VISITORS

NEA Today, Apr 2008 by Connery, Nikki

The DOE stopped by to see why I underperform. BY NIKKI CONNERY

I AM STUNNED. A dozen men and women file into my room like a colony of ants, invading every nook and cranny of my second-grade classroom. Poking into files, looking for evidence to prove that I, the teacher, am the reason my students are not passing MCAS, the Massachusetts state test.

Observers from the Department of Education (DOE) want to see if I use "best practices" to teach my 7-year-olds "higher level thinking skills." In this 30-minute period, I must demonstrate that I use probing questions, a technique called "think-pair-share," that I am not the center of attention but a "facilitator," and any and all other current catch phrases. My head is spinning. I cannot concentrate on the little child in front of me.

When my "guests" arrive, my 23 second- and third-graders are working at several centers-learning arithmetic, seeing numbers in different contexts, and writing descriptive sentences, all with the help of colorful, personalized materials that I have spent a great deal of time making for them.

When they finish, they color in a Christmas present that shows the activity they were working on. This may be "too cute" and not what the DOE are seeking.

But that is what I, an individual, bring to my teaching. Just as we are told to differentiate instruction because children are different, I bring to my classroom my strengths and talents, which include art and music.

From my perspective, I see my students working together, engaged, learning. But I am certain the people from DOE are observing through a very different lens. They have their own opinion of teachers in "underperforming" city schools. They pay no attention to the lack of staff and materials, or the neglected physical surroundings-the falling tiles, leaking bathrooms, rodents galore.

Nor do they want to acknowledge the issues in the lives of many of our students, most just learning English, nearly 90 percent poor enough to receive subsidized lunch.

If we mention these problems, we are scolded for saying poor children can't learn. Of course we believe our students can learn. We work hard at teaching them every day, or at least the majority of us do. But we know the barriers.

Whether their parents are extremely young, uneducated, addicted, unemployed, or just have too many children at home, many cannot help their children excel in school. I am always surprised at the number of children who come to kindergarten not knowing any of their colors.

I have seen wannabe gang members wearing their gang colors in second grade. I was beaten by a child at recess when I tried to stop him from banging another child's head into the ground.

The reality is, we teachers provide some of these adorable, innocent, and some not-so-innocent children with the only structure and security they have in their lives.

Why don't we trade places with those teachers in affluent communities whose children do so well on the MCAS, and learn their "more effective" methods, or just have them come to our school and take over for a few months to watch their "best practices"?

When the DOE came in, I am certain they didn't consider the obstacles. They didn't know I have done my best, and stayed at school many nights trying to incorporate what everyone told me to do. I just saw 12 figures with their clipboards and solemn faces, watching me and my nervous class.

Well, I am proud of what I have accomplished. I kept my mind focused on my last scores, which showed my students made a two-year gain in one year, even though many still didn't pass the MCAS.

Hopefully, I have done some good in my 30 years of teaching. This year, one of my students had a fire in her house. When the alarm went off, she was there with her brother and his friends. She told everyone that "her teacher"-that would be me-told her they should all get out right away if they heard a smoke alarm. It warms my heart to think that what I said to this beautiful little girl just may have saved her life.

Nikki Connery teaches at the Chandler Magnet School in Worcester, Massachusetts. Read a longer version of her essay at www.nea.org/ref?Connerylastbell.