My Teaching Experiences

Sometimes I am surprised with Ms. Gratton's attitude toward the kids. She obviously thinks highly of them because she has been in teaching so long and because she believes so fervently in the Read Naturally program, but sometimes I am really taken aback by her ease with which she finds fault with the kids.

On Monday, the lock that locks the cabinet in the computer lab came up missing seventh period. She was certain she knew who took it, so she found him in his seventh period class and confronted him about it. He told her he didn't take it. After seventh period she talked with me about it and told me how she knew - she just knew - that he had taken it and that she was so upset that he would do that and not admit it to her. Wednesday, I found out that he had not taken it; the teacher who was in the lab before lunch had accidentally picked up the lock and carried it out with her.

There is a boy in seventh period who is working his way through The Chronicles of Narnia but is now only in the first book. Ms. Gratton has told me on many occasions that he can't read that book and that he has no business trying to read something that large and at that level. She says he's wasting time and that he's only setting himself up to fail and that she's already told him that. Hearing this, I am appalled. Especially since I read with that boy today and found that he is doing phenomenally well with that book. He uses voices for some of the characters, laughs at Lewis' humor, and connects events in the story with things he has read previously in the story. I told her what a terrific job he's doing with the book and she looked at me doubtfully. She told me "You know he's not in here for reading problems, right?" Evidently she wanted him in the class because of his extremely disadvantaged home life.

So then I wonder: Why tell him this wonderful book is too much for him?

I wonder if she's being realistic and I'm being idealistic. I wonder if she knows a little more than me about teaching and reading and students or if I know more than her about believing in people. I wonder if she's right and I'm naive or if I'm right and she's harsh. I wonder if I will get like that when I have experience in the field or if I just have a naturally sunnier disposition. I wonder what she tells parents or how she can consciously bring to a kid's attention the fact that he's a failure.

I have asked her about this, and she says that she thinks the kids need to be realistic and recognize the things that they do that make their lives harder. She really thinks she's doing them a service.

I disagree.

My Teaching Experiences
I'm a graduate student at Boise State University just starting to work with the school districts. This no-frills blog is my account of my experiences in the school setting. Archives: January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007	Friday, March 17, 2006 Sometimes I am surprised with Ms. Gratton's attitude toward the kids. She obviously thinks highly of them because she has been in teaching so long and because she believes so fervently in the Read Naturally program, but sometimes I am really taken aback by her ease with which she finds fault with the kids. On Monday, the lock that locks the cabinet in the computer lab came up missing seventh period. She was certain she knew who took it, so she found him in his seventh period class and confronted him about it. He told her he didn't take it. After seventh period she talked with me about it and told me how she knew - she just knew - that he had taken it and that she was so upset that he would do that and not admit it to her. Wednesday, I found out that he had not taken it; the teacher who was in the lab before lunch had accidentally picked up the lock and carried it out with her. There is a boy in seventh period who is working his way through The Chronicles of Narnia but is now only in the first book. Ms. Gratton has told me on many occasions that he can't read that book and that he has no business trying to read something that large and at that level. She says he's wasting time and that he's only setting himself up to fail and that she's already told him that. Hearing this, I am appalled. Especially since I read with that boy today and found that he is doing phenomenally well with that book. He uses voices for some of the characters, laughs at Lewis' humor, and connects events in the story with things he has read previously in the story. I told her what a terrific job he's doing with the book and she looked at me doubtfully. She told me "You know he's not in here for reading problems, right?" Evidently she wanted him in the class because of his extremely disadvantaged home life. So then I wonder: Why tell him this wonderful book is too much for him? I wonder if she's being realistic and I'm being idealistic. I wonder if she knows a little more than me about teaching and reading and students or if I know more than her about believing in people. I wonder if she's right and I'm naive or if I'm right and she's harsh. I wonder if I will get like that when I have experience in the field or if I just have a naturally sunnier disposition. I wonder what she tells parents or how she can consciously bring to a kid's attention the fact that he's a failure. I have asked her about this, and she says that she thinks the kids need to be realistic and recognize the things that they do that make their lives harder. She really thinks she's doing them a service. I disagree.