Thursday, May 20, 2010

Ben Peled Saves the Day

My math teacher friend Ben Peled sent me this yesterday and it made me gape, smile and feel a bit better.

"Often at this time of year, surveying all the kids (may not) have learned, I feel overwhelmed by the gap between the teacher I am and the teacher I'd like to be. That's why it's always good to be reminded that, however often I screw up in the classroom, there's someone out there effing it up much, much worse."

For all of you who have been having a challenging week, doubting the value of your practice, feeling discouraged, or frankly just need a little eye-popping.

May you be reassured and rejuvenated for these final days.

3 comments:

  1. Wow, Jesse, I can't imagine that being reassuring. I am horrified and depressed. The ugliness of racism has come out in the open so much more since Obama was elected.

    It feels like festering wounds to me.

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  2. Dearest Sue,
    Thank you so much for your comment. You are right to be horrified. I am as well, and I have spent the day chastened by your comment. It's not funny or hopeful that such racism exists.
    It is my hope that the overt racism in our nation and world, by being visible, will be more successfully transformed.
    And that in the meantime, we somehow find reassurance and rejuvenation in the face of extreme difficulties so that we can better serve our communities.

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  3. Sorry to 'chasten'. Maybe we can think together about what would be reassuring for you, along the lines you meant that to be.

    ...maybe stories of how badly we all taught in our first year. That could make a delightful collection of bloopers.

    So long ago it feels like a previous lifetime, I taught junior high math. Badly. (I made a difference in one girl's life. She was in special ed. She's now a special ed teacher. But the others - I was not much help to them.)

    I had some white pants that were a bit see-through, and I made the mistake of wearing paisley underwear. Yikes!

    I was fired because I didn't have good enough control of my classroom. I won a grievance, but decided to move on to community college teaching, where the students were more likely to appreciate my quirks.

    Namaste.

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