Knowing what you didn't know you didn't know before

After multiple weeks of teaching, you are now an insider in the teaching profession.  Congratulations!

 What are the most valuable things you have learned--about yourself, kids, pedagogy, teachers, systems, etc.?   What was most surprising?  As the title of this blog suggests, what is it that you discovered that you had no idea existed before?  And how do these things impact the teaching identity you are cultivating?  Parker Palmer talks about living an undivided life, in that your teaching identity and your social identity are "undivided" (pps. 173-178).  In what ways does being a teacher now feel natural, and in what ways are you still learning to take on this new identity?

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

With only three weeks left, you each developed some sophisticated areas of inquiry, no doubt a result of your growing professionalism!  Now it's time to develop a systemic way of addressing your question(s).  That does not mean you will find an answer, in fact, you might come up with even more questions.  This is fine.  My objective here is not that you find an answer, but that you hone your curiosities and become more targeted and specific about what you want to know, and why it matters.

Here are my notes from our class (feel free to revise or change as you see fit):

Joey:  How do I know what I taught them?  What are students taking away from my lessons?

Amanda:  How can I make first and last period better learning experiences?  What makes students share personal events in some contexts and not in others?

Jess:  How is classroom management different in middle school versus high school?

Cindy:  How does a teacher work through bureaucracies in order to have a positive career?

Matthew:  What are some ways to facilitate discussion in order to get deeper, higher-order answers?  What are some ways to develop student-centered lessons?  How do teachers maintain physical, emotional, and mental wellness?

Danielle:  Why do some activities work in some classes and not in others?  How do I know if a student isn't "getting it"?  What kind of teacher did I come in, and how am I different now?

As you look at your own questions, what comes to mind?  Where did these questions come from?  If you have more than one, what's most important to you at this moment?  What are some ways to find answers?

Mile 20

This point of the semester reminds me of mile 20 of a marathon, which is 26.2 miles long.  Mile 20 is notorious for "the wall": a depletion of energy, motivation, and a surplus of pain.  It's too late to quit, and you know it will feel great to finish, but there are many physical and emotional barriers to keeping forward movement.

At the same time that you may be feeling tired, you are probably also in a place where you can be more of a colleague than a candidate.  I encourage you to find ways to lean less on your teacher for everyday tasks, and to even volunteer to do more than you do right now.  After all, s/he has taken great care of you so far this semester.  In what ways are you feeling more like a peer in your department than a student teacher, through sharing ideas for lessons, working with kids, technological issues, etc.?  Are there things you can do or share that might position you in that way?

It probably sounds strange, but actually doing a bit more, or, for a marathoner, picking up the pace, can actually make you feel better, and help get you through this difficult part of the semester.

Teachers as Public Intellectuals

You have probably seen and heard many protests from your professors and teaching colleagues regarding the "top-down" approach when it comes to different political entities instituting curricular or pedagogical mandates.  These mandates are seen as de-professionalizing and not trusting teachers to do the work we are trained to do.

Historically, and in other countries, teachers have been respected as public intellectuals.  Now that you have been in the schools for a couple of months, and teaching for multiple weeks, where is that you get your intellectual stimulation?  Is it from the content you are teaching (as it takes more work to be a teacher than a student)?  The different pedagogies you might be trying?  Conversations with colleagues and/or with students?  Learning about the cultures of your students which may be alien to you?  Cultivating relationships with kids?  Some or all of the above?

How have you grown intellectually since you started student teaching?

Sharing your new knowledge

This weekend, you had the opportunity to engage in professional development through attending a conference.

Now that you are in the role of a teacher, as opposed to a student, how was this different?  Tell us what you looked for, or wanted to look for, that you did not in the past.  Remember, not everything is about strategies or loading up the "toolbox."  There are more subtle things.

Tell us what you learned, whether it was regarding content, pedagogy, or relationships, that you can use in your classroom immediately or in the future.

Our (Your) Demons

You know how you sometimes get messages from multiple and diverse places that all say the same thing?  And that thing is something you know you need to pay attention to, even though you'd rather not?

I don't know about you, but I like it when people behave as I would expect, do what they are supposed to, and act according to my view of the world.  Naturally, I can't say that aloud, but it's there.  That longing for control, that ego-driven idea that I know what would be best.  After all, it's not too much to ask for people to be kind, work hard, and understand that the world will go to hell if it does not change according to MY expectations.  Perhaps you're like that, too.  Maybe not.

Regardless, we all have students or colleagues (or friends, family members, children, cats) who, for whatever reason, resist our gentle and not-so-gentle nudges to behave in ways that are concordant with our expectations.  But here's the thing:  they may be working according to another set of expectations that has nothing to do with us.

Here are some messages that appeared to me these past couple of weeks:

1. We went to see a band, Ages and Ages, for Nels' birthday.  Their music is smart and harmony driven. See the link for "Our Demons" here: http://youtu.be/Dqzc1L1H2YE

 If you don't care to listen, the chorus goes like this:  We're not so different/you and I/I know you've got your reasons for avoiding your demons/and I know I've got mine.

2. I listened to the Bob Edwards show on NPR while driving to RIC and heard a show about Father Greg Boyle in LA:  http://www.bobedwardsradio.com/blog/2010/5/3/homeboy-industries.html

Father Greg says that it's not his job to judge gang members, but to support them in finding a more productive and healthy life in a place where there are few options.

3.  And I was reading Mary Rose O'Reilley's book, The Love of Impermanent Things, and she had this quote from Philo of Alexandria:  "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."

Think of a student or colleague (provide a pseudonym) whom you feel you cannot reach.  Tell us about your journey in moving from judgment to compassion for this person.  What in this person can you see in yourself?  What struggles do you share, or what seems impossible to understand?  What does it mean to consider that her/his battles are just as meaningful as yours?

Your Midterm Report

Congratulations!  You are now halfway through your student teaching experience.  It's time to take that inquiry-oriented perspective you have used toward your school and students to yourself.  

What are your strengths?  What are you good at--and how do you know?  Give some evidence.  Did you know this ahead of time, or are you surprised?

What are some areas of growth?  Name 2-3 things you want to work on, and how you plan to meet these particular challenges.