Welcome to the Planet
The first semester of my first semester of being a real teacher is almost over. The same crunch that I always felt as a student descends upon the students that care, as they scramble to get in work that they did not complete before, or begin to stress over exams that they are not quite ready to take.
Hurricane season is officially over, but as NPR reminded me this morning on the drive in, don't think you can lay back and enjoy paradise-- hurricanes have come even in the quiet time. That's hard to believe as the bright sun rises on the crystal blue sky over the high school, and I remove my jacket because it's just a bit too warm for long sleeves at the moment.
I think of how much my students have grown, and how far they still have to go. While I rejoice with the social and academic progress one of my boys has made, I am reminded in an email from my department head to her staff that we have a large population of what she termed "Fragile readers" which would not find it all that hard to drop out, since success is so limited for them in school. As I scanned the list, I counted off the students that are mine: 65 of my 146-- roughly 40%. I had to catch my breath. That explained so much.
I am careful with them, encouraging the small steps they make, being generous with grades for anything that resembles the assignment. I have tried to make this a safe place for them. For some it has worked. To see the light go on in the faces of my ESL students when they realize, perhaps for the first time since they came to America, that they didn't leave their smarts behind in their home country, or to see a kid who has spent more time in ISS than in class this year come into class and not only follow the routine, but behave in a civilized manner has given me hope that even in this isolated place where there seems no way out, hope can and does exist.
Call me a dreamer.
Yesterday, on my second observation, my 2nd period performed as a real class community..not even being bribed to do so. As I put them thru their paces, I thought to myself, "I can do this! and so can they!" Awesome.
So another week draws to a close. Rumor has it that my FEMA trailer will arrive today, and we can make arrangements to take the boat out of the water and begin to make repairs to it.
I realized that this season has not had a theme to it, like last season did. Every day on the way to CB East, I played a song that fired me up. I think I may have found it today.
Happy Holidays.
Hurricane season is officially over, but as NPR reminded me this morning on the drive in, don't think you can lay back and enjoy paradise-- hurricanes have come even in the quiet time. That's hard to believe as the bright sun rises on the crystal blue sky over the high school, and I remove my jacket because it's just a bit too warm for long sleeves at the moment.
I think of how much my students have grown, and how far they still have to go. While I rejoice with the social and academic progress one of my boys has made, I am reminded in an email from my department head to her staff that we have a large population of what she termed "Fragile readers" which would not find it all that hard to drop out, since success is so limited for them in school. As I scanned the list, I counted off the students that are mine: 65 of my 146-- roughly 40%. I had to catch my breath. That explained so much.
I am careful with them, encouraging the small steps they make, being generous with grades for anything that resembles the assignment. I have tried to make this a safe place for them. For some it has worked. To see the light go on in the faces of my ESL students when they realize, perhaps for the first time since they came to America, that they didn't leave their smarts behind in their home country, or to see a kid who has spent more time in ISS than in class this year come into class and not only follow the routine, but behave in a civilized manner has given me hope that even in this isolated place where there seems no way out, hope can and does exist.
Call me a dreamer.
Yesterday, on my second observation, my 2nd period performed as a real class community..not even being bribed to do so. As I put them thru their paces, I thought to myself, "I can do this! and so can they!" Awesome.
So another week draws to a close. Rumor has it that my FEMA trailer will arrive today, and we can make arrangements to take the boat out of the water and begin to make repairs to it.
I realized that this season has not had a theme to it, like last season did. Every day on the way to CB East, I played a song that fired me up. I think I may have found it today.
Happy Holidays.