A couple months back my principal came up to me and asked me what my teaching partner and I would think about this opportunity: going to Chicago for a conference called National Council on Educating Black Children (NCEBC) for 4 days (5 nights). I was immediately interested because from the many opportunities our staff has been offered throughout the last couple years, kindergarten teachers have never been included. This was finally our chance. However I did have some hesitations as well because the last couple years in my building have been tense between teachers because of this same topic. We all want to help in closing the achievement gap but the way it's been presented has not been the most welcoming. My teaching partner and I decided it would be an opportunity that we could not refuse (even though we had to write sub plans for 3 days...ugh).
My mindset going into this conference was not resisting or negative but wanting to hear what they had to say and what I can add to my toolbox to reach and help these children as soon as possible. I'm not going to go into every day of the conference but here is a list of things I have learned or am taking back to the classroom with me (please remember that some of these things are common sense for a lot of us teachers, but not all practice it):
1. No matter who and where they come from always have high expectations. Low expectations=low performing students.
2. No ONE program will solve the achievement gap. It has to be a system of supports to make it successful.
3. There NEEDS to be consistency amongst the teachers in regards to behavior management and expectations, curriculum and overall school atmosphere.
4. Let's start young - we are ALL going to college after high school!
5. Building relationships with our students is extremely crucial to their learning process. Buildings relationships with our students' families is just as important. Put yourself out there to make it known to the families you are here to support them in their child's learning. The lack of parent involvement however is not an excuse we need to work with or without it.
6. How to you Hold families responsible for their child's education? They need to want to be a key part of this process.
7. We need to be aware of where our students are coming from. Are they coming to school hungry? Are they in the same clothes as yesterday? Have they showered or bathed recently? Do they have a consistent dinner every night? When I send a snack home do they need to hide it under their bed so they can eat over the weekend? Do they just need a hug and someone to tell them they are loved? We need to build relationships with out students. Is school even discussed at home? Is there that home/school connection? All of this happens daily...
7. We as teachers are all taking this journey as well and no one is smarter or better than the other. We need to learn from each other and have a working relationship I which you can do so .
8. Let's be flexible with everything: our students, our coworkers, how each day goes, problems that arise and how we manage curriculum and instruction. I wear a rubber band on my wrist every day to mind myself of this - do the same if you believe.
9. We need to treat school like a business. We are all coming here to do a job - let's dress and act professionally because that is what we are here to be. This is our job. Business in=business out or garbage in=garbage out.
10. Even though we don't have the same culture and experiences as our students it does not mean that we can not learn, accept and include their cultures into our school/classrooms. We can all still be successful.
11. ALL staff in the building must have high expectations of all students and each other. We also all need to be accountable for holding others to those standards.
12. We need to find ways to promote and recognize all kinds of achievements (attendance, academics, social and emotional...) building wide. (Ties at Urban Prep - buttons)
13. It takes a village and that village takes responsibility.
14. This is a process and there will not be immediate results but we need to stay strong and united every year.
All this info is great but as a colleague asked...where are the tools to use that go with this? What can we take back to our classrooms to use and to create a better more engaging atmosphere? In my next blog I will explain what I am hoping to accomplish not only in my classroom but also throughout the entire school.
