MVEMJSNUP!

     Excuse me, but I'm about to get political with my blog. I promise this won't be a frequent thing. I guess with yesterday being election day, I am slightly inspired to write about a topic that I'm sure will not make me popular with other teachers. There has been a lot of talk the last few years about reforming America's educational system. From No Child Left Behind to Race to the Top, there's no shortage of politicians who have some opinion on how to fix America's schools. I think everyone can agree that the motivations and intentions behind reform efforts are well-intentioned: we want to have the best schools in the world providing the best quality education for tomorrow's future. So why is it that teachers are often the people who stand in the way of change?

     In one episode of Saved By the Bell, the teachers, encouraged by Zack and Slater who wanted to go on another ski trip, went on strike. Zack later felt guilty because the strike prevented the Academic Quiz Bowl Championship against Valley from happening and Jessie and Screech were looking forward to competing (how Lisa made it on the team I'll never know). The silliest part of the episode, besides Zack filling in for Screech on the quiz team was what it took for the teachers to call off the strike and go back to work: things like money for a staff Christmas party, a staff lounge, and closer parking spaces. Really? That's what got Mr. Tuttle and the other teachers all hot and bothered?

     That may not be the greatest metaphor to use, but today's real-life teacher's unions feel the same to me. Don't get me wrong, I understand and appreciate the hard work that unions do, negotiating salaries and benefits, and standing up for teachers when necessary. But I also think that unions can be a hindrance. As a teacher, I believe that my highest priority should be what is best for my students, not for myself. So if that means staying late at school to hold a study session for my classes, or working through my lunch break with other teachers or students,  or coming in on a furlough day to get my classroom ready for the first day of school, or anything else that goes beyond what I'm "contracted" for...I'm going to do it! It also means that if my administration wants to evaluate and monitor me as a teacher to make sure I'm doing a good job for the students I'm responsible for (no matter how long I've been a teacher), then I welcome that.

      In almost any other professional field (business, law, medicine, corporations, sports, etc.), you're held responsible for the work you do. If that performance is not up to par or falls short of expectations, you could be demoted or even fired. And while that does suck...most people would agree that it at least makes sense. So why are teachers so afraid of that kind of accountability? Unions are strongly opposed to any political plan by the government, Democratic or Republican, that allows schools to get rid of bad teachers.  In fact, many politicians won't touch school reform for fear of losing the unions' voting support! Teachers want the same perks you find in the business world such as tenure, job security, and benefits, but are not willing to have the same kind of accountability! Heaven for bid we actually try to fix the teachers who are in charge of our students! Certainly there needs to be an agreed-upon measuring stick for what constitutes a good and a bad teacher (and it should be more than just test scores). And yes, teachers should probably have the opportunity to improve and change before being let go. But I don't want to work with poor teachers who are a part of the problem as to why America's schools are under-performing! Too many teachers are just going through the motions every year because they know their job is safe so they can do whatever they want. Teachers always claim that their students are their first concern...I think its time we act like it.

     When I was in 7th grade, the teachers in my school district went on strike for a better contract and salary. Definitely, a worthy cause to protest. In their place, schools had to hire replacement teachers, usually subs or unemployed workers looking for a paycheck. Its no surprise that the quality of education my classmates and I got that semester was horrible (which I'm sure was the message teachers were hoping to get across). But that strike sent a larger message to me...it made me wonder if my teachers really cared about me? I am pretty sure that there isn't an issue so big that it would cause me to join the picket lines for teachers, because I just can't do that to my students. My hope is that within the next few years, teachers (and the unions that represent them) will stop being a political obstacle, standing in the way of needed changes and reform. We owe that to our students and to society as a whole. (This is where an Obama-like "Yes We Can!" feels appropriate...but I've already gone too political)

Happy Wrong Number By The Sea

          Remember the Malibu Sands Beach Club? You know, the place where Zack and the gang got summer jobs one year working for Mr. Carosi? Those episodes are remembered most for the summer romance between Zack and the boss' daughter Stacey Carosi. At first, Stacey thought Zack was the typical California surfer dude who didn't understand hard work and Zack thought Stacy was a snobbish East Coast girl. Eventually they fall in love when they're able to see past their stereotyping of each other. A cute, albeit cheesy love story, but it's also a lesson for me as a teacher. Quick side note...the Malibu Sands episodes remind me why Saved By the Bell is not a good model of parenting. What kind of parents allow three teenage girls to stay in a beach house for the summer with no parental supervision and the opportunities for boys to come over?
          As a teacher, I find myself really having to fight against stereotyping my students. Whether it's from their physical appearance or early academic performance, it's tempting to typecast teenagers as trouble-makers, or geeks, or annoying, or air-headed, or lazy (the list goes on). Before I even get to know some of these kids and their stories, I unfairly judge them and paint them into a corner they can't get out of, because I won't allow them. My stereotyping usually doesn't affect how I teach, but it definitely affects how I respond and interact with students. I might roll my eyes when the kid who doesn't listen asks another question I've already answered if he was only paying attention. I might not be as helpful to the struggling student who has missed his last three homework assignments because I don't think he/she is trying. I might get into a sarcastic argument with that "thug" student who seems to go out of their way to be difficult.
          Obviously, those are my low moments as a teacher. I'm not proud of myself. Sadly, some teachers don't feel guilty about stereotyping. I've heard them talk in the teacher's lounge about students in such a negative manner, but then figuratively shake their heads as if there's nothing that can be done to change the child. As a parent myself, I would never want my son or daughter's teacher making assumptions about their abilities or character. Plus, students must know when teachers have stereotyped them and it only makes school harder for them!
          I will never forget a student I had a few years ago named Nicholas. He entered my class in the middle of the year because he was expelled from his former district. He was 12 years old and his file was already full of run-ins with police, gang-related activity, rumors of drug use and weapons brought on campus, and a reputation for being very disrespectful with teachers. I tried to keep an open mind, but within the first few weeks, he was challenging me in class in front of others, instigating, and trying to "look cool." It wasn't long before I just gave up on Nicholas, assumed he couldn't be reached and decided to challenge him back (yeah, because that's a solid plan that was going to work...take note of my sarcasm). To this day, Nicholas is my biggest regret. I often wonder what has happened to him and how I could have handled things differently. He was probably used to teachers holding his past and reputation against him. If I had approached him with a clean slate in mind and not been so quick to stereotype and quit as a teacher, perhaps it would have made a difference. Maybe not, but as teachers often encourage their students: you'll never know unless you try.
          In a way, stereotyping students is being pessimistic about them. It also demonstrates laziness on the teacher's part. I need to be willing to go the extra mile for students even if they have had problems in the past. I need to be willing to see past appearances because they can be deceiving. I need to be willing to be surprised by students who prove my assumptions wrong. If they had continued to stereotype, Zack and Stacey would have never loved each other, or Zack and Slater would have never become best friends with that cool handshake, or Zack would have never dated the handicapped girl, plus-size girl, or wrestling girl (why did those girls always disappear after one episode...no high school has that many transfers!)

The Pizza May Suck, But The Mouse Got One Thing Right

            Sometimes I miss elementary school. I miss being a little kid who looked forward to going to school, not because of what I learned but the whole experience. I miss a time when the little things brought me the greatest joy, like getting to play Oregon Trail in computer class (my son died of dysentery, yet I had no idea what that meant) or being invited to play handball on the big kids’ side of the wall. I miss the excitement of learning to play an instrument in band class (for me it was the drums) or finally climbing to the top of the massive jungle gym that by today’s standards would be considered completely unsafe. Even the classroom stuff was fun because the teachers focused on the basics: what we needed to know, when we needed to know it, like multiplication, or the California missions, or dinosaurs, or the Ramona books. Oh, and field trips! Those were the best because even if they were educational, it felt like a vacation and you couldn’t wait to come home and tell your parents about the adventure. Most students look back fondly at elementary school because it was fun, the teachers were nice, and there was no rush to grow up (except maybe the desire to finally go to 6^th grade camp)

            But something happens when students enter middle and high school. School becomes work. It becomes a job that they have to tread through for 6-7 years and the fun gets drained away. Sure, some students still enjoy school, but it’s usually only because of the friends they make and the extra stuff outside of school they get involved in (sports, drama, band, clubs). Some kids will enjoy a specific subject because it fascinates them or they have a passion for it, or it may even connect to a possible dream career in the future for them, but by and large, it feels like a lot of kids have a negative connotation of school after they leave the elementary world behind (I realize I may be exaggerating, and obviously I have no data to back this up, but sometimes the faces of the students I encounter say enough).

            So what happened? What takes place that changes school from an adventure to a chore? One theory of mine is that as teachers we’re forgetting the advice of the wise Chuck-E-Cheese…school, no matter what level, should be a place “where a kid can be a kid.” (Quick side note, as a parent, I obviously dread the chaos that is Chuck-E-Cheese and the pizza that goes with it…but I can’t deny the smile that lights up my daughter’s face when she goes inside one). I believe that teachers are sometimes (or frequently) guilty of trying to make their students grow up faster then they need to. Let’s be honest, every teacher has to admit that the assignments and responsibilities we ask of our students is nowhere near what we experienced when we were students. Yes, times have changed and the world feels like a more competitive place. So as a response, teachers want to better prepare students for that competition, whether its college or beyond. But there is a big problem that arises when we push our students and demand more of them.

            We’re robbing kids, even high schoolers, of their youth. Homework usually took me a total of 1-2 hours, which still gave me plenty of time to play football or basketball with my friends in the neighborhood. Projects and tests were spaced out enough so I never felt overloaded. Heck, we rarely saw the kids on Saved By the Bell doing homework. They had time to hang out at The Max, or make a music video for Hot Sundae, or sneak into “The Attic.” Today, a lot of kids are getting burdened with more. My nine year old nephew in the 4^th grade goes home every day from school with 1-2 hours of work and 2-3 projects each trimester to complete. Lucky for him, he’s great at school, so he’s able to still have time for soccer practice and video games. But what about other kids who struggle with school? I’m sure it takes them longer. How dare we take away from kids the time to actually be a kid!

Teachers have confused the word “challenge” with the word “more.” Teachers justify giving more work and testing students more frequently by claiming: “I’m challenging them….I’m pushing them to be better…I’m getting them ready for college.” I don’t know, but that sounds like being too lazy to actually create a different kind of assignment that really does challenge them (it reminds me of when Zack got a 1502 on his SAT and Belding put him into harder classes where he just had more work to complete). And by the way, since more and more students go to college after high school, why do middle and high school teachers feel the need to give students a preview by running their classrooms like a mini-college class with long lectures, lots of reading, and monotony? They’ll have plenty of opportunities to experience that later on when they really are in college! Now I know I’m guilty myself sometimes, so I’m trying to really evaluate what I assign my students and decide what’s really worth their time. I also try to make the classroom experience fun for students so that they (and I) can experience moments of “youth” more frequently. Teachers should make every effort to turn school into the experience it was in elementary school for us. Or instead of dysentery, our kids will die from exhaustion.

Miss Bliss was the Best!

     One of my favorite teachers that serves as a role model for me is a teacher I never had. In fact, she's not even a real teacher. Miss Bliss was the history and homeroom teacher for Zack and his friends in the junior high years of "Saved By The Bell." Everyone loved her, she was admired by her peers, and she came across as the perfect teacher...and why not?...she was! Miss Bliss had creative activities in her classroom (mock trial over a fake prank to teach the judicial system...classic), was fair but firm in dealing with discipline issues, supported and encouraged her students' goals and dreams, and was always there for her students' needs (remember Deke, the troubled kid that couldn't read?)

     Obviously I understand that Miss Bliss was a fictional character, but I can't help but see in her the qualities I strive for as a teacher and the same qualities that most students want in a teacher. Students like a teacher who's real...someone who's genuine...a teacher who isn't afraid to be authentic in front of their students They long for a teacher who they feel comfortable approaching with their problems, either academic or personal. They hope for teachers that can relate to their lives

      This has been on my mind lately because its been the first week of school for me, and like many teachers, I find myself making more of an effort to be compassionate, friendly, and positive to my classes. I'm not saying those qualities are rare to find in me after September (well maybe I should ask my students about that...), but because its the beginning of the year and I'm not as tired or worn out from the daily grind, I'm able to try harder in being more like Miss Bliss. Thankfully, my wife has been sending me daily text messages to encourage and energize me this year...just another reason she's the best!

     I find it sad that today, more often, teachers are afraid to be real, or worse, don't want to. With the fear of playing favorites, accusations of improper relationships, or blurring the teacher-student dynamic, many teachers put up a wall around themselves that unconsciously tell students to "keep out." Some may say that with the heavy emphasis on academic performance and a teacher's busy life, there's no time for developing genuine, sincere relationships with students. (Miss Bliss was willing to interrupt her own date to help Zack with his latest girl problems). Still others will protest that its not their job to be their students' friend or therapist. To all of this, I say "really?"...as teachers, we're not willing to invest in the lives of the students that we see each day? Perhaps we should think twice about why we're teachers in the first place.   

     But how do we do this? How do we let our guard down and let students know we're here for them? I'll be the first to admit that it takes effort. Try to get to know your students and their interests, ask them about their involvement in sports or band or church or whatever. Encourage their talents. Open up your life to them, make yourself available for students. Be daring enough to care more about the student, rather than their performance in your class (even I'm aware of the irrelevancy of history at times)

     As a teacher, I want to leave a mark on my students that lasts long after they've left my classroom. Fun activities or games or a memorable lecture may leave them with fond memories, but will have very little impact on them beyond. I truly believe that when teachers foster authentic relationships with their students...the impact has the power to be revolutionary.

An Explanation and Introduction

Welcome to my randomness...

      

     Last year, I saw the movie "Julie and Julia." You know, the movie about a young woman who finds joy and inspiration by cooking through the Julia Child cookbook and blogging about her experience. Well, I hated the movie, even considered it a waste of my time (sorry if you did like it). But I have to admit that the movie did inspire me to begin a blog.

     You see, ever since I decided to become a teacher back in college, I've been collecting thoughts and opinions on teaching. Based on observations, experiences, conversations, and feedback, I've come to the conclusion that teaching is an evolving job where no one can acheive perfection. Yet that does not give any teacher, no matter the grade level, an excuse to be mediocre. As cliche as it sounds, teachers have a profound influence on the future generation (which can be positive or negative). I owe it to every student that comes through my door to be the best teacher I can be.

     There are several books about what it takes to be a great teacher. I've read some of them and find myself agreeing with some points and disagreeing with others. I figure this blog could be my version of those books, and perhaps one day, I will write a book based on this blog (just like in the movie...). I'll be the first to admit that I am no expert when it comes to teaching and I can understand how more experienced teachers can be skeptical of anything I say. But my hope is that this blog can be a resource for any teacher wanting to constantly be better. And that it can start a conversation about where teaching needs to go in the future.

    

     I should probably take a moment to explain my blog's title. I'm not ashamed to admit that I am a huge fan of the show "Saved By the Bell." (I own all the episodes on DVD). In fact, I play the show's theme song as parents arrive to Back to School Night. You can be sure that I will probably make several refrences to the show in my blog posts. Think of my posts as Zack's "time out" moments when he addresses the audience