Breaking the rules: Embarking upon an adventure

Posted on Sep 29 2009 at 9:41 AM

By Mollie Dickson

Number one rule for a first-year teacher: do not, I repeat, do not commit to any additional jobs, volunteer work, leadership roles, etc. beyond your fulltime teaching responsibilities.

For me, this was a no-brainer. With seven classes of students (about 30 7th graders in each) and five preps (for those of you not fluent in the language of education, that translates into five different classes to plan and prepare for), my workload far surpasses the number of hours I have in each day. So no, I did not think it would be difficult to steer-clear of any and all “extra” work this year.

And I am proud to say, I held strong to this rule… well, at least for the first eight days of my teaching career. But if you know me (or my mother), you know this is actually quite impressive. When an opportunity arises and my passion drives me forward, I cannot do anything except follow my heart. And so, after much encouragement from students and parents, I have decided to teach an after-school writing group for a talented group of young writers. How could I say no? Only two weeks into school, I have been scribbling comments like these in the margins of my students’ writing:

Honestly, I am floored. Your depth of content and eloquence with language is remarkable.

Do you understand, this is college-level writing!

Can I please make a copy to share with colleagues?

Thank you for inspiring me.

Your descriptions and attention to detail are superb—what a writer you are!

I have never seen a class so engaged as you read—hanging on your every word—because your expression made your writing come alive.

Brilliant!

I know you will shine this year.

Your confidence and independent spirit, which you reveal so candidly in this reflection, are stunning!

So despite the fact that I may not get my eight hours of sleep for the next few months, I know one thing is for sure: my craving to empower and inspire young writers will be fully satisfied. I am thrilled to have the chance to further support this talented group as they develop their voices, explore creative outlets to express their stories, and publish their writing. What an adventure!

Back

Comments

By Unknown on Sep 21 2009 at 11:20 AM
Molly, what a generous soul you are! Even though my children don't have the good fortune to have you as an instructor, I'd like to thank you on behalf of the children who do. These talented writers need "teacher time" almost as much as the kids who are starting out behind the 8-ball, for very different reasons. Talented kids sometimes don't learn good study or work habits (because they don't need to to meet standardized definitions of success); or acquire the ability to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and move on (same reason, and especially if they "exceed" expectations on testing). Being in school is as much about learning habits such as persistence and testing the depths of one's "learning passions" as it is about acquiring a baseline set of skills and information. Without the kind of class you are offering, it seems to me that we are unwittingly teaching our most capable kids that they don't have to work hard or assess and take risks in order to succeed and contribute to society. I only wish efforts such as the one you've taken on could be a valued part of the school day and that teachers could be compensated for them.

Add Comment