MeganGuideChap9

R • E • A • D • I • N • G G • U • I • D • E

Chapter 9: When Things Go Wrong From Fires in the Bathroom by Kathleen Cushman

What do we do, when things go wrong in our classrooms? Responding to quotes from this chapter will help us to reflect upon and share our own experiences and suggestions. Some space has been provided for note taking, during discussion.

Guiding questions: 1. In what ways can I most improve, as a teacher, when facing the things that go wrong? 2. What can I do, specifically, in order to improve?

1. When Students Get Discouraged

“So she gave us a questionnaire: How can I be a better teacher?” (p. 164) ➢ Have you used questionnaires? In what ways? Have they helped? Could you use them to greater effect?

“I knew: I should be in school, I’m alone, I’m stupid. Kids want to learn.” (p. 166) ➢ Are there kids who don’t want to learn?

“Students tend to remember how adults respond in situations like this, and it matters to them.” (p. 167) ➢ How resilient are you, in the face of adversity? How resilient do you expect your students to be?

Do any of these situations ring bells, for you?

➢ “She’s only gone to school five days this whole year, and her grades are still passing. They don’t know her! She’ll show up – she showed up just last week on Thursday and no one knew who she was.” (p. 165)

➢ “Then they called – but only because my mother said, ‘I want you to call me.’” (p. 165)

➢ “I’m glad you’ve graced us with your presence.” (p. 166)

2. When Teachers Get Discouraged

“When you let your student walk all over you, they’re not learning the essentials of respect, of how to interact properly.” (p. 169) ➢ What do you believe are the essentials of respectful interaction? How would you defend these fundamental beliefs (or how have you done so) in your classroom?

“Without giving up their human side, teachers have to put aside their fear and do the job, even as their teenaged students test them again and again.” (p. 168) ➢ What are your fears, in the classroom? Have you had to face any of these fears? What did you do? What are your strategies for confronting future fears?

“You really affect kids when you just do your job day in and day out, do it well – and everything doesn’t have to be about bonding with the kids and changing their lives. That’s artificial.” (p. 171) ➢ Do you agree? Share your experience.

Does this situation ring a bell, for you? “– it wasn’t a respectful argument and the teacher didn’t have control. She let it go on for too long.” (p. 169)

Recovery Exercise (p. 172) Can you think of a situation in which this exercise might have helped you? Would you add to it?

A short list of suggestions:

➢ Don’t be afraid to apologize ➢ Reexamine your teaching approach ➢ Don’t take a bad day too hard. ➢ Don’t judge your success by whether we like you. ➢ Don’t try to be a superhero. ➢ Don’t give up on us. (p. 174)

Which of these do you struggle with most?