Not Good Enough?

As part of the Daisy Troop Cookie Drive, my daughter, her friend A, and the mothers sold cookies at Old Navy today.  As all mothers do, we began chatting away on a variety of topics. (Both of our husbands travel extensively for work, so I've found another mom who identifies with me!!) Our conversation turned to school, and I soon became saddened by what she shared.

She volunteers as part of the school Kids Reads program, and mentors a young kindergarten child.  As her meetings progressed, she felt the child was reading okay and had a conversation with the teacher.  What transpired,  bothered and saddened this mom.  Because the school district has a high achieving clientele, the gap between those working on grade level and those above grade level is so great.  This kindergarten child was one at grade level and the teacher was using the mentor to help bridge that gap.  My heart cried for this young child.

This mom also shared that her daughter, A, is one of those students.  Her teacher is asking her to frontload A with material at home so that she can be ready when those concepts are introduced.  A is doing homework all the time.  I gave the mom my favorite educational website www.gamequarium.com that A can do at home, which is more fun than paper/pencil worksheets.

All afternoon I've been marinating this notion that "on grade level" is not good enough.  What are we teaching our students at the young age of 6 or 7?  Where is the differentiation?  If a true workshop model was in place, wouldn't kids like A succeed along their own continuum?  Children need to be cherished and honored for the work they do.  When I think of all the great leaders of our time, were they told they were not good enough?

Teaching The Way Students Learn

When I reflect on my teaching, I strive to be the teacher I would want for my own children. That's been my motivation daily as I walk into the building. Some days, I succeed. Other days, I miss the mark. But, it's an endeavor that I always work towards.

I've thought a lot about passion and finding what drives my students. Through learning inventories, conferences, and other resources, I find out the individual differences of my students to move them on their own learning path. Some are book smart. Others are technology smart. Others are building and artistic smart. But, they are all smart in their own way.

This past week, I volunteered to teach at my church for Vacation Bible School. My friend Debbie and I teach a kindergarten class every year, and like your classroom at school, we never know the dynamics we will have. This year, we had a wonderful class with a friend named J.

J has not had successful years previous. His teachers before never understood J and what made him J.(Similar to what happens in our schools.) Throughout the week, we brought koosh balls, stringy toys, plush Nemos, pipe cleaners, and other items to keep him occupied during unstructured times. We even gave him his own circle to run in as long as he stayed in the circle.

These little "tools" made the difference for J. Not every tool worked everyday, nor does every strategy work for every student. But, as we gather more tools and strategies, we can find that one idea that will light the fire within our students like J.

J had a wonderful week. His parents were filled with gratitude and emotion that we "got" J and knew what he needed. On the last day, J was filled with sadness and tears and he made a mark on our hearts as well.
“If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”
Ignacio Estrado