During our first Professional Advancement session, I learned about so many tools and so many strategies that I plan to add to my teacher toolbox. I will try Classroom Manager to help my students and their families stay informed; I will use Trello to keep track of student achievement by standard; I will use Twitter for quick updates and insights; I will use snaps and happy hands for students to show approval without being disruptive (thanks Courtney); I will use the “plain paper challenge” to help students effectively prepare for assessments (thanks Jen); and the list goes on.
One of the most insightful moments of my fellowship, however, was when Syeda got frustrated with our group. “You just don’t get it,” she kept saying, as I tried try to explain what I thought was her misunderstanding about what our students’ parents “need” from us as teachers. Finally, Syeda said, “you all are coming at this from your middle class world. You have no clue what your parents really NEED.” She then proceeded to explain how they NEED us to take care of their children during the day, so they can go to work and make what little money they can earn at their minimum wage jobs. They NEED us to handle it when their children are missing pencils or homework and not call them at work where they get in trouble for personal phone calls. They NEED us to accept their children where they’re at socially and help them learn to manage themselves in various situations. The list goes on in a very different direction than we were headed from our middle class mindset.
Thank you, Syeda, for your frustration and insightful explanation…I will remember you and your passion forever, using both as an inspiration in building better relationships with my students and their families <3
That is definitely something I never would have thought about! Thanks for sharing your experience!