Wisconsin's State Report Cards were released a few weeks ago. Fortunately, my district received a passing score, but the school at which I teach did not. It was a little demoralizing to find this out at first, especially in the trenches of November. However, after a few hours of wondering, "How could we fail?" my inner dialogue shifted to, "What can I do to help us pass next year?" And it excited me to think about the possibilities! As a teacher I feel I have a responsibility to educate ALL of my students as best as I can, and even though a failing score isn't good, it ignited a greater desire to improve my craft.
The first thing I did was pick up a book and read. Though books aren't "fix-alls," I do think learning from another person's perspective can help. I started reading, "For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood: And the Rest of Y'all Too." Though I don't technically teach in the "hood," I serve a diverse urban school. Dr. Emdin's prose about the neoindigenous youth who feel invisible at school seemed to ring true to the students I teach.
Though I haven't completed the book yet, I hope to gain more insight about my students' needs both in and out of my classroom.
