Teaching Voting Citizens
What is Important? Experience or Test Scores?!?
If you missed a couple of episodes, the best way to binge-read Scrambling for Voice, Choice, and Agency is to use the Table of Contents links to previous posts.
Episode #24
Kerry
Re: Stan and Rich and Harold’s dad
To: Chance sent - Gmail 6:03 AM
Hi Chance—
I don’t know what to say about Rich’s job offer….just know: It takes my breath away.
I’ll be thinking about you today.
Don’t let the turkeys get you down.
Kerry
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Chance
re: Stan and Rich and Harold’s dad
To: Kerry sent - Gmail at 6:23 PM
Hi Kerry—
Turkeys?!? Who knew that there were so many of them trying to demoralize teachers???
Today I was saved by the kids. Today proved that every student in my class will grow up and become a productive member of the democracy.
The role playing was fantastic. They scripted it themselves: capitalists, tax payers, and industrialists.
A couple of boys decided to play the role of teachers who were standing up to the capitalists who were refusing to pay taxes to fund education. It was a gender role reversal from the actual history, but I was so happy to see that they understood the facts we had been discussing.
If every day could be like today, I would call Rich and tell him I am dedicated to public schools and will never leave teaching.
Then I remember Stan and Harold’s dad. I have been talking to veteran teachers. They tell me that the people who constantly complain about teachers will always be out there.
I wonder if I am strong enough to face people who are more dedicated to rigor and test scores than they are to developing voting citizens in the democracy.
Last year, I watched Robin leave education and join the local police force. I could not understand why such a gifted teacher would leave the classroom for law enforcement….for wearing a gun every day. Every time I see Stan or Ernie’s dad, I think about Robin.
Chance
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Kerry
History textbook meeting
To: Chance sent - Gmail 5:21 AM
Hi Chance—
Are you free to join us tomorrow for our first history textbook review meeting?
I would love it if you could say a few words about the role playing in your classroom. If you could bring the experiential learning approach that you use to the meeting it will be very helpful. There will be people at the meeting who think that history is memorizing facts and dates and then taking a test on the material. Your teaching approach might open some eyes.
Let me know if you can join us.
Kerry