As I meet with my principal today, it is obvious something has to change. At the beginning of the year, no boys in my class could read. Well, one could, but he still needed lots of help. Every day we would work on phonics, spelling, reading and writing. However, after a way, a slowly weaned them away from this schedule, and threw in math, social studies and science. I had found something I enjoyed teaching, something the kids liked to learn and something we could both have fun with. However, reading started slipping. The improvements started to change into falling backwards. Therefore, we have to change the curriculum up.
Right in the middle, or on the back half, of the year and the curriculum is all up in the air. What do I teach these boys? I am now instructed to change them strictly to a reading curriculum and that is it. Start over on everything, dropping science and social studies, and a bit of math. Read, read, read, read, read. This is my new schedule. These boys WILL read. It is their destiny and mine to teach them the ropes that they can use to get across this valley in their life. It will not be easy, however, it is going to happen.
To make things easier, a system is going to have to be put in place to get them to do their work. When there is cancer in the body, it is taken out, giving life back to a person. Well, same goes for a classroom. We are removing some cancer that is going to help us out. Not all the cancer is being removed as the tumors in my classroom are spread all around, yet, the mother tumor is now gone. We put one of the students back in the mainstream classroom today, as he is not in my class for help, but for discipline issues. Without him, the learning will increase in my room. I am looking forward to having a class without as much disruptions and it starts with this change. A reward system is now in place as well. Today, I changed the room all up, assigned seats, and made what I call, "Eagle Dollars." It is a system put in place to make them learn how to manage money as well as learn some discipline. When they do good things they get money. When they act up or want something, such as a drink, it will cost them. They also have prizes if so much money is collected, such as breakfast (which they love) or lunch out on the teacher. (Which secretly I hope they don't get because I have no money, but if they do, I will take them.) I am praying the changes are really going to help these boys out as well as make my last few weeks here go extremely smooth.
Today, I had yet another parent teacher conference. The only weird thing about it was the mom did not speak English. Therefore, the principal made the student I was doing the conference on, come interpret everything. Now you are going to tell me that this kid actually told her everything? You have got to be kidding me. I went on with it though, not holding anything back just because the student was there, but I said everything the mom needed to know, and it didn't hurt him either to hear it. Oddly enough, I do think he actually translated correct, because that mom ripped in to him in Creole and kept that finger right in his face and she seemed to be swearing on her life that he had better change. It was hard not to laugh, but somehow I bit my lower lip. These mothers have some respect in Haitian culture. It is awesome to see that someone does. I'd like to paint my skin a dark brown, put on a wig, throw in some implants and put a name tag that says, "mom" on it and go to class. Maybe I would start to get respect.
While my time in Miami is an amazing experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything, it seems to be catching up to me. Nothing has really seemed to go in my favor lately. Every day I am tested by these kids as they try to make fun of my culture, my music, my way of life, and sometimes I feel like I have a net on my head that catches everything. It is hard to let them go. However, by this experience, it gives me an opportunity to see how others view us from an outside world. White, country folk always have jokes about black, city people. I have head them all. Maybe, this is a little getting back at me, for the jokes I have told in my life about other cultures. A friend once told me that everything in life is a lemon, and it is my responsibility to see how I can turn that lemon into lemonade. And this is so true. The experience that I get everyday is something I would never have had if I stayed at home this semester. The person I am growing into would be totally shaped into something else. I am starting to notice that this lemonade is really turning very bland quickly, and I hope that I can add some sort of sugar to turn it into something sweet. It started off better, but everything has its ups and downs. Maybe I am just in a very low valley right now, but a mountain is up ahead. I hope that I can just finish this out strong making everyone else happy that I am working with including students, parents and staff. I'm praying this change in classroom structure tomorrow is going to hoist me up! I am sure it will! There is not doubt in my mind. Starting tomorrow, my class is going to be the best one in Miami. Students will start acting like they can't read, just so they can come experience Mister Isaac's classroom!!
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