When I mention to people that I’m a teacher, people often assume that one of the difficult parts of the job is “dealing” with parents.
When you think about parental interaction with teachers two extreme stereotypes seem to materialize. There’s the “crazy parent who is asking for unreasonable things for their students and is irrationally angry at the teacher” and the “insane, under-qualified teacher who is not doing the best thing for the students and ignoring the reasonable request of the parent.”
What is this parent-teacher relationship about and why does it seem to carry this negativity in our minds?
In my six years of teaching I have had some rough conversations with parents. However I’ve also had some delightful interactions with parents that have motivated and inspired me to continue to be a teacher. When I think back at being screamed at by a parent over the phone at my first job for half an hour, I don’t really wish that on anyone. It was REALLY hard to take, but it’s part of thegig that happens sometimes and parents, sometimes you run into teachers who are not doing what’s best for your child and that’s really difficult. No one deserves to feel that way about his or her child’s education.
I feel like I spent most of my prep time this week on the phone with parents and initially when I wrote down the list of parents I had to call I was terrified. I don’t know why, I just felt that they could go bad and I wanted to prepare myself for the worst.
What I found out was that I was being completely irrational.
As a teacher you can never forget that parents are your partners. They are the greatest supporter of the students that you dedicate your life too. Almost all of time their frustrations demands and concerns come from wanting to do what is best for their child. That can come out in ways that are hard to receive, but one of things I forgot this week that I was taught is that you should never questions someone’s motivation.
If you believe that someone is doing something that you do not like from a good place it helps you share their perspective and work with them. And if that person you think has a great motivation, but doesn’t, then your positive approach to them will be far more constructive and your belief and determination to do what is best will shine through.
I’m not a parent. I have my puppy, but that’s different. Sometimes I feel unqualified to advise parents about what is best for their child. Don’t get me wrong, in reality, I am quite qualified to do this, but it’s hard at times.
Parents put so much trust in their school and their children’s teachers. I mean, over a hundred families believes that when their child comes to my class I will take care of them and help them develop into a happy and healthy human being. The amount of faith my parents have in me is almost too much for me to comprehend. Whenever I’m feeling the slightest bit unmotivated to do something for a student I just think about their parents and how much that child means to their family and I’m back to work in a second.
I feel indebted to the parents of my students for providing the opportunity for me to do what I love. While there are some tough interactions, mostly they are positive and while nothing makes me happier as a teacher then helping a student learn, getting a hearty handshake and a gesture of gratitude from a parent comes pretty close.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
?!?!?!?!?!
I remember watching this as a kid and it's still as awesomely-consfusing and transcendentally silly as it was back then.
God Bless Jim Henson.
Monday, September 12, 2011
9/11
Relaxing on a sunny field in Wisconsin, I eagerly drank the cup of water in my hand trying to relax my muscles from the first part of the marching band rehearsals that morning. Along with the rest of the Northwestern University Marching Band, I was at George Williams College preparing for the football season. As a sophomore in the band, I was beginning to get into the groove of what marching band was about and knew what to expect: a day a drilling, rehearsing, and some random silliness to help the group bond.
It was just another day at band camp.
For some reason the radio of the equipment truck the band rented was on and it was through that radio that we found out the about the attacks on 9/11.
I don’t remember listening to the radio, or what facts about the attacks I found out then. It blurs with the knowledge that I know now. But I do remember at some point someone turning off the radio and all of us sitting in silence.
Something felt wrong.
It was like there was imbalance in the universe and I could feel that there was a shift in the world. I had never felt something like this before and I didn’t really know what to do or think.
One of the band directors broke the silence and said a couple things. I don’t remember what she said, but it seemed to make things feel a little better. After a couple more minutes, we got up and starting drilling marching band steps.
While it may have seemed insensitive for us to just go about our day, I do believe as my mom told me later that the best way to truly honor this day is to continue to live our lives to the best of our ability and not let fear paralyze us.
After lunch we rehearsed the “Star-Spangled Banner.” I had played this song all through high school at football games and never really gave much thought to it. That day was different. As we rehearsed it, there was a sense of duty and respect that I felt to that song that has never left me since. The performance of this song is not just another routine, it’s a representation of the history and spirit of what it means to be American.
I don’t remember the speech that our director gave us that instilled that feeling into that song for me.
I fear that my recollection of that day ten years later doesn’t really have anything to add to the remembrance of that day. So many facts have left me memory and any broad statements of how this day changed America don’t seem all that meaningful to me. The only thing that seems to hold any significance to me is the feeling of sitting on that marching band field.
When I think about that day, I still feel tears welling up, so I don’t let myself sink all the way into that memory for fear I’ll fall apart. I didn’t see the pictures until four or five days after the attack and honestly, I have yet to see the video of the second plane hitting. It almost seems too much to handle.
I worry about what I’m going to tell my kids about this day because while I understand America’s historical relationship with Osama Bin Laden and some the reasons that this day happened, I don’t get it and like the question of why people are born into certain situations, this is something I can’t comprehend. But I think that’s ok and I believe it’s in admitting this that we understand the difficulty of that day.
As younger generations are born who have not lived through this event and for those who did but are too young to remember it’s important that we try to figure out what this day meant. 9/11 for me was a moment of connection to humanity in a beautiful place, surrounded by a community of people that I love.
Think about what this day was for you and pass that on.
That is what future generations will gleam meaning from more than a news report or an article in a history book. The specific facts of that day continue to diminish in my brain but the feelings are just as strong in my heart.
True memory does not lie in facts but within the emotions of the heart. It is there that we find the connections that link us together as one and in this time of remembrance unites us.
It was just another day at band camp.
For some reason the radio of the equipment truck the band rented was on and it was through that radio that we found out the about the attacks on 9/11.
I don’t remember listening to the radio, or what facts about the attacks I found out then. It blurs with the knowledge that I know now. But I do remember at some point someone turning off the radio and all of us sitting in silence.
Something felt wrong.
It was like there was imbalance in the universe and I could feel that there was a shift in the world. I had never felt something like this before and I didn’t really know what to do or think.
One of the band directors broke the silence and said a couple things. I don’t remember what she said, but it seemed to make things feel a little better. After a couple more minutes, we got up and starting drilling marching band steps.
While it may have seemed insensitive for us to just go about our day, I do believe as my mom told me later that the best way to truly honor this day is to continue to live our lives to the best of our ability and not let fear paralyze us.
After lunch we rehearsed the “Star-Spangled Banner.” I had played this song all through high school at football games and never really gave much thought to it. That day was different. As we rehearsed it, there was a sense of duty and respect that I felt to that song that has never left me since. The performance of this song is not just another routine, it’s a representation of the history and spirit of what it means to be American.
I don’t remember the speech that our director gave us that instilled that feeling into that song for me.
I fear that my recollection of that day ten years later doesn’t really have anything to add to the remembrance of that day. So many facts have left me memory and any broad statements of how this day changed America don’t seem all that meaningful to me. The only thing that seems to hold any significance to me is the feeling of sitting on that marching band field.
When I think about that day, I still feel tears welling up, so I don’t let myself sink all the way into that memory for fear I’ll fall apart. I didn’t see the pictures until four or five days after the attack and honestly, I have yet to see the video of the second plane hitting. It almost seems too much to handle.
I worry about what I’m going to tell my kids about this day because while I understand America’s historical relationship with Osama Bin Laden and some the reasons that this day happened, I don’t get it and like the question of why people are born into certain situations, this is something I can’t comprehend. But I think that’s ok and I believe it’s in admitting this that we understand the difficulty of that day.
As younger generations are born who have not lived through this event and for those who did but are too young to remember it’s important that we try to figure out what this day meant. 9/11 for me was a moment of connection to humanity in a beautiful place, surrounded by a community of people that I love.
Think about what this day was for you and pass that on.
That is what future generations will gleam meaning from more than a news report or an article in a history book. The specific facts of that day continue to diminish in my brain but the feelings are just as strong in my heart.
True memory does not lie in facts but within the emotions of the heart. It is there that we find the connections that link us together as one and in this time of remembrance unites us.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Year 2: Week 1 - The Reminder
Thursday morning I woke up exhausted from going to bed too late and not being able to sleep well with too many things on my mind. Coming to school I had that “not enough sleep headache” and my eyes were not happy about having contact lenses in after such a sleepless night.
I got to school, did my morning routine and got ready to teach my first third grade class of the year. In my classroom, I tuned my guitar, put down name cards on the seats and still not fully awake, attempted to get my mind in a place that I could welcome this class to their first day of school that started right off with music.
“Mr. Tang would you like us to come in?” one of third grade teachers asked drawing my attention from the place on the floor I was staring at to the crowd of little people waiting patiently at the door.
“No, have them line up, I’m going to come over and give them some directions,” I replied.
As I walked to the door and enthusiastically greeted the teacher I looked at the kids who were standing, perfectly silent looking up at me. Some of the students looked apprehensive, others looked excited but most had a look of wonder, waiting to find out what kind of teacher I was and what this school year had in store for them.
Then something happened. The pitch of my voice raised to third grade level, I started talking slower and my usual sarcasm melted away as I instructed these students through the lesson. That headache I mentioned completely disappeared and for forty minutes my class and I had a great time getting to know each other through music.
As the class left, the headache returned, my energy level dropped and I tried to figure out a way that I could have naptime.
In my school we talk a lot about being a responsive teacher. This is about adjusting in the moment to the needs of the students. It’s about being receptive, and truly open to the experience the students are having. If you do this, really work with your students in that moment then it can change you.
This is one of the things that makes teaching a joyous profession and well, honestly makes it possible to be a teacher. There’s a lot of things that get in the way of enjoying being a teacher and it truly is the kids that get you through the rough days and reminds you how much beautiful it is to share your life with children.
I got to school, did my morning routine and got ready to teach my first third grade class of the year. In my classroom, I tuned my guitar, put down name cards on the seats and still not fully awake, attempted to get my mind in a place that I could welcome this class to their first day of school that started right off with music.
“Mr. Tang would you like us to come in?” one of third grade teachers asked drawing my attention from the place on the floor I was staring at to the crowd of little people waiting patiently at the door.
“No, have them line up, I’m going to come over and give them some directions,” I replied.
As I walked to the door and enthusiastically greeted the teacher I looked at the kids who were standing, perfectly silent looking up at me. Some of the students looked apprehensive, others looked excited but most had a look of wonder, waiting to find out what kind of teacher I was and what this school year had in store for them.
Then something happened. The pitch of my voice raised to third grade level, I started talking slower and my usual sarcasm melted away as I instructed these students through the lesson. That headache I mentioned completely disappeared and for forty minutes my class and I had a great time getting to know each other through music.
As the class left, the headache returned, my energy level dropped and I tried to figure out a way that I could have naptime.
In my school we talk a lot about being a responsive teacher. This is about adjusting in the moment to the needs of the students. It’s about being receptive, and truly open to the experience the students are having. If you do this, really work with your students in that moment then it can change you.
This is one of the things that makes teaching a joyous profession and well, honestly makes it possible to be a teacher. There’s a lot of things that get in the way of enjoying being a teacher and it truly is the kids that get you through the rough days and reminds you how much beautiful it is to share your life with children.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Confusing Old Navy Commercials
Old Navy bringing back "Sister Christian"!!
Awesome.
And then there's:
which is a version of this:
This just feels kind of wrong. I really can't explain why, but it just doesn't . . . um . . . sigh
Monday, September 5, 2011
Busy Being Fabulous by The Eagles
Since The Eagles got butchered by the ‘Cats last Saturday I think the Eagles could use a little love.
Let me explain.
Last weekend the Northwestern University Wildcats played the Boston University Eagles at football. Since most of my friends are from Northwestern there was a flurry of Facebook posts Saturday morning in support of the Northwestern. Most of them were some variation of “Go ‘Cats beat the Eagles.”
Facebook grouped all of these posts as comments about the rock band The Eagles. So on my feed it says “_______________ and 30 friends also posted about the Eagles,” with a hyperlink on the word Eagles, linking to the Eagles Facebook fan page. Now if you go to The Eagles fan page you will find a long list of posts celebrating the ‘Cats victory.
Since there’s all this misdirected negative energy against The Eagles, I feel like they could use a little love.
When hell froze over and The Eagles reunited in 1994 the accompanying album and concert special was incredibly successful and introduced a whole new generation including myself to one of the greatest and most successful band in the history of rock. For fans of The Eagles this reunion seemed like something that would never happen and in 2007, The Eagles answered the prayers of their fans again and recorded an album of new music.
During at time when CD sales were plummeting the Eagles release of “Long Road Out Of Eden,” their first album of original music since 1979, ended up selling over seven million copies. This double album featured some great songs but the one that always stuck with me is “Busy Being Fabulous.”
Busy Being Fabulous
Eagles | Myspace Music Videos
One of the things I love about artists who record music past middle age is that they are able to sing about things in a way that younger artists can’t. “Busy Being Fabulous” is about a person telling someone how much they missed out on because they were out partying.
This songs has a refreshing and beautiful blend of rock and country which instantly brings us back to the feeling of California rock which the Eagles so beautifully defined in the 1970s.
If you read the lyrics off the page this song may seem full of bitterness and anger. However Henley’s singing and the beautiful back-up vocals transforms the lyrics. While the songs exists as an “I told you so,” message telling someone they messed up, it is also a celebration of the great things in life the protagonist didn’t miss out on.
Like the Eagle’s greatest music, this song has layers that go beyond the surface with a surprisingly layer of maturity and depth.
So check out this song and the accompanying album. It’s really great stuff. The ‘Cats aren’t playing anyone who could mistaken by Facebook as a band again this year so hopefully this sad/hilarious instance of school spirit gone wrong will not happen again.
Let me explain.
Last weekend the Northwestern University Wildcats played the Boston University Eagles at football. Since most of my friends are from Northwestern there was a flurry of Facebook posts Saturday morning in support of the Northwestern. Most of them were some variation of “Go ‘Cats beat the Eagles.”
Facebook grouped all of these posts as comments about the rock band The Eagles. So on my feed it says “_______________ and 30 friends also posted about the Eagles,” with a hyperlink on the word Eagles, linking to the Eagles Facebook fan page. Now if you go to The Eagles fan page you will find a long list of posts celebrating the ‘Cats victory.
Since there’s all this misdirected negative energy against The Eagles, I feel like they could use a little love.
When hell froze over and The Eagles reunited in 1994 the accompanying album and concert special was incredibly successful and introduced a whole new generation including myself to one of the greatest and most successful band in the history of rock. For fans of The Eagles this reunion seemed like something that would never happen and in 2007, The Eagles answered the prayers of their fans again and recorded an album of new music.
During at time when CD sales were plummeting the Eagles release of “Long Road Out Of Eden,” their first album of original music since 1979, ended up selling over seven million copies. This double album featured some great songs but the one that always stuck with me is “Busy Being Fabulous.”
Busy Being Fabulous
Eagles | Myspace Music Videos
One of the things I love about artists who record music past middle age is that they are able to sing about things in a way that younger artists can’t. “Busy Being Fabulous” is about a person telling someone how much they missed out on because they were out partying.
This songs has a refreshing and beautiful blend of rock and country which instantly brings us back to the feeling of California rock which the Eagles so beautifully defined in the 1970s.
If you read the lyrics off the page this song may seem full of bitterness and anger. However Henley’s singing and the beautiful back-up vocals transforms the lyrics. While the songs exists as an “I told you so,” message telling someone they messed up, it is also a celebration of the great things in life the protagonist didn’t miss out on.
Like the Eagle’s greatest music, this song has layers that go beyond the surface with a surprisingly layer of maturity and depth.
So check out this song and the accompanying album. It’s really great stuff. The ‘Cats aren’t playing anyone who could mistaken by Facebook as a band again this year so hopefully this sad/hilarious instance of school spirit gone wrong will not happen again.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Year 2: Week 0 - Clueless
I don’t really feel like I know what I’m doing.
Next week I start my second year at my school, which I can no longer refer to as my “new school.” Thinking back on last year, I’m not really sure how I got through it all. If it wasn’t for my lesson plans and my blog posts I wrote last year, I really wouldn’t be able to tell how I managed to have such a successful year.
Well, that’s probably not sure, but it feels that way.
Last year, I braced myself for a rollercoaster of a school year and that’s what I got. Like a roller coaster I was warned about certain things but also some drops and turns came when I least expected it and all I could do was hold on and make it through. But I did more than survive, and if you ask anyone who worked with me they would agree that I had a fantastic year.
I know that’s true but it’s kind of hard to know how to handle a comment like that. Even though I was new last year it was my fifth year of teaching and entering my sixth year, I haven’t fully accepted that I’m more of an experienced teacher than a rookie.
It feels safer to tell myself that I’m a rookie. This means that I don’t know what’s going on and if I believe that then maybe other people around me will feel the same way and my risk of failure will be less, but that’s probably not true. I guess I’m just worried about being overly confident.
I guess I’m just bracing myself like I did last year but in a different way. I know the roller coaster track now, so I have a lot more on my mind to think about. I’m trying to not just get through the curriculum this year, rather I’m committed to involving myself in it and really make it meaningful. I can only blame myself for the additional pressure, but hey, that's the only way I know how to work.
My feelings really are irrational. I have a masters degree in music education, I know how to teach. What’s intimidating are my almost two hundred students more that half I’ve never worked with before. But I know that once I get through the first week, that will not be as big a deal, because they will change from a number to kids that I will grow to love. Even though I am preparing myself for the worst, I got to make sure not to forget to expect the best out of my kids.
I had an amazing year last year honestly not really knowing how a lot of things worked at my school last year. So this year, knowing the school, teachers and staff I’m going to be unstoppable.
Maybe the feeling of not knowing what you are doing isn’t such a bad thing. It just means there’s exciting discoveries for you to make, people to know and things to learn. That’s the feeling that makes education a challenge and an adventure.
Next week I start my second year at my school, which I can no longer refer to as my “new school.” Thinking back on last year, I’m not really sure how I got through it all. If it wasn’t for my lesson plans and my blog posts I wrote last year, I really wouldn’t be able to tell how I managed to have such a successful year.
Well, that’s probably not sure, but it feels that way.
Last year, I braced myself for a rollercoaster of a school year and that’s what I got. Like a roller coaster I was warned about certain things but also some drops and turns came when I least expected it and all I could do was hold on and make it through. But I did more than survive, and if you ask anyone who worked with me they would agree that I had a fantastic year.
I know that’s true but it’s kind of hard to know how to handle a comment like that. Even though I was new last year it was my fifth year of teaching and entering my sixth year, I haven’t fully accepted that I’m more of an experienced teacher than a rookie.
It feels safer to tell myself that I’m a rookie. This means that I don’t know what’s going on and if I believe that then maybe other people around me will feel the same way and my risk of failure will be less, but that’s probably not true. I guess I’m just worried about being overly confident.
I guess I’m just bracing myself like I did last year but in a different way. I know the roller coaster track now, so I have a lot more on my mind to think about. I’m trying to not just get through the curriculum this year, rather I’m committed to involving myself in it and really make it meaningful. I can only blame myself for the additional pressure, but hey, that's the only way I know how to work.
My feelings really are irrational. I have a masters degree in music education, I know how to teach. What’s intimidating are my almost two hundred students more that half I’ve never worked with before. But I know that once I get through the first week, that will not be as big a deal, because they will change from a number to kids that I will grow to love. Even though I am preparing myself for the worst, I got to make sure not to forget to expect the best out of my kids.
I had an amazing year last year honestly not really knowing how a lot of things worked at my school last year. So this year, knowing the school, teachers and staff I’m going to be unstoppable.
Maybe the feeling of not knowing what you are doing isn’t such a bad thing. It just means there’s exciting discoveries for you to make, people to know and things to learn. That’s the feeling that makes education a challenge and an adventure.
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