A new school year is full of new beginnings for all
You can’t judge a book by its cover; you shouldn’t count your
chickens before they’re hatched; and you can’t say for sure that
it’s going to be a good school year after just two weeks in
class.
I’m an optimist, though, so I’m going out on a limb to say this
year is going to be a good one for this teacher/writer writing
teacher.
A new school year is full of new beginnings for all
You can’t judge a book by its cover; you shouldn’t count your chickens before they’re hatched; and you can’t say for sure that it’s going to be a good school year after just two weeks in class.
I’m an optimist, though, so I’m going out on a limb to say this year is going to be a good one for this teacher/writer writing teacher.
Entering Year 5 in my great teaching experiment at San Benito High School, I – like every other teacher at every other school – am again faced with large class sizes, a limited and shrinking budget, the threat of swine flu and the unpredictability of hormonal teenagers.
But teaching is about overcoming challenges, so class size and budget restraints are just bumps on the road to enlightenment – sounds like a dumb inspirational poster, but oh well.
Teaching, for me, is about working with students to produce a yearbook and student newspaper. I try to sneak in some real-world skills that will help them when they choose whatever career or educational path works for them, and we have fun being the classes that provide a window into the world that is SBHS.
In the classroom, each year is different and each year is the same – just like students.
During the first few days, freshman come to class well before the bell sounds, wide-eyed and confused, hoping that they are on the correct side of the sprawling campus.
They sit quietly in class, waiting to be told what to do; reluctant to acknowledge the person next to them; wondering how they will survive a 100-minute block.
Upperclassmen, particularly seniors, come in all bouncy and jovial, knowing that they are the kings and queens of their castle. Finally, they get to hang out on Senior Mound and snicker at the lost and confused freshmen that are just like they were three years ago.
Early in the year, many students are excited about the possibilities. Last year’s struggles are behind them and the gradebook is blank. There is no need to play catch-up if they can just get ahead. Those who realize the possibilities are endless at the start of the year usually will make those possibilities a reality.
This is the time of year when expectations are set. Teachers tell students what needs to be done to earn an A and how just making a good effort can often make the difference between passing and failing.
During the first few weeks, many students are reluctant to raise their hand to answer the teachers’ question.
“What if I get it wrong?” they wonder.
“I don’t want people to laugh me,” they think.
“Why is he looking at me? He’s going to call on me if I make eye contact? Oh no!”
The reality is, teachers appreciate the students who just try. Their answer may be wrong, but at least they had an answer. They took a shot.
If they happen to get it right, their look of satisfaction – if not an outright smile – gives them the confidence to try to answer another question. It validates their ability.
If they get the answer wrong but the teacher can show his or her appreciation of their effort, they may keep raising their hand until they get an answer correct.
August holds so many possibilities at school. The key is to capture that attentiveness and inquisitiveness and carry it through to June – for students and teachers alike.
