New Teacher of the Year….In a Pandemic
I met Nadia Summer of 2015 through my family. She was my Servant Leader Intern for Children’s Defense Fund. Her passion for children of color, dedication to her craft and her persistence in accomplishing her goals are unmatched. I am proud to say that I know her and it is my hope that her story resonates with other educators.
I did it!!! I made it to the moment that I had been waiting for my entire life. I am about to become a teacher, and not just any teacher, the most important teacher of all a…….. KINDERGARTEN teacher. I have all the best ideas, the perfect personality, and the drive to make a difference, I am about to leave my mark!!!! But…… on the contrary, it’s also 2020 and we are in a pandemic. Everything I thought I knew, I had to erase it and go back to the drawing board. This school year was going to take me by storm.
Picture this, I’m excited for the first day, I’m outside the door waiting in the hallway for my class. One student walks up and they just stare at me, not saying a word. So naturally I try to calmly guide them in the class and what happens…. They start crying. While I’m trying to calm this kid down from crying another student walks in. But this student is the total opposite, and at this time they are bouncing off the walls so excited to be in school that they won’t stop talking. Now, imagine this same pattern happening about five times while some kids are crying in the background and others touching all your belongings; you also have to get them ready to unpack their school supplies. I was completely terrified and wanted to grab my bag and run, leaving 14 students behind. But instead, I took a deep breath and read First Day Jitters. For anyone who hasn’t read this book, it tells a story about a person who does not want to go to a new school due to fears of not being liked and not making friends. The book later reveals the new teacher is the person who’s afraid. I chose this book because I wanted my students to know that, just like them, I was scared too.
After I finished reading, the day got better by each passing moment. And with that one book I was able to gain the attention from the class. I was able to connect with them which made them feel safe. They didn’t feel alone which ultimately made them feel comfortable. I maintain a good relationship with my students, because when appropriate, instead of brushing them off, telling them they’re wrong or making them feel less than; I make them feel as if I am one of their equals. My students will also say that it’s okay to make mistakes, but we don’t make mistakes over and over. We learn the first time and we do better the next time. It’s okay to say sorry, but sorry doesn’t fix repetitive behavior. And if you keep messing with students in my class, they are quick to say “sorry doesn’t fix everything” LOL! Because of the pandemic, most shy away from physically touching other students, but during this time I know they needed physical contact the most. At the age of five, most of them have never been away from their mothers, grandmothers, or any family members for that matter. They needed the comfort of knowing someone loves them even when they have messed up.I find that being relatable and loving to my students ultimately helps me have the best classroom management in the school.
When I speak, students listen with an open ear, when I give instructions, students try their best to exceed my expectations. Even when I am not looking, students still uphold the rules and expectations given them. We became a family from day one. My class is not perfect, but because of the relationship I established early on, it was easy to educate them. They wanted to learn from me and to hear what I have to say…they wanted to do the very best.
I started this school year with only 14 students but by November I had 22. Within those 22 kids, some are English language learners, students with individualized education plans, students with behavior disorders, and 504 plans. This wide variety of classroom levels sometimes stressed me out. I felt like I wasn’t reaching my students but simply just showing up for them. My biggest fear was doing my best and still not reaching my students. My confidence in my teaching abilities started to change when I found out in December I was named teacher of the month. I received the award because of the challenges and hardships I faced with the behavior of three students. The administration noticed a complete 180 change with two out of the three students. A week later, I remember being shocked looking at my middle of the year scores and noticing I no longer had students in the well below level. I had five students below grade level and the rest were average or above average . This information meant that regardless of the makeup of my class the energy and enthusiasm I put into teaching was paying off. My students' growth in four month affirmed my confidence.
One of my favorite female activists once said ‘You really can change the world if you care enough’. Although the road was difficult , the rewards were far greater than the challenges. I watched my students evolve and achieve personal and academic growth. All because I cared enough to have the best ideas, to maintain the perfect personality, and the drive to make a difference…..I LEFT MY MARK!! The 2020-21 school year owes me nothing!
