finding academic deficiencies in their students, have been known to say something like, "What are they doing over there at the middle school?"  And I have, on occasion, heard (and this might sound crazy) middle school teachers say, "They aren't teaching them anything at the elementary school!" 

Well after being exposed to all three, first with eighteen years as a classroom teacher, and now as a mentor, I can safely say that there are good teachers at all three levels.  We can breathe now... 

When I listen to the media or many of our politians, teachers get a bad rap? rep? Okay maybe both.  They make it sound as if all we do is come to work and collect a pay check. HA!  I wish one of those knowledgable people could follow a teacher for a day--even half a day.  They would problably be lobbying not only for higher salaries for educators, but also for some sort of congressional honor given in Washington on some televised event (like the Kennedy Center Honors)!

Good teachers are everywhere.  They are in high schools, teaching everything from writing flawless essays to calculus; in middle school, teaching algebra and geography and social skills.  And they are in elementary schools, teaching children how to wash their hands correctly and tie their shoelaces in double knots; teaching them how to spell hard words and know their times tables by heart.  They come early.  They stay late.  They do what they need to do because they love children and they would give nothing less than their very best.

The truth about leadership

So I was watching the Presidential address a few weeks ago and I noticed how gray the President's hair had gotten.  I remarked to the others in the room that I would never be President!  That's probably a good thing for our country, but I digress...  I sat there thinking, as everyone was weighing in on the state of the last few Presidents' rapid change in hair color, that besides the vanity of graying hair, there is so much--maybe too much--responsibilty in being "the leader."  For example, everybody thinks it's your fault if something is a failure; however, no one (but your good friends and your mom) congratulates you if something goes well.  In addition, you are always in the spotlight.  I mean, what if I was having a particularly bad hair day?  Is that automatically open to public scrutiny?  I suppose so, since I was just doing that very thing to the leader of the free world. 

In talking to a first year teacher not to long ago, she shared something with me that I think I needed to hear on that day, "...everybody can learn something from someone, even if you're a veteran [teacher]."  Of course that same teacher also said that 45 was--now how did she put it--not that old...but that's beside the point.  The point is, so much wisdom and leadership can come from where we least expect it. 

I am amazed at this new way of thinking, because for years I had puposely avoided the actual role of "leader" in my profession, because I had no desire to be one.  In my mind, I had equated leadership to administrator.  I still have no desire to be an administrator (principal or assistant principal for those who aren't as familiar with educational jargon), and I can't really articulate why.  I now realize that that desire has nothing to do with not wanting to lead, but perhaps more to do with the role I want to take as leader.  A favorite professor of mine and my fellow cohorts would call this a paradigm shift. 

As another week goes by in my mentor residency placement,  I watch the leaders in our building, and not all of them are "in charge."  Some of them are office workers, some are custodians, some are even newish teachers.  I am suddenly struck with what Oprah would undoubtedly call an "aha moment."  Leadership is not positional!!  I'm sure that people in other professions would agree, especially those who have told me personally that their manager or boss is not a "good leader." Now I'm very fortunate to have two very good leaders in my school, and their leadership style has changed the culture of the school.  I'm convinced, though that this change has nothing to do their position of authority, but that they are in fact, willing to serve and to listen.  That is a the mark of a leader. Hmm...I have been successfully ducking leadership positions for quite some time now and all the time I've been in a leadership position anyway.  Imagine that.  Now, I think I like being a leader!

So what's next?

Recently, a man who was very instrumental in my life--my college choir director--passed away.  Inevitably, I became, as many of us whose lives he touched, reflective of our college days (the good, the bad, and the ugly).  I thought about choices I had made, people I had met, and ultimately about my pride in the institution from which I graduated.  Now Alabama A & M University could never compare to a Duke or University of Tennessee in terms of size, but I dare any other school to compete with the history that surrounds it.  You see, the founder of A & M--William Hooper Councill--was a former slave on the same grounds where the school stands.  I remember when I learned that very profound piece of information.  It absolutely changed me.

Now as I am older, I still find that fact quite remarkable, but what I really want to ask Dr. Councill is did you always know what you wanted to do with your life?  When was it you decided that you would fulfill this vision that was placed in you?  Yesterday I listened to my friend and former pastor preach about vision.  Specifically, Do you know yours?  Are you fulfilling it?  My answer to that would have to be a resounding I don't know.

He says that vision is usually given at a young age.  Probably.  I listened to my classmates and my professor talk on Saturday about how they had all known that they wanted to be teachers because they had played school as children.  (Is that the indication?  Hmmm...)  I thought about that.  I had played school.  Of course I had also played hopscotch, jump rope (well double-dutch), tag...  So how do you know?

My mother, who is 80 years old today has declared that her two-month old great grandson will be a doctor.  She says, "I'll be gone on to Glory, but 'Dr. G,' (her name for him) will be doing his thang down here!"  I hope so.  We could use a doctor in the family.  She knows that he will be a doctor.  I wonder when he will know.

All of us in this position as mentor have thought about what they will do after the one-year placement.  A couple of people even know what they will do and have a plan to fulfill it.  I have an excitement, a stirring about what is happening and will happen, but I wish I had the clarity that they have.  After what I heard yesterday, I can't stop thinking about not only what comes next, but what comes now? In other words, what will I do with the rest of my life?  Classroom teacher?  Academic coach? Admin--(I refuse to say the word)...  I have the feeling that whatever it is will be the fulfillment of whatever was placed in me as a small child while I was playing double-dutch.  We shall see.

The difference between big kids and little kids

So this is the third week of school, and as I reflect on all of the changes in my life both personally and professionally since my transition from classroom (high school) teacher to teacher mentor in an elementary school, what looms largest in my mind is this--high schoolers and elementary school kids--big difference!  Okay, so it probably seems that this notion would be pretty obvious to anyone reading, but what I didn't realize then was that I would see some of the kinds of differences I seen in elementary-aged students.

Now, while most of us can clearly see the physical differences, there are, believe it or not, some similarities.  For example all kids need hugs.  I found this out when I started teaching high school nine years ago.  For years I had been afraid of moving from my middle school security blanket, even though I had threatened on several occasions to take a job at Kroger or Walmart rather than to go back into a seventh grade classroom.  When I finally did move into a ninth grade teaching position I found not only that it fit me better, but that those kids were just big ol' babies.  Not in the sense that they cried all the time or needed constant attention, but that even though many of them were taller than me, they still need guidance and they most definitely need hugs. Imagine that.

While high school-aged children definitely need hugs, they are quite tempermental.  If their car breaks down, girlfriend or boyfriend breaks up with them, or if they get yelled at for being late to class, ALL adults become the enemy.  Teens don't want to talk to us nor hear anything we have to say.  Adults always think they know everything anyway!  High schoolers will probably, however, talk to adults and even initate hugs the next day.  They may even share what was wrong, or they may simply say that they "was trippin'" (translation--having a bad day, dealing with some complicated issues, etc.).

Elementary kids just behave differently.  While teens cry for specific reasons such as:  I worked thirty hours this week and it's just Wednesday plus I still have to watch my baby sister and do all my chores; I'm failing all my classes, it's March and I'm supposed to graduate in May;  I hit a deer this morning on the way to school and my dad's making me pay for the damages because insurance won't cover anymore of my auto accidents.  Elementary aged children cry for different reasons--she's looking at me; she won't play with me; a boy poked me at lunch and he didn't even get in trouble; and my personal favorite--I peed in my pants!  Yep, different.

Some of the biggest issues I found in high school involved--and depending on the school this could vary-- love life drama and trauma, peer pressure, drugs, gangs, parent troubles, car troubles, grade issues, what-to-do with the rest of my life (or at least until I turn twenty) issues.  In elementary school I find the issues quite different--are my shoes tied?  do I remember how to tie my shoes?  Will I get caught if I run down the hall? Now don't get me wrong.  Last week a boy stole a bag of chips from the cafeteria and it was pretty serious!

Overall, I am recognizing that the pace of life is slower.  I haven't really decided whether this is because my role in education has changed or because the ages of the children that I serve have changed.  I suppose time and more observation may answer that one.