Setting high expectations for your
students and yourself can be the hardest part of the job or the easiest. Furthermore, being consistent after the
expectations are set can be even more of a challenge. Considering this, I take the guess work out
and make this as easy for myself and my kids as possible. I set the highest expectations and never waiver.
students and yourself can be the hardest part of the job or the easiest. Furthermore, being consistent after the
expectations are set can be even more of a challenge. Considering this, I take the guess work out
and make this as easy for myself and my kids as possible. I set the highest expectations and never waiver.
In the two previous schools I
worked, my adherence on this issue never came into question. At the high school, I was known as a
challenging teacher. In the magnet
middle school, I was hired to be challenging and demanding for the program. I designed grade appropriate assignments and
made the next step simple – just do it.
There was never any question in my mind that this was not the norm
everywhere. After all, didn’t all
teachers expect their students to reach the highest levels?
worked, my adherence on this issue never came into question. At the high school, I was known as a
challenging teacher. In the magnet
middle school, I was hired to be challenging and demanding for the program. I designed grade appropriate assignments and
made the next step simple – just do it.
There was never any question in my mind that this was not the norm
everywhere. After all, didn’t all
teachers expect their students to reach the highest levels?
Honestly, I should have known my
blind view was not always the case. The
middle school feeding into my high school was not the best. Under my state’s education plan, the school
had fallen into decline and we saw huge changes enforced on the entire building. Many teachers left, some retired, and others
complained on a daily basis of the trauma being placed on them. I was not sympathetic to their cause. I had seen some of the damage from their lack
of teaching firsthand with my daughter attending the failing school. Other than her reports of constant boredom,
short, un-challenging assignments, teachers that sat more than they instructed,
and an apparent stagnation of my own gifted child’s knowledge, I also saw more
conclusive evidence. My daughter brought
home a test from her history class where most of the questions had the answers
included. One that I have remembered
since that day was, “What color was George Washington’s white horse?” Even my twelve year old daughter thought the
class and the teacher was a joke. She
stated over and over that her attending school there had no purpose; she could
teach herself more from borrowing a textbook and reading it in her spare
time. I agreed, especially when her
final grade in that class was a 132%.
(Math teachers: Is this
possible?)
blind view was not always the case. The
middle school feeding into my high school was not the best. Under my state’s education plan, the school
had fallen into decline and we saw huge changes enforced on the entire building. Many teachers left, some retired, and others
complained on a daily basis of the trauma being placed on them. I was not sympathetic to their cause. I had seen some of the damage from their lack
of teaching firsthand with my daughter attending the failing school. Other than her reports of constant boredom,
short, un-challenging assignments, teachers that sat more than they instructed,
and an apparent stagnation of my own gifted child’s knowledge, I also saw more
conclusive evidence. My daughter brought
home a test from her history class where most of the questions had the answers
included. One that I have remembered
since that day was, “What color was George Washington’s white horse?” Even my twelve year old daughter thought the
class and the teacher was a joke. She
stated over and over that her attending school there had no purpose; she could
teach herself more from borrowing a textbook and reading it in her spare
time. I agreed, especially when her
final grade in that class was a 132%.
(Math teachers: Is this
possible?)
Even at my magnet middle school, I
heard kids talk of the “easy” teachers and the ones who let them play in class
the entire hour, but I never thought it could be a school (or possibly
district) problem until I reached where I am now. On my second day of school, I learned very
quickly that, despite the school’s motto of “Expect Excellence,” there wasn’t
much being expected at all. What taught
me this first new lesson? I sent home my
Identity Bag homework. Out of over 150 students,
less than half completed the work. Even
more disturbing, when I asked some if they would like to try to recover the
assignment by just introducing themselves, they responded with, “No, just give
me a zero.”
heard kids talk of the “easy” teachers and the ones who let them play in class
the entire hour, but I never thought it could be a school (or possibly
district) problem until I reached where I am now. On my second day of school, I learned very
quickly that, despite the school’s motto of “Expect Excellence,” there wasn’t
much being expected at all. What taught
me this first new lesson? I sent home my
Identity Bag homework. Out of over 150 students,
less than half completed the work. Even
more disturbing, when I asked some if they would like to try to recover the
assignment by just introducing themselves, they responded with, “No, just give
me a zero.”
In the weeks that followed, I heard
the following statements from my students:
the following statements from my students:
“Grades don’t matter. We will pass anyway.”
“We don’t do homework here.”
“It will be okay with my parents as
long as I get a D at the end.”
long as I get a D at the end.”
I was appalled. I was disgusted. I was in tears. After just a few weeks I had quickly learned
that there was an ingrained sense of apathy that had even the brightest
students not caring about their ever succeeding in life, much less
learning. They saw school as a place to
be during the assigned time, where some teachers allowed them to socialize,
others required them to just sit in silence, and some gave them coloring sheets
or crosswords to do to pass the time.
that there was an ingrained sense of apathy that had even the brightest
students not caring about their ever succeeding in life, much less
learning. They saw school as a place to
be during the assigned time, where some teachers allowed them to socialize,
others required them to just sit in silence, and some gave them coloring sheets
or crosswords to do to pass the time.
Over time, I learned the reality of
my district. Most students were below
grade level, some as many as 4-5 years behind.
Students could not read cursive, could not write complete sentences, and
did not have any of the basic skills expected in the 7th grade, such
as how to read a map key or how to find the main topic of a paragraph. It was sad.
my district. Most students were below
grade level, some as many as 4-5 years behind.
Students could not read cursive, could not write complete sentences, and
did not have any of the basic skills expected in the 7th grade, such
as how to read a map key or how to find the main topic of a paragraph. It was sad.
Ironically, when the state
tests came back in mid-fall, most students (even though on a 3rd
grade reading level) had scored proficient or above. Many, including a high number of special
education students had score distinguished.
How? Were they testing naturals? No.
It’s even simpler. They
manipulate the system to stay in the testing game.
tests came back in mid-fall, most students (even though on a 3rd
grade reading level) had scored proficient or above. Many, including a high number of special
education students had score distinguished.
How? Were they testing naturals? No.
It’s even simpler. They
manipulate the system to stay in the testing game.
District-wide content posters were
printed and hung in EVERY classroom (despite some teacher’s opposition) and
students were taught to “use the information” around them. Rumors of teachers taking the tests for the
students were rampant, and evidence that portfolios were written by the teachers could not be questioned. As I stated in one
staff meeting, the students were taught to cheat to get to the next level. They were taught to look on the walls for the
answers, to sharpen their pencils to check the test key, and to allow their
teachers to “edit” their work, rather than ever learning how to succeed for
themselves by learning.
printed and hung in EVERY classroom (despite some teacher’s opposition) and
students were taught to “use the information” around them. Rumors of teachers taking the tests for the
students were rampant, and evidence that portfolios were written by the teachers could not be questioned. As I stated in one
staff meeting, the students were taught to cheat to get to the next level. They were taught to look on the walls for the
answers, to sharpen their pencils to check the test key, and to allow their
teachers to “edit” their work, rather than ever learning how to succeed for
themselves by learning.
In my first few months, I spent
most of my mornings convincing myself that I had to go back, not because I felt
obligated to teach, but because I was told the personnel director would not
release teachers from their contracts and I could lose my license if I
left. I was a mess. With all this taken into consideration, I did
the only thing I knew how to do. I
taught. I failed over 1/3 of my students
in the first 9 weeks. I failed another
1/3 in the second 9 weeks. And I kept
teaching, expecting excellence every day.
I assigned homework, I gave challenging class assignments, I demanded
written pieces and research by my students, even though they had to be taught
the process. I refused to give up, and
once I bought into the kids (because they always do pull my heart-strings), I
took on a mission to teach them how to learn and to demand that they are given
the opportunity to learn in their classes.
most of my mornings convincing myself that I had to go back, not because I felt
obligated to teach, but because I was told the personnel director would not
release teachers from their contracts and I could lose my license if I
left. I was a mess. With all this taken into consideration, I did
the only thing I knew how to do. I
taught. I failed over 1/3 of my students
in the first 9 weeks. I failed another
1/3 in the second 9 weeks. And I kept
teaching, expecting excellence every day.
I assigned homework, I gave challenging class assignments, I demanded
written pieces and research by my students, even though they had to be taught
the process. I refused to give up, and
once I bought into the kids (because they always do pull my heart-strings), I
took on a mission to teach them how to learn and to demand that they are given
the opportunity to learn in their classes.
For the entire first semester, I
went home each day questioning myself. I
questioned why I was there and why I didn’t just give up, put my feet up on my desk
each day, and shop on Amazon. Then I would
answer myself: Because I am a teacher.
went home each day questioning myself. I
questioned why I was there and why I didn’t just give up, put my feet up on my desk
each day, and shop on Amazon. Then I would
answer myself: Because I am a teacher.
Finally, as the 18 weeks rolled to
an end, the students began to come around.
It started to look each day like some enjoyed being there, several
showed concern for their grades, and even the most apathetic ones were
beginning to buy-in. After fighting
students, parents, other teachers that made comments about my hurting their
kids by being too demanding, and a district that only appeared to be expecting
excellence, I started to see hope. And
on the second day of the second semester, I walked around my classes to check
their homework and I felt success. Only
14 students did not have it for me to grade.
Progress.
an end, the students began to come around.
It started to look each day like some enjoyed being there, several
showed concern for their grades, and even the most apathetic ones were
beginning to buy-in. After fighting
students, parents, other teachers that made comments about my hurting their
kids by being too demanding, and a district that only appeared to be expecting
excellence, I started to see hope. And
on the second day of the second semester, I walked around my classes to check
their homework and I felt success. Only
14 students did not have it for me to grade.
Progress.
Expecting excellence is not just a
statement, but it has to be an action.
You have to be willing to hold out when success does not seem
possible. You have to be willing to
listen to parents yell at YOU for failing their child or for expecting them to
do 20 minutes of homework when they have more important things to do, like
their football practice or dance lessons.
You have to be tough enough to be excluded by your co-workers when they
feel like you are rocking their comfortable system of do-nothingness. You have to be open to allowing students to
fail, when that is what THEY choose to do, even when it breaks your heart since
you know they are capable of so much more.
In addition, you have to work harder.
You must keep up your strong front and continue to develop lessons you
think might just draw their attention and help them get started in the right
direction. It was the hardest work I had to
do since I started my teaching profession. And it will always be!
statement, but it has to be an action.
You have to be willing to hold out when success does not seem
possible. You have to be willing to
listen to parents yell at YOU for failing their child or for expecting them to
do 20 minutes of homework when they have more important things to do, like
their football practice or dance lessons.
You have to be tough enough to be excluded by your co-workers when they
feel like you are rocking their comfortable system of do-nothingness. You have to be open to allowing students to
fail, when that is what THEY choose to do, even when it breaks your heart since
you know they are capable of so much more.
In addition, you have to work harder.
You must keep up your strong front and continue to develop lessons you
think might just draw their attention and help them get started in the right
direction. It was the hardest work I had to
do since I started my teaching profession. And it will always be!
Happy Teaching!