As a first year teacher, I know that I've operated at a level of ineffectiveness that's not fair to my students. Now, I don't think that level is necessarily high, but any level of ineffectiveness is unacceptable. There are so many things that I've learned over the course of this year that I wish I knew in August. Class structure, questioning techniques, and subtlety are probably at the top of the list of things I wish I knew. Nevertheless, I do feel like I have done a good job of conveying the merits of accountability, work ethic, and a thirst for daily acquisition of knowledge.
I don't know how many first year teachers feel as confidently about their abilities as I do, but I know that I have made a positive difference. Growing up in a family of teachers, I understand that operating with a certain heir of confidence is important. Conversely, I also know that in order for me to be the most effective teacher possible, I must remain reflective, and be open to change and adjustment. Through reflection of my classroom, I've found the thing that troubles me most. I HAVE NOT DONE A GOOD ENOUGH JOB OF FINDING ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES FOR MY ADVANCED STUDENTS!!!
We focus so much on the kids who chronically fail, chronically get in trouble, and have a daily express of apathy for school. Oh, and I don't want to forget the "bubble students." This is one of the most ludicrous things I've ever heard. "Let's focus on the bubble students--the one's who are at the cusp of moving from minimal to basic, basic to proficient, or proficient to advanced." I know that we are driven by the state test, but the acronym QDI drives me up the wall. I could care less about a QDI, only because it's not a measure of school effectiveness...and it definitely does not give an accurate measure of intelligence! What's the point of having kids score advanced on the MCT and they still read on a 2nd to 3rd grade level. Congratulations! You figured out the Mississippi State Test! Whoo, hoo! I am sick and tired of having conferences and meetings to figure out how we can put more of our time into kids (and parents) who find the educational process to be worthless unless it caters to their unimportant wants. There are so many emails, memos, and announcements that direct teachers to figure out more interventions for these kids. I am not saying that kids who fail or get in trouble should be forgotten. I know that it is the school's responsibility to provide guidance and help to those students. I mentor a few students, I tutor, and I give multiple chances for work to be made up and behavior corrected. So, I don't want to be seen as one who only cares about the "good kids."
What I care about is finding more enrichment activities for the kids who have a thirst for learning. The ones who are as sick of hearing about the state test as I am. The ones who actually have internalized the idea that they are competing against every other 12 or 13-year old in the world. When I have intervention days in my class, I don't want to just give the advanced kids questions that are deemed as advanced on the MCT2. I need to pull ACT materials into the classroom, challenging books, mind games--things of that nature. I must guide more intellectual conversation, keep them abreast of national and international developments, and invite more original and organic thought. This has been my biggest failure. I've let the students down that who are overcoming the letdowns of the educational system they're in already. I have one grading period left to make sure that I am a part of molding the minds of great thinkers. They will be able to get "advanced" on the state test because they know how to think. That'll be the easy part. But I want them to be able to get 30s on the ACT. Or get 1300s on the SAT. When I can be the teacher who does more to help my students reach that end, then I will be able to take away that level of ineffectiveness that I've been operating at this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment