She Back FAQ #2: Am I Still Teaching?

2. Are you still teaching?
Yes!

This last year was a lot easier than my first year in many ways. I knew ahead of time what to expect from my students, and I knew about how I would deal with poor behavior and inadequate work. The first thing I did was trash my school’s discipline plan. The administrators spent about $40,000 on this discipline “system,” and at first I embraced it willingly because I didn’t have yet have a system of my own.

First semester I taught two honors 9th classes and one general. My general class was not “inclusion,” but, within the first ten minutes of my first class with them, I realized they were very special. I printed out my roster and started showing other teachers. One by one, every single teacher who looked at my roster sighed, gasped, or started uttering quiet expletives. They confirmed my worst fears; my class was “packed.” Essentially, the counselors and administrators decided that instead of spreading the behavior problems around, they will put all the worst offenders into the same classroom.

There are some positives to that arrangement. For one, case workers and social workers can easily access their workload and have to keep up with fewer teachers. On the other hand, what the hell were they thinking putting all those kids into a room with a second-year teacher with no forewarning? I lasted three days before I took matters into my own hands.

I diligently followed the discipline plan, making marks each time a student broke the rules. Here’s where I got really dumb—once a student gets three Level 1 offenses, the next offense is a Level 2 and so on until the student reaches Level 5. Did I mention I can’t add? That I am an English teacher with only exactly one-half of a working , competent brain? That the working part of my brain is very, very easily distracted? I spent the entire period running around the classroom, marking on the stupid graph paper like a maniac, and trying to figure out when I could write up those crazy kids.

They threw paper, messed with the rad autistic boy-who-is-child-of-other-HS-teacher, touched each other inappropriately, mouthed off, fought, threatened me, and refused to work. That was in just three days.  After struggling with my 4th period class the year before, I knew how to see a disaster coming. I decided that if the school is required to provide a special ed teacher if you have more than five or six special ed students in one class, then I was certainly due some other body to help me. I didn’t know where that body was gonna come from, but I knew I couldn’t do it alone.

The administrators gave me the nod and smile routine, but the head of the special ed department heard about my class and donated an inclusion teacher to my class. Apparently he wasn’t too needed in the PE class he was assigned to, so I lucked out.

And then we had a miracle.

We trashed the discipline plan, were on top of them every moment, used academic contracts with enforced after-school tutoring with in-school suspension as a consequence if they didn’t show up, and, well, just didn’t give up on them.  I couldn’t do it alone, but together the special ed teacher and I totally rocked their worlds. We literally changed those kids.

The next semester I had many of the same kids in my general classes, and each of them were model students in those classes. Kids that didn’t have me 1st semester were all over the place, and my ex-con, regular parole officer meeting, cop-has-to-go-wake-up-every-morning, ghetto boys and girls sat quietly at their desks working hard for that well-earned B or high C.

We felt good about it together.

I’ll admit it. I really enjoy my honors classes. But that class was by far my best achievement. For real.

With that said, I am doing something a good bit different next year. But don't worry, I'm still gonna be teaching.

to be continued…

Comments

[Steve]

Good for you for not giving up on the tough kids!

[Matt]

Congrats on the hard work paying off with tough kids. There is no better reward than seeing them turn around and realize learning is in their own best interests and that the teacher cares enough to get them there.

It is great to see you back at your blog. I kept the bloglines feed just in case you came back. I look forward to future posts.

[Chris Lehmann]

Wonderful story!

And welcome back!

[Ashley]

Congrats on your success with the general kids. That's terrific. I had a class like that my first year too.

Just found your blog right after you started writing but have checked back (obviously). Glad to see you back at it.

[Katey Jackson]

Hey there,

I found your blog in the Best of Blogs book.

I wanted to read it beacause I am considering a career change to teaching. I'm a graphic artist and am completely burned out by working for companies that don't really make a difference in the world. I thought for a long time that my job dissatisfaction came from not working for the right companies, but I am beginning to see that I am not working in the right field.

Your blog is insightful and inspiring and I appreciate the honesty with which you write.

Thanks for spending the time to share your experiences here. Your site is helping me gain more information about a career that I have been interested in for much of my life.

Katey Jackson
Alpharetta, GA

[Jeremy]

Inspiring! Great to hear it.

[Kathleen]

Hi Hipteacher,

I stumbled upon your blog yesterday, and I haven't really stopped reading since. I am in the midst of applying to NYC Teaching Fellows (preparing for the interview as we speak) and really appreciate your honest accounts. It's nice to hear the gritty along with the inspiring.

A great deal of the Teaching Fellows information I've found online (at least the info that is not a puff piece and/or on the official website) seems pretty negative - inept school administrations, insufficient preparation, and veteran teachers' resentment toward the new teachers.

It doesn't seem that you were involved in the program, but I would appreciate any insight that you could provide. If you don't feel like posting it, you can always email me.

Thanks so much, and I am glad you're back to the blog!

[Caryn]

Good for you! That must have felt fantastic. And word will spread, too. Word always does, about the teachers who will (and who won't!) keep kids in line. It should be a little easier next year because of that.

My first year of teaching, I had a similar circumstance. An English class with almost all boys--only two girls. One of the two girls didn't even speak English. The boys were "too cool for school", which we've all learned is a normal response when people are not very good at something and, to cover up their shame, they "hate" it, and because they proclaim they hate it, then they actually learn to hate it, and they don't invest anything in getting better at it, and they fall even further behind, leading them to hate it even more. Yeah. One of my boys, for example, read at a second grade level, even though he was in eighth grade. It was awful.

[Vicki Davis]

It is important to write! I was in the session last year with David Warlick and when he found out "hip teacher" was in the class, I saw the respect and awe on his face. Influence and street cred is a gift. It is a gift that you can use to change things positively. It is possible to write without betraying trust. We must be ethical and keep private things private (and I often do), but we can also talk about trends and happenings that we have observed in ours and other schools. Your viewpoint is important.

You also said something that I agree with, you said that "You didn't give up on them." I think the persistent, tenacious decision to not give up is a vital element in a good teacher. Good teachers don't take excuses. Good teachers teach and overcome the obstacles. You are a good teacher. You are a good blogger. You can do both. You are the first teacher blog on Google. That is a gift, use it wisely.

[Ben McFerren]

teachade for teachers

hi there,

We started a free site called teachade for teachers and I was wondering if you'd take a look to see what you think. Basically we're looking to build a community of teachers to support each other through professional development and resource exchange. We're looking for your input and suggestions on how to improve the site. Hope to see you join us and participate.

www.teachade.com

-Ben

bmcferren@teachade.com

[Mab]

Pardon, I'm a bit late.

This all sounds very, very familiar. I think I have your class. Except I'm a first year, and I have a moron for an inclusion teacher. Incredibly unhelpful - in fact, I'd have to say that she's caused more problems, by and large.

Got any concrete advice?

[3rd yr girl teacher]

anybody have advice for working with a self-righteous prick for an inclusion teacher? He loves to critique my lessons and lecture me after class. Now he's doing it during class. See Supervisor or suck it up for a year?

[Tom (no I'm not the myspace guy)]

Gday,
Found your blog on a best of list thing. Interesting read, and I know exactly what it's like to function with one-half of a working, competent brain!

[Amber]

I don't know if you still check this blog, but I'd love to see the academic contracts you used. As a first year teacher, I got stuck with 6 inclusion classes and half the time I feel like I'm drowning. My inclusion teacher has only worked with younger students, and she wants to treat them like children constantly. Any help you could send my way would be greatly appreciated!