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Home : 2004 : November : 24

blame
By LA3

I used to teach in a district that sounds like yours. About 3/4 of the system has students living in poverty. The super. wanted to blame all the teachers who "sat down on the job." This man believed that no teacher should
ever sit at the desk for any point during the day. He constantly blamed teachers for the schools' performances. Now, anyone who thinks that poverty does not affect a child in school has obviously never taught in a school that had 98% of students on free/reduced lunch. I am not trying to stereotype, because I had some wonderful, bright students with and without caring, loving parents.

But students who do not get fed dinner at night and have nobody to watch them at night have more on their mind than school. When they are in second grade and they write about how they were offered crack while walking to school, they are not thinking about a test they will take that day. When a child gets locked out of his trailer because his mother is high, he is not concerned about getting his homework done. I could go on and on with examples, but the issue is very complex.

I don't believe that all of these children will not excel, but some won't. Some can beat the odds, but they are stacked against them. It has nothing to do with the teachers-I've met some of the most dedicated, experienced, wonderful teachers at my old school. They have passed on some good advice to me. Not everyone is college material. We all have gifts from God, but everyone is not going to excel at academics. What can the child do that is not academic? Always strive to teach the child, but just because he is not on level does not mean that he has not learned or grown. Sometimes being the person that the child can count on to be there day in and day out means the most to a child who has no stability at home. I have to say that I have never felt so loved and appreciated by kids as I did at that school. You do make a difference to them (the kids) and they do appreciate you-even if the higher ups don't.