Teacher's dilemma

Your student's have finished their final exams and you are entering the averages for the year. You are already aware that you will have many failures, but you are stunned and disappointed at the final numbers. Let's say you had 140 students and only 60 of them, 43%, earned a passing grade. What are you going to do? Will you do nothing and give each student what he/she earned? What will the repercussions be for your actions? The administrators may want to know why so many failed your class, you may be accused of being too hard, you could get an unwanted reputation. The alternative would be to change some students grades and pass them on. Then you have to decide which students you will pass. How do you make that decision? Get rid of the headaches for sure, hmm. Now if I am a parent of a child that you did not pass I would want to know why my child did not receive your generosity.
So that's how Tom, Dick, Harry and the others got to my 7th grade class and could not read or write. Well Tom, Dick, Harry and the other 77, my class is hard, I may have a reputation for failing alot of students and I may not be a good teacher (I disagree, of course), but you will never be able to question my integrity. The teacher that arbitrarily changes a student's grade to pass him along is a liar. As a teacher you are entrusted with upholding a standard. The public assumes students will receive the grades they earned, much like the public assumes teachers will not have personal relationships with their students.
Now I have your lies in my classroom. A few try, but the pace is too fast and they tire out. The others know they are not equipped and try to cover it up by acting out or not trying at all. I'm left to tell them the truth at the end of the year. What favor did that teacher do for you? You are a high school graduate and you can not read or write. You made it out of high school, but you are locked in a prison by your illiteracy for the rest of your life and those teachers aided and abetted you. Thus, by law they have committed a criminal act and should be prosecuted.

Random Ramblings

A teacher's signs that it is spring (i.e. school's almost out): Students ask YOU for extra credit work, you start to get visits from strangers that claim to be parents, parents want to know if you can give their child extra credit work, students that have goofed off all year start to try and pass, you get asked if you will be back next year, your become embarrassed to look at some of your female students because of their clothing or lack of clothing. Speaking of female students, is it just me or do middle school girls keep up alot of mess. I would guess that more than 80% of our fights are between girls.
When the new school year begins we will have a new principal and superintendent. I'm looking forward to the change with great expectations. Although the school is level 2, I believe we have all the resources to be a level 4 or 5. I think we are like a ship without a rudder right now. Hopefully the new captain can put this ship on a course to improvement. I wish there was a Mississippi Principals Corps. Then whole school's could be affected.

Whose land is this?

I recently received a $400.00 grant from ChevronTexaco. Part of the requirement is to tell everyone that I can about it and put in a good word for the company. So here it is. This grant is administered though your local county extension office. It is called the Community Service Grant. The application process is very easy and you can actually apply for it twice a year. I am using it to TRY and set up a small biological field station on my school’s campus. I say try because I am running into opposition from another teacher. She's under the belief that the area I’ve selected belongs to her and I am trying to take her land. I have explained what I am trying to do and given her the benefits she will also receive, but it doesn’t seem to have much of an affect. Keep in mind that this area was not being used by anyone for any purpose. I'll get it done, but I just wish folks would be more cooperative when it comes to the good of the students. But hey you can’t have a testimony without a test. I have completed all of my required course work for my masters and the only thing left is to walk across the stage. Thanks Teacher Corps. I love teaching and will always be a teacher at heart. However, I also realize that the principal can turn a school around. I hope to become a principal within the next five years.

What do you expect?

In my school district the student population is over 90% black and everyone receives free lunch. The high school is underperforming, as could be expected. However, there are many poor minority schools that are performing to standard and exceeding the standard, doing the unexpected. From the literature I've read about these schools, a common factor has been present - HIGH EXPECTATIONS. On my dry erase board I have written the words "I can do all things. . . ". Most of my students recognize that it is from a verse in the Bible. On those occasions that a student informs me he can't do something, I refer him to the board and ask him who's lying. They don't want to say God is a liar, so they will say that it's too hard. I simply respond that it is hard, but they CAN do it.

Rachael's story

I NEVER SAID GOODBYE

Mommy and Daddy, I see you
And I want to say please don't cry
I will always love you
Even though I never said goodbye
I heard Jesus call my name
And say MY CHILD THEY WILL BE STRONG
IT IS NOW YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME TO COME HOME
I really didn't want to leave
Because Mommy I didn't want to make you grieve
And Daddy I didn't want to make you cry
I knew one thing that would hurt the most
I never got to say goodbye
But here I am in no more pain
And Daddy the sun always shines
Never a cloud or rain
I know your heart is hurting now
But Jesus assured me you would be okay
And that we will all meet again
In Heaven one very sweet day

Trea Gynell Campbell

Rachael was born Dec. 24, 1999 and graced us with her presence until Jan. 3, 2000. This perfectly formed, beautiful little baby died of unknown causes or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). That's what the medical professionals call it when they can't give you a reason for an infant's death...

What a difference a year makes. Now I'm not merely trying to survive; I'm trying to have an impact. With a year's experience, I can dedicate more of my energies to making an impact. Rachael's story is one way that I've made science real and personal to them. Rachael's story also causes me to expose some sensitive emotions. I use it to explain why I am so serious about teaching, why I want them to be serious about learning and why I will not tolerate anyone that tries to hinder either one from occurring. I explain that each one of them has a purpose in life and it is not standing on a street corner wasting their life away. I don't know, nor do they know what their purpose is at the moment, but I want them to understand that they do HAVE a purpose. One of theirs may be to figure out the cause of SIDS. So when I am 60 or 70 years old one of my former students will come back to me and say Mr. Campbell I know why little Rachael died, Mr. Campbell I found the cure for SIDS, Mr. Campbell there won't be anymore Rachael's stories because you inspired me to find and pursue my purpose.

Now 140 seventh graders know Rachael's story. If they don't learn anything else in my class, they will remember Rachael's story and how passionately Mr. Campbell spoke that day, and the poem that was read that day, and how Mr. Campbell cried in front his class that day, and how Mr. Campbell looked into the eyes of each one of his students and told them they had a purpose.

Rachael, daddy misses you and still cries for you and knows you are only now beginning to fulfill your life's purpose

The race is not to the swift

We've been in school now for a little over two weeks. Those first week jitters have worn off and the students are making a concerted effort to try the teachers. Office referrals have increased dramatically. It's all a part of the cycle. Just endure and they will settle down. I have a first year teacher next door to me. It is somewhat amusing as I watch him go through some of the same things I went through last year. For all of you first year teachers, endure. I like the group of kids I have. This year I have six classes of seventh grade science. The counselors have done a wonderful thing this year. They have placed all repeating students in classes together. Now we do not have 14-17 year olds in class with our 12 and 13 year olds.

twas the day before

Tomorrow is the first day of school. I feel like a veteran. Last year at this time I was excited, but also nervous and worried. I tried to make sure nothing was out of place in the classroom. This year is totally different. The nervousness and worry are gone, but the excitement remains.