What would you do if you had a student like Shannon? Would you ‘give her permission to fail’? Or would you be persistent, innovative, and willing to try something new. Let’s be realistic, we’ve all had a least one ‘Shannon’ in our classroom. Think about it. What did you do? Were you too having a bad day, therefore, you let your student do ‘nothin’? Or did you challenge your student and/or yourself with something new or different? Well I’ve had students like ‘Shannon” and I have to admit that it is quite difficult to try something new, and/or challenging with these students when they want to do things ‘their way’. It really is easier to let them have their way, huh? In retrospect I probably didn’t make the best choice with my ‘Shannon’, especially since I am the only African American teacher at my school.
That was then, and this is now…we all make mistakes. Thank God he forgives us, therefore, giving me another try. Now, regardless of the color of my student’s skin, I knock myself out for them, and I always go that extra mile. ‘Giving my students permission to fail’, is now not an option. Now, I’ll ride them and try new strategies. I let them know that winners never quit and quitters cannot win. Every opportunity I get, I share with them my own very meager up- bringing/culture. I let them know that when I started school, I was bused clear across town and I was the only black child in the class. It was very scary and sometimes I too got in a lot of trouble. Maybe if my teachers then would have tried something new, innovative… something to engage and involve my mind, body and soul…All of me! Not just a worksheet. Are you teaching your children…or Not!
Toni Wheeler
Comments (5)
Thank goodness we have teachers like you out there! I will have to admit as well that I have had students in the past that I may have not pushed as hard as they needed to be. Then I had one student in particular who completely changed my view of the way I teach. He had absolutely no parental support at home, and I came to realize that if I didn't push him, nobody would. Its an odd feeling having a student come to depend on you so much for their well being, but I think that one of the best things about our profession is that we can be advocates for students who otherwise wouldn't have any. We can push our students to set the highest goals for themselves and watch them succeed. I think that's why this article bothered me so much. It pains me to just see a teacher "give-up" and not try to reach out to a struggling student!
Posted by Erica Spicer | June 12, 2009 3:49 PM
Posted on June 12, 2009 15:49
I would not give my students permission to fail. Every year I have one or two students who are like Shannon. This year I had quite a few. But with a lot of pushing from me and the students eventually coming around because they know I will not let down, I had only one student who did not pass the EOG. I am so proud of my students. My question is why are they giving up so easily? Is it because they are have gotten away with it in previous grades? Has something changed at home? There is a reason why the students give up. But there should not be any reason why teacher gives up and gives permission for any student to fail. I hold every one of my students to the same high standard. Is it the same standard for every student? No. Each student is working at their own level. Most of my class might be working at grade level and I have a few students who are one or two grades levels behind; I might give them different work or different skills, but I expect all my students to give me 100% and nothing less.
Melissa Lange
Posted by Melissa Lange | June 12, 2009 4:32 PM
Posted on June 12, 2009 16:32
I have also had students like Shannon, and I have had my share of days where I have not wanted to deal with a certain situation pertaining to them, but if I didn't taken the time to address the situation I would be allowing my students to think it is ok, or that I will let slide. I hold my students to high expectations and doing nothing is not an option. I don't understand why teachers would let that be the case them either. We need to teach character, equality, and morals, especailly to those studentst that do not get that at home.
Posted by Barbara Terauds | June 12, 2009 4:36 PM
Posted on June 12, 2009 16:36
Right on Toni!!! I had a Shannon in my classroom this year. Daily it took everything it had in me to push him, but I never allowed him to fail. I continued having high expectations for him, tried various strategies, and did whatever it took to get the results I wanted from him. Like you said, letting students fail is not an option. When we let students fail, we are failures.
Posted by Heather Houston | June 12, 2009 6:04 PM
Posted on June 12, 2009 18:04
You are correct that allowing students to fail is never an option. However, we all know that pulling new strategies out day after day gets old sometimes--especially for a child who seems like he doesn't care a flip! Sometimes it is tough to keep those tough to reach students from failing in spite of themselves. I'm sure that your personal story is a testimony to your students...and it is an inspiration to us as teachers to keep teaching and to not let students slip through the cracks! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by Jessica Jackson | June 12, 2009 11:01 PM
Posted on June 12, 2009 23:01