With the chaos that continues to surround us since January, I often escape by thinking about earlier times when problems seemed simpler.
Dear Neighbor,
With the chaos that continues to surround us since January, I often escape by thinking about earlier times when problems seemed simpler.
As a high school art teacher, I had a 6 week absence scheduled due to surgery. I worked diligently to provide workable lesson plans for a carefully selected long term substitute with some art skills and prepared my students to work as independently as possible. These were my kids and they were well versed in class procedures (there are many of those in an art class) The two posted rules, RESPECT and PATIENCE, were regularly followed and covered most issues that would arise.
I left, expecting some small hiccups, yet fairly confident that learning would ensue and that art would be made. Not quite how it worked out.
Long story short, either the sub wasn’t up to the task or one particular class knew all her buttons to push. She was gone within two weeks and administration had to scramble for coverage.
The day I returned, I was pretty disgusted and not looking forward to student tattling and recriminations (mine and theirs) and feeling as though we would be back at Day 1 as regards their class behavior. I was short on patience and tempted to lash out in my disappointment.
The bell rang and as that particular class of thirty some students got seated, I looked around the room and remembered how much I liked these kids. I was the adult in the room – I knew how to model expected behaviors. So after a long, hard look at each face, I turned my back on them and asked the following questions.
- “Okay, if you were part of the troublemakers, raise your hand.” (I couldn’t see them, but I could certainly hear their chairs shuffling and muffled comments)
- Next I asked, “Now I want anybody who didn’t act up but really wanted to, to raise your hand.” (more whispers and some laughter.)
- Lastly, I said, “Put your hands down.” I then turned around and said, “Okay, what’s done is done. You know the rules and it better not happen again. Let’s get busy and make some art.”
And we did and order and learning reigned once again.
Respect and patience. Lofty goals? Maybe. Or perhaps like most things in life, it’s a choice that can be made from the least of us to the most powerful in the land.
Unless cruelty and chaos is the goal.
“Dear Neighbor” authors are united in a belief that civility and passion can coexist. We believe curiosity and conversation make us a better community.