It's the Small Things. (By: Jess)

As we are QUICKLY approaching "back to school", I have been anxiously getting ready for my 8th year of teaching. I really do love this time of year. I like going back to "my room" and digging out all my "stuff", making school supply lists (HUGE SMILE!), and planning and organizing all the new (and old) activities I wanna do this year! I like to add a few new challenges to my routine and lessons every year for many reasons, but mainly so I don't get bored teaching the same ole way! My greatest fear in this profession is that I will get burnt out, and do the same things year after year after year after year after year....... I like to keep it "spicy" and constantly changing. It helps keep me sane, I believe. Did I mention I teach 8th grade?!?!

Anywho- while thinking about all the planning, I started to think back to previous years and what I have done in my classroom and what I used to do and what I currently do. I began thinking, "I wonder if the kids enjoyed this as much as me?" or "did that lesson help the kids understand?" or "was that fun or not?" or "was that worth it or not?". I finally realized...that I will never REALLY know the answers to these questions unless I ask the kids themselves. I mean, I LOVE teaching about the Stono Rebellion or how to write the perfect persuasive essay.....the the kids may have a totally different opinion on them! So.....I went to Facebook. I love online communication!

I posted a status, asking all my former students, what some of their memories were of my class.

(sidenote: I only add former students as FB friends once they graduate HS. So, it has been AT LEAST 5 years since I have taught these students. Some even longer....)

I asked them to tell me things they enjoyed doing in class and some things they remember learning about. I was so curious to know if they remembered who started the Revolutionary War and why, why the South lost the Civil War, who Eliza Lucas Pickney was, what caused the Cherokee War, the difference between an adjective and an adverb, what a Royal Colony is, and so much more "stuff" that I stress and stress about every year! I wasn't sure if I'd get any responses or not, but I thought I'd give it a shot.


For those of you who are not teachers, let me quickly explain how important it is that students learn specific things. ("standards" as we call them in the educational universe). In a world of PASS tests, MAP tests, RIT scores, Lexile scores, SAT scores, reading levels, and AR tests, there is a lot of pressure on teachers to MAKE SURE their kids learn all the standards in order to score well on all of the above. Its crazy stressful for kids and teachers, but its our job.

Test, test, test.
Teach, teach, teach.
Teach to the test.
Bell to bell.
Keep them engaged.
Content on DAY 1.
Post standards in your room so kids are ALWAYS aware of what they HAVE to learn and what you HAVE to teach.

And when "the scores" come back every year.... we all hold our breath and hope we did a good job. Oh yes.....teachers get grades too.


I will toot my own horn just a wee bit (toot toot), but I am usually very proud of my test scores. They make me smile and re-assure me that what I'm doing must be working. But I don't dwell on them. I'm not a big fan of tests and numbers. So I look at my scores. Give myself a pat on the back (cause no one else usually does), and then I move on. OK, done tooting.


When former students started responding to my FB status I was happy and appreciative. Then more started responding. And more. And before I knew it, I actually got a little overwhelmed! I almost couldn't keep up with the reading! But, as I started to read what they wrote, I noticed a slight pattern. Everything these kids remembered or "will never forget", had little to nothing to do with standards or specific historical content that I spend so much time on. Hummmm....

I was a little bummed that my former kids didn't comment on anything specific! Nobody seemed to remember war details, government details, important people, places, and documents of history. Boo. In one ear and out the other, I guess. But I didn't stay bummed for long.....


'Cause these kids remembered a lot more. Stuff i had even forgotten. Stuff that was apparently more important TO THEM than historical content. They remembered journal writing, preforming raps, special awards I had given them, books we read that had NOTHING to do with "standards", creative projects we did, contests we had, advise I gave, conversations we had, silly cheers and chants we did, listening to the radio, debates, making videos and commercials, notes I wrote them, movies we watched, games we played, prizes they won,

Reading about all their memories really made me think. It made me think about what's really important.

To put it simply:
It's the small stuff that's important. The rest is just required.


Thanks to all my former kids who helped me see the light....... your memories mean more to me than you will ever know. Thanks for being "a breath of fresh air" for a new school year! Love ya all!! MUAH!!


So...scores bores.

As a teacher and educational professional I will always "care" about test scores and standards. I will always try my best to make sure my students learn what they are required to learn by the state. I will always fulfill my requirements as a classroom teacher to the best of my ability.

But I will also never ignore the small things that (apparently) matter the most.

If my students don't know the difference between the Patriots and the Lobsterbacks or what year the Boston Massacre occurred or what the Intolerable Acts were or what happened at the Battle of Kings Mountain...... then so be it. I'm OK with that.

'Cause I'm sure they learned SOMETHING from me........

and isn't THAT my job?