BACKGROUND
ELLEN
BERG
Sixth Grade Language Arts
Turner Middle School, St. Louis MO
This
year's journal-keepers include one returnee -- sixth-year teacher Ellen
Berg, whose current specialties are English and communication arts (but
she has taught shop and pre-calculus!). You can browse last year's diary
here.
As I wrote to John, my fearless editor, in a recent email, I am back and raring to go. Where you ask? Back to work, back to writing, and back to learning more about myself as a teacher, a learner and a human being through the careful examination of my practice.
I am still teaching sixth grade language arts at Turner M.E.G.A. Magnet Middle School in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, and I am also the language arts department chair. We are in the third year of our computer animation and technology magnet focus, and this year we will begin to be scrutinized by the district with regard to test scores. They gave us a couple of years to work out the bugs before evaluating us by the same standards as the rest of the district. Some "bugs" are worked out, but we still have a long way to go before we are entirely successful. A little more about Turner Turner Middle is located in north St. Louis in a racially isolated area. Roughly 85-90% of our students are African-American. The rest are Bosnian, Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian. Despite our attempts to become more racially diverse (our magnet initiative, for example), we seem to have lost some ground in that area. Additionally, 90-95% of our students receive free or reduced lunch. The majority of my kids have personal profiles like the test subjects for research about at-risk populations: poor, single-parent homes, minority, below reading level, living in high-crime areas. Turner's students are also some of the best teachers I know -- full of resilience, unique observations, and limitless energy. As their teacher, I am privileged to work with and learn from these special human beings every day. My goals include honoring cultures I have many goals for my students and myself this next school year. One goal that developed while I was traveling in Peru this summer was to work on honoring the varied cultures of the students I teach within my classroom. In Peru I saw two classes of citizens, the European descendants of the Spaniards who conquered Peru and the vast Incan Empire, and the descendants of the native people, Incans and the Aymara. In general, those who are of European descent are wealthier and better educated while those of native descent are poor and uneducated. There seems to be no outspoken, obvious racism, but it is still clear that it is "better" economically and socially to be European. It was while observing this informal caste system that I began to understand American society a little better. In the United States, those who are Caucasian enjoy economic, social, and monetary privilege that minorities have to work much harder to gain. In the USA, being a minority carries an unspoken stigma that most of us who are not minorities are unconscious of. I have been awakened. While in Peru I also reread Gloria Ladson-Billings The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children. While I was relieved to see my beliefs and way of teaching seemed to match most of her recommendations, I am embarrassed to say I missed the boat in one very important area. Ladson-Billings says that the assimilationist teacher (as opposed to culturally relevant teachers) is "an individual who may or may not be a part of the community...(but) encourages achievement as a means to escape community." Oops. The neighborhood I teach in is riddled with crime, abandoned buildings, and graffiti. I never recognized the positives of the area, and I never thought that anyone would be able to resurrect it. I saw educating my students as a way for them to enjoy the benefits of a safer, more stable environment. How silly is that? In this neighborhood are strong churches and community groups, and many of my students live within walking distance of many members of their extended family. To encourage them to move to a different environment -- to even think they would prefer to do so -- is ignoring a whole area of value to my kids and their families. This year I am going to try to pair my instruction with ways my content relates to their neighborhood, homes, families, and culture. I am going to try to honor and learn from their view of life and what my students value. After all, if they come to my classroom and are unable to find themselves reflected there, how will I ever teach them? Involving parents more pays off Another goal I have is to involve my students' parents more. As a language arts department we are giving individual reading assessments to every one of our 350 or so students to get a rough estimate of what grade level each child is reading on. It is my intention to call each one of my students' parents to talk with them about their child's results, ask for their help and suggestions, and give them some ideas about how they can help their child become a better reader. I think sometimes we assume that parents do not care when, in fact, many parents either assume that everything is okay with their child or do not know what questions to ask us or how to help their child. If we want our parents more involved in their child's education and progress, then we are going to have to actively invite and engage them in the process. I found last year that spending the time talking with each one of my homeroom students' parents about what they wanted for their children and what they saw as strengths and weaknesses with their children was invaluable. My parents felt free to call me, come up, and ask questions about their children, and they were extremely supportive when I called with a problem. Not one parent from my homeroom ever challenged me or accused me of being unfair when I called with a problem. I see that as a direct result of trying to forge a partnership early on. Regardless of a parent's education or socioeconomic level, each one has priceless insights into their child that will help us be better teachers. We need to begin to honor our parents' unique strengths and perspectives. Building a stronger school community Another goal I have is to tighten up my reading instruction. This year I have developed a sequence of reading and comprehension skills that each language arts teacher will follow month-by-month. I am going to attempt to follow that sequence within the context of a reading workshop format. I suspect I will learn a great deal this year as I have never tried reading workshop, and a lot of the nuts and bolts of just how this is going to work in my classroom are missing. However, that is part of the fun and excitement of teaching, stepping into uncharted, sure to be choppy waters. It is scary at times, but in the end you have mapped a whole new area of strength for your instruction. I will be continuing my work to build a strong learning community both within my classroom and among our staff. Last year I adopted the attitude, "We sink, we swim together," with my students, and it was highly effective. Ladson-Billings described a couple ways other teachers have done this; one by arranging kids in groups called families, and another by assigning each student a buddy. In both cases the teachers held all family members and buddies accountable for the success of fellow family members or buddies. I like the idea of helping my students see the value of helping and learning from one another. None of us work in isolation. With regards to my staff, I am going to begin an after-school study group called T.R.I.P.: Teachers Reflecting upon Instructional Practice. As I mentioned last year, I think my staff has finally reached a critical mass and is ready to actively pursue personal and school-wide reform. I anticipate meeting either weekly or bi-weekly for an hour or so after school, sharing reflections, and discussing articles and books in whatever area we decide is a priority. I am excited! Mentoring is part of the job A final goal of mine this year is to be a model and mentor to those around me. We have three brand-new teachers, all of whom seem to be enthusiastic, creative individuals. Since I helped hire two of them, I feel responsible for helping them succeed and learn in this very difficult first year. I have told my principal I am willing to be a formal mentor, but regardless of whether she decides to use me or not, it is still my responsibility to be friendly, open, and a good example. I love my job. Even after six years I am amazed that I get paid to teach, to pursue my passion. I am looking forward to the challenges, the successes, and the tremendous learning opportunities this new school year holds for me.Hang on -- you are in for a wild, exciting ride.
