For years I’ve wanted to start an after-school club for students who are thinking about being teachers. Because I love it so much, I have always low-key promoted teaching while I’m actually teaching…so why not do it in a more formal setting? I was part of Future Educators of America when I was in high school, and while I don’t recall us doing a whole lot as part of the club, I do remember feeling affirmed because of it. Most of my friends thought that wanting to be a teacher was crazy. Being part of that club gave me an early sense belonging within the field of education.
Well, in the midst of a pandemic, I finally got a “Future Educator Club” off the ground at my school. We met this week for the first time. We were a small but mighty group which I hope will grow in both vigor and in numbers. I can’t deny the strangeness of a virtual after-school club, though. It’s weird. But everything is weird these days, so meh.
What pushed me over the edge? What finally helped me create a space for students to explore teaching as a viable and important career path? I think internalizing over the last several months how overwhelmingly White teachers are in the U.S. played a big role. Practically all of my students are Black or Brown and I’ve had more than a few through the years tell me that they thinking about perusing teaching. When that happens, I want to do more than smile and encourage them — I want to provide institutional support. And then follow up. It’s a humble dream, but I believe this club could help plant the seeds to get more Black and Brown teachers into the classroom. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
We have to recruit heavily, but exactly what do I do when students come to the club? Outside of surveying this kids who came this week, I don’t have any good ideas right now. We’ll see. I’ve really only found Educators Rising, which is promising, but communicating with them and navigating their site has been wonky and slow.
I could be looking in all the wrong places, but there doesn’t seem to be a ton of resources out there for structuring a space like this for high school students. Part of me finds this odd. And problematic. I also wonder if it contributes to the low status that teaching has in our country. As part of a field whose mission is to educate, shouldn’t we be doing more to produce folks who do the educating?
bp
My two cents (Week of Nov 2, 2020)
For each school day of the 2020-21 school year, I will be writing two sentences to capture some of the impressions, feelings, experiences, or thoughts I had that day. This is the seventh post in the series.
Monday
A day full of annoying highs and lows. I was forced to change rooms out of no where and fielded complaints from students about my error-analysis quizzes.
Tuesday
Back to teaching from my bedroom for a day. The only highlight was getting to share my kids with my students.
Wednesday
Anxiously refreshing both the CNN a NY Times homepages frequently throughout the day. At a loss for for motivation, I did pushups in 9th period after a student gave a thoughtful response to question.
Thursday
I was finally brave enough to announce and begin the Token of Appreciation today. It may backfire, but this year the token will be a piece of paper that is mailed to each other.
Friday
The cogen strikes again, this time with another member. Had a good departmental meeting today; I see a “problems of practice” distributed facilitation model that I really like.
bp
Haiku #8
As an alternative means of capturing my thoughts and reflections, I write haiku about my teaching practice. This is the eighth post in the series.
Over the last few years, the relationship I have with my students has changed a lot. It’s evolved into something more honest, vulnerable, and aware than ever before. This haiku captures a recent exchange I had with a student and is a testimony to my growth in connecting with my kids.
Voice, email, then zoom
One hundred twenty minutes
You becoming you
bp
My two cents (Week of Oct 26, 2020)
For each school day of the 2020-21 school year, I will be writing two sentences to capture some of the impressions, feelings, experiences, or thoughts I had that day. This is the sixth post in the series.
Monday
Responding to email is more taxing than I could ever imagine. Had a good discussion with the folks at Math for America about developing an antiracist White affinity group for the spring.
Tuesday
Out of sheer mental exhaustion and frustration, I find myself bypassing meetings and forgoing previous commitments. This is disappointing, but strangely satisfying; what must be done, must be done.
Wednesday
It’s wild how buried events and people can be rushed to the present moment and remind you of what really matters. After school, the RSJ committee publicly acknowledged and condemned the peripheral treatment that racial equity PD has been given by our school so far this year.
Thursday
In one of the funniest moments of the year so far, I caught a kid eating tissue on camera in 8th period today. Left school feeling motivated for a variety of reasons, including when a math colleague mentioned that he wants to find a way to incorporate the 1619 Project into his Geometry unit.
Friday
My cogen went well today; maybe it is actually turning into something meaningful. I had a two-hour chat with someone that was two years in the making; the time flew by and I desperately need it.
bp
lazy 0ch0 