Scientifically Thinking…

With five minutes left in class, two students in the back of the room had put away their projects and pulled out handheld video games, games for which I’d already reprimanded them at the beginning of the class. I finished answering a student’s question, and headed back. This time, the games were turned off, and the kids were just pantomining their use.

“You’re the only teacher who’ll talk to us all day today.” That’s how one boy explained his behavior.

Did the shock register on my face? “Then you should initiate more conversations with your teachers, ’cause that’s not right.” Yes, sometimes I speak before considering my words. What hurts most is knowing that student isn’t likely to have any adult outside of school to talk with either.

Last year, we began an “advisory” program — 50 minutes a week out of “instructional time” for teachers to “be with kids” at about a 1:12 ratio. We began with strict curricula for all teachers to follow, teaching students to set “norms of communication” and having sessions on essay-writing and such… Teachers complained the curriculum was too rigid and didn’t allow for style differences. This year began with a list of guidance-related topics we should address, but no “lesson plans” we had to follow. Our grade-level group of teachers decided that juniors in high school should be able to initiate their own activities, so we showed the students the list as suggestions, then asked what they wanted to do. Although they generated a good brainstorm list, nothing ever came of it. Once we separated into individual advisories, students said “Those are good ideas, but I’m not going to do any work.” My advisory became 50 minutes of talking – usually as one group. I felt like I always had to play the facilitator trying to draw these sleepy teens into conversation. As soon as one student decided it was more important to do homework, and the group voted to accept that, I emotionally gave up on advisories. Waste of valuable instructional time, I thought. One week, we played balloon volleyball, because I was sick of just talking. Another time, they taught me to play Texas Holdem.

As contract negotiations stalled, teachers spoke of “unvolunteering” for advisories. With all the complaints about low test scores & less than “highly qualified teachers,” many of us felt advisories were a waste of time. I told my kids I probably wouldn’t be their advisor much longer. I felt like nothing ever happened unless I planned it, and I was at school late enough each night just for the classes I taught. So far we haven’t squashed the program, but most advisories have become “study halls” – another opportunity for teachers and students to work in silent isolation, within feet of one another.

Forty-three minute periods, eight times a day. Pound, pound, pound for the standardized test, and don’t forget to “teach to multiple intelligences” in every lesson, and accomodate every modification in every individual education plan, but you’ll have to buy your own white board markers, because the supply budget is frozen…

“No Child Left Behind” refers to the academics of the most disadvantaged students. We spend so much time talking at these students about crucial content… when do we talk with them as human beings? With cell phones, texting, IM, myspace, they reach… it doesn’t take technology, it just takes a willingness to connect.