#iwishmystudentsknew

After spending several months trolling twitter and its hashtag #wishmyteacherknew and thinking to myself, "wow, I really want to do this with my students" I came upon an article that has changed my perspective.  I am sure there are lots of things that my students would like to tell me but not knowing how to write or spell is a barrier to the philosophy behind this trending hashtag.  I have even spent hours trying to figure out how to do this activity with my students. I've asked myself "why am I so determined to try and do something my students may not be ready for?" I've figured it out.  (I think).  I know how many outside factors affect a child's ability to learn.  I know that a child born in August will learn at a different rate than a child born in September (assuming the birthday cut off date is September 1).  What it has taken me a while to "see" is what these affecting factors actually look like in the classroom.  I'm only in my second year of teaching the same grade and already I can see the differences things like socioeconomic status, prior social experience, nuclear family structure, and culture make.  My determination to participate in #iwishmyteacherknew is rooted in the fact that I want my students to know that I know how much of how they can learn is out of their control. That being said, here is my list of #iwishmystudentsknew.

I wish my students knew:

• I constantly think about them-even when I am not at school
• I am always learning, and want to be a better teacher
• I sometimes don't think I know what I am doing
• I try so hard to teach everything that sometimes it feels like I taught nothing.
• I insist that everyone is kind to one another all the time because my peers were not kind to me when I was in school.
• I forget to smile because I take my job of teaching so seriously.  I'm not mad, promise.
• I cry when I get frustrated, just like you. 
• The real story of why I became a teacher.

Even writing these things down has made me realize how powerful my relationships with my students is.  It can make all the difference in the world and I know that above all, this is what I can control in order to provide my students with the opportunity to learn.  

Another thing I wish my students knew is that I had teachers who thought I was special and did not give up on me and that is what pushes me to remember to exercise a lot of patience when teaching. It was not until recently I learned that my sixth grade reading teacher spent a long time (months perhaps?) getting me to read something other than The Boxcar Children for literature.  That is dedication.  

A special teacher, whom I never was a student of, is the reason I am a teacher.  She used to pay me to grade science journals when I was 14. She made it fun with her wicked sense of humor. She was one of the first ones to write me a letter of recommendation to apply for teaching jobs.  Later, when I got my teaching degree, I was her substitute. I wish I could call her often, especially to tell her about all my "ah-ha" moments in my classroom.  There are lots.  

Writing this entry has had an effect on my I did not expect.  I started this entry because I wanted to be a part of a social media trend and explain why I was so drawn to participate in it, especially since I had found a way to, through the hashtag #iwishmystudentsknew.  However, what I did not expect is to be reflecting on what I know affects and drives my desire to teach.  Even though I may not be able to explain most of these to my students, I realize how important it is reflect upon myself as a person rather than focusing on the mechanics of a lesson and how I could change it.  I think this (blogging) is a habit I will have to get back in to because I recall how much I learned from doing this during my master's classes.  

Ciao for now and here is to a great new school year.