I have come to realize, and maybe accept that I am not a great blogger. Lately, I have been feeling convicted to write and finally this week, it became clear to me what I should write about -- blog about what you know. I know about one thing for sure -- urban education. For the next several days I will blog about one of my past or current students. All names will be changed but I think this is a fair time to let you into my daily world. You need to meet some of the characters of my life who effect how I spend my time, money, and goals for the future.
My first story is about the first student I ever met teaching. You will know him as Tom.
Day one of teaching. Charlotte is not Atlanta, and these students were not eighth graders looking for test-prep to pass their test to get into ninth grade. I walked into a class full of new sixth graders at BSCA in Charlotte, N.C. As I went through roll call and asked students to do an activity where they write their name on a piece of paper and think of adjectives for each letter of their name describing themselves, Tom caught my eye. Tom couldn't spell his name.
I pulled Tom aside and helped him with his assignment. I asked him what he liked to do and how he would describe himself to a brand new person. Tom's speech impediment effected him so much that I could hardly understand what he was saying. A few things became very clear about Tom that day, he was not sure of his first name, he did not know his letters, he could not read, but he loved being around people.
As I looked through my daily rosters, Tom's named appeared in my homeroom, math, and language arts class. I would have multiple opportunities to change the fate of Tom's future. Furthermore during my two years teaching I would have Tom in two more classes during his seventh grade year.
As Tom continued in class we realized Tom couldn't see. This was a fixable problem that his mother was already aware of. After several calls to the health care company and finding the right pair that Tom would actually wear to school, Tom seemed more focused then ever (or as possible) during class.
I spend 180 days teaching Tom the 26 letters of the alphabet, their sounds, and at least one word that went with each of them. He learned 44 sight words, and understood cause/effect. Tom internalized stories at a completely different level and listened very intently to those around him who were reading. I know Tom wanted to learn to read, but heavily leaned on the crutch that he never knew how.
By seventh grade Tom was excited to have me for science and social studies. He could remember places on a map, and loved science experiments. Unfortunately Tom was acting out in school and it made it difficult to allow him to continue to class every day. He had a few friends, but was often bullied because others couldn't understand him (he had been exited from speech because "he had made all the development that he was going to make"...I was concerned about what would happened if he was ever lost and needed to ask for help...others just couldn't "deal with my concerns). Tom got in a few fights and grew angry and quick to lash out.
Though sometimes difficult, Tom and I worked out a plan where he got to sit far away from anyone that he felt free to work on whatever level work I was giving him, but close enough that he developed friendships with the students he attended class with each day.
Tom got through all of my classes, and developed as much as one would hope in two years of school. I felt comfortable that he knew about the world and his community. I knew that if he heard a story he knew the right questions to ask and could answer some higher level thinking questions. Mostly I felt proud that Tom knew I taught him. I didn't allow him to sleep through class, or continue to color in the letter "A" in an attempt to keep him busy. I taught him grade-level content that his peers were learning.
Tom will enter high school next year. Think about your freshmen year and the intense challenges that may be facing him. As I continue to think about my next step in my career, I keep Tom in mind. If I am not fighting for his educational rights, who is?
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