This really resonated with me. I've taught at the university level, in tony private high schools and in public schools with the kids other teachers gave up on. Now I teach in a K-8 charter school. I've had sublime moments with students in all of them. The college student who got a plum job and told me everything he knew that got him the job he'd learned from me. The college student who wanted to drop college to run off with her lover, and helped her figure out how she could run off but stilll finish. the high school students that everyone else gave up on ("we're just a holding tank until they get out and get into jail," one teacher said to me!) raptly reading Romeo and Juliet with me. And now I work with the youngest kids I've ever worked with. They are like plants - you can see their growth from one day to the next. I am profoundly grateful that I get to do this.
Thank you, Alison. What a breadth of experience! I haven't taught young ones, aside from one-off writing workshops, but I imagine the kids' energy and promise must offer a sense of buoyancy and hope for the future. If only there were more teachers offering Shakespeare and fewer "holding tanks."
I had a high school teacher like Dr. Macioci. Mrs. Letty Owings "treated us as though we were capable. (She) called us out when we were wrong, but he expected us to find the right answer." Thank you for reminding me, Jen.
This is such a beautiful reminder of how far belief can go. The full circle moment with your student and teacher gave me chills. Thank you for sharing this.
“The scraps we take when we’re hungry for hope” ❤️
This really resonated with me. I've taught at the university level, in tony private high schools and in public schools with the kids other teachers gave up on. Now I teach in a K-8 charter school. I've had sublime moments with students in all of them. The college student who got a plum job and told me everything he knew that got him the job he'd learned from me. The college student who wanted to drop college to run off with her lover, and helped her figure out how she could run off but stilll finish. the high school students that everyone else gave up on ("we're just a holding tank until they get out and get into jail," one teacher said to me!) raptly reading Romeo and Juliet with me. And now I work with the youngest kids I've ever worked with. They are like plants - you can see their growth from one day to the next. I am profoundly grateful that I get to do this.
Thank you, Alison. What a breadth of experience! I haven't taught young ones, aside from one-off writing workshops, but I imagine the kids' energy and promise must offer a sense of buoyancy and hope for the future. If only there were more teachers offering Shakespeare and fewer "holding tanks."
Thank you for this post, Jen--this is exactly what I needed to read before returning to teach in the classroom myself!
It’s important work. Thank you for doing it. :)
I had a high school teacher like Dr. Macioci. Mrs. Letty Owings "treated us as though we were capable. (She) called us out when we were wrong, but he expected us to find the right answer." Thank you for reminding me, Jen.
That's the BEST - that balance of support and firmness. It's definitely not easy as a teacher, either.
This is such a beautiful reminder of how far belief can go. The full circle moment with your student and teacher gave me chills. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks for this, Anil. It was a heart-expanding series of events.