Hey Mr McCracken, who is your favorite student?

"Hey Mr McCracken, Who is your favorite student?"

 

Talk about a loaded question.  Students ask their teachers about favorites all the time; favorite music, food, radio station, TV show, band, and even student!

JUST HANGING OUT...
I met a student one morning hanging out.  We were discussing the roles of a principal and he asked me if I had any favorites!  Definitely a loaded question for any educator.  As teachers we think we pride ourselves as being objective, neutral, fair and equitable.  But I knew that wasn't the case, so I referred to a story.  I fell back to my favorite children's book, Green Eggs and Ham and mentioned these two characters began their relationship from different perspectives.  Sam-I-Am initiated the relationship through a passive, calm and simple introduction.  "I am Sam," "Sam I Am."  These two phrases on the signs he held up influenced what the grouchy guy thought.  Clearly, the Grouchy guy did not care for Sam!  Yet, together, they set out on adventures of increasing intensity. In fact, Sam's first request was delivered from the other end of a long pole.  Sam didn't want to get too close, but then he reeled it in after the introductions were made!

BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP
Once they began their adventures together, two important characteristics developed.  First, the adventures all grew with intensity.  Each carried more risk and increased opportunity to fail, yet the Grouchy guy continued to return.  He had many opportunities to exit, but the fun, adventuring and risk pulled him along every chapter!  Additionally, innocent bystanders became active and willing participants.  Everyone on the train, from the boat, along with the goat and other characters were prodding and prompting expectantly for the Grouchy guy to take this risk of taste.  They knew the risk minimal and the reward great, with future benefits far greater yet!  But then, they ALL splashed into the water.  Everything came crashing down yet Sam persisted with his questioning!

EPIC FAIL
Finally, after that epic fail, where the two characters, along with the multitude of supporting cast members all ended in the water, the grouchy guy relented and took the culinary risk.  The grouchy guy developed trust, confidence and the self assurance needed to take the risk!  They had grown into friends.  Not unlike a teacher working all the contents in their bad of tricks to get some students to try harder.

GETTING PERSONAL
I continued with my discussion about favorites with another story about an incident in my own classroom, where I ashamedly treated a student with unnecessary sarcasm, in front of all of the other students.  It was from this position of weakness I realized I needed to try and reconcile or erase this verbal jab.  I wrote that young man a letter of affirmation at the end of the school year.  

WHAT WE SAVE, WE VALUE
Ten years later, after that young man finished installing new ceramic tile floors in my new house, he pulled that same letter out of his wallet!  A few years after that, he sent me a text message with a picture of his new born little girl attached! 

Who would be my favorite?  This young man would be one that shares the most experiences!  This young man would likely be called a favorite, but only because we are still connected, still in fellowship, still in contact.  Do I have favorites?  No, just those that I know more then others!

This little girl is a daughter of a former student. That same student and I shared many adventures, many failures, many successes and many victories.  We overcame obstacles together and fought to stay connected. These events are the glue that cements our relationship.  These shared activities draw us together.  This makes him one of the students I've known the longest.  
Would that make him my favorite?

Similarly, as we get to know others more, we become better aware of their characteristics, we trust them better and are more inclined to follow their suggestions. 

Maybe each of us is on our path to becoming a favorite and developing favorites?

What would you do with 30 minutes of free time?

7-3 Reading Week April 9, 2013

 

An open letter to the Students of Winfield Middle School

From Mr. McCracken

Introduction:

In this essay, I will share some thoughts and ideas about what these upcoming tests mean.  Reasons for doing well, hints for doing well and what might help folks do better are ideas that will be addressed.  There will even be a few questions at the end to spark conversation and deeper thoughts.

Part 1:  Why try?

If you had 30 minutes of free time, what would you do?  Some would go hunting or fishing.  Others might get on the computer or play a video game.  Just about all of us would pull out our phones and check the time.  Others may call friends.  I might ride my motorcycle.  Regardless, we would all want to do something enjoyable.  This is where we run into a problem.  We all find different things enjoyable.  Getting up at 5 am to go sit in the cold would not be fun for some but waiting for a sale to begin would bore others to tears.  Nothing is enjoyed by all.

So, why can we say it is important to do well on these MAP tests, even if they are not “enjoyable?”  What will it mean if we don’t do well on the tests?  What if they are not fun?  For instance, nobody wants to go take a test.  Nobody wants to see how well they rate, especially if they are afraid of doing poorly!  We hate hearing how we don’t stack up or compare as well as another! Wouldn’t it be better to not even try, than to try and fail?

Story-time: What if your mom asks you to take out the trash?  Will you take it immediately? Will you wait until she yells at you?  Will you pretend not to hear her?  What will it take to get you to take out the trash?  Of course taking out the trash is a minor little chore, but the results make your mom so happy!  It may have taken a few minutes. You may have had to get off the phone, maybe come inside, maybe stop watching TV or get off the computer, but it made your mom so very happy!  This is a sign of maturity, finding enjoyment by making others happy.   

I know I am not your mom, but so many of you wished me happy birthday today. For you I have one simple request.   I am happy regardless but this would put me over the top.  To comply with this simple request would let me know how much you really care.  Would you try your hardest on the MAP test, for me, please?  I will still treat you well.  I will honor and respect your choices and even treat folks better than they treat others.

Part 2: Why would anyone do anything?:

This portion of this post reminds me of Green Eggs and Ham.  (Here are the words, in case you forgot.) Of course, Sam asks Grouch to try the meal over and over.  Consider the methods Sam used to get Grouch to try the meal.  No bribing, belittling or coercion is involved.  No force, pressure, ridicule or sarcasm is used while they go on their adventures together.  In fact, they almost seem to be getting along even better as they develop a relationship.  The adventures seem to be more intense, adventurous and even dangerous, but never is there talk of failure.  The relationship is solid and a failure does not put it in jeopardy.  In fact, the failure at the end where they are all in the water together is the proof that Sam does care.  Sam wants the best and is willing to fail with Grouch to prove it.  I know your teachers care, even in the midst of failure.   When Grouch finally relents and tries the concoction, of course he likes it, and is happy for the first time in the book.  This is a true relationship, that one give it all up for the other, regardless of the others response!  I believe the teachers at WMS want the best for us and are willing to go the extra mile to make that connection and reach students.

There is an old saying that relates to our lunch talk of Reluctantly Compliant.  It goes something like this:  Do what you want.  You are going to do it anyway and you might as well be happy about it.  I think, we all want to do whatever we want to do.  Sometimes we do things just because the consequences of something else are unbearable.  If we are in a relationship with another, we don’t want to upset them!  If a caring adult asks us to do something, we often times comply.  If we fail to comply, we are willing to suffer the consequences. The question becomes a matter of motivation.  Will students try because of their family, their friends, their teachers, or even their principal? Will you try because we ask you to try? Please?   A Version of Green Eggs  or Another Version a Final Version (Note the faces of Sam & Grouch)

Part 3:  What to do?

Our State of Missouri (dese) has listed a few pointers for us to consider when preparing for a test.   Reading and writing are parts of most of the Tips.  There are other practical ideas to ponder as well. Read, go slow, and all those pointers actually help.  Eating, sleeping, and skipping TV actually improve test scores.  Physical activity and playing are helpful for our brains.

Story-Time:  Does anybody have a door jamb or board on the wall at home that has tick marks or hash marks with dates and initials of your height as you are growing up?  This sort of measures your growth physically!  The MAP test sort of measures your growth academically. When they say, “stand up straight” to know how tall you really are, it matches when they repeat “do your best on the test.”  We learn what size clothes to get by your height and we learn what education is necessary by how much you know already!  Of course you can’t set a goal to grow but you can set a goal to learn.  These scores that follow along also transfer to show how much better you are doing over time.  We can make educational goals just like in Ac Lab.

Conclusion:

            What is important?  What is valuable?  What will you remember about your future?  Will you remember things, people or actions?  Will you remember how you feel or what you did?

Student questions?

Define the following:

Coercion: ___________________________________________________________________

Belittle: ___________________________________________________________________

Comply: ___________________________________________________________________

What would you do with 30 minutes of free time? _____________________________

Do you agree with the statement, “WE ALL DO WHATEVER WE WANT, ALL THE TIME?”  Why or why not? ______________________________________________________

 

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What would happen if we all did poorly on our MAP tests? 

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What would happen if we did well?

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