Teachable Moment

Secret to successful Saturday afternoon grading: a macchiato in the warmth of my favorite neighborhood coffee shop.

Dear Friends,

I've often heard it said that good teachers have many talents; among them are begging, borrowing, and stealing.

Hmm. Hard to imagine those words appearing on a collegiate teacher-training rubric. "Teacher candidate displays excellence in the area of stealing."

The sentiment holds true, though, at least for me. The past two weeks my "Conversational English" students and I have been engaging in a study of words. I gave my students a document created by a master teacher who just so happens to be my mother; both sides of the page contain the question, "What kinds of feelings come with these words?" There are nearly 100 words on each side, but one side contains words that derive positive emotions (weekend, joy, peaceful) and the other contains words that connote negative emotions or images (evict, disrespect, riot).

My students and I read each column in unison and paused to describe the emotions or experiences attached to these words. Only a handful of words required further explanation. Although I'd used this exercise with my English students back home, I was curious to see how non-native speakers would connect. Overall, the activity resonated with the students.

As we finished, I told them to hang on to their papers for a couple of reasons. First, they may come in handy as a resource as they write for their other English teachers. "But, most of all," I said, "I want you to try something. Next time you're having a 'side B' kind of day, pull out this paper. Go lock yourself in the bathroom or something and simply read side A to yourself. Now, will this take away your problems? No. But, you may see your problems in a different way. When you try it, let me know if it worked for you! All you'll have to say to me is, 'It worked.'"

It was one of those quasi-inspirational, over-arching statements we teachers make. We believe in what we're saying, yes, but we expect only a small percentage of the students to actually remember what we've suggested, let alone try the prescribed method or experiment.

For part two of the lesson on words, I shared with my students the book, Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Pollaco. Carol Kilver, then-assistant principal of Turner who had a hand in hiring me, gave me the book back in 2001. I've shared it with students ever since. Naturally, it made the cut to travel with me to Latvia.

You must read the story for yourself, but in a nutshell, the author recalls her early school days as a struggling reader and target of bullying and the impact of one dynamic teacher, Mr. Falker.

Following our reading, a mock press conference was held as four students stepped up to "be" the characters and the rest of the class acted as questioning reporters. Using a stapler as a microphone (borrow!) I played the part of the facilitator. The students were able to step into others' shoes -- and others' language! -- and really feel the impact of words.

We discussed, then, the validity of the old familiar adage, Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

Many of my students are lively and engaging young people in and outside of the classroom, I would say. Most of them are confident English speakers -- at least confident enough to try without being petrified of making a few mistakes. I have over 250 students, and I see most of them only once a week in class. Certain personalities, of course, leave immediate impressions, and Zane, a 10th grader, sitting quietly in the back row, struck me as perhaps the most bashful student of them all.

That's why I was surprised to see her at the initial Speech Team meeting a couple of weeks ago. Zane and her older sister signed up to work together on a duet. This week, I met with them for the first time. Zane walked into the classroom with her eyes down. Her long, brown hair covered almost the whole of her face. When I greeted her, her voice was little more than a whisper.

What is going on here? I thought. Who put this girl up for coming to Speech?

The profession of teaching, like the profession of theft, I'd imagine, is full of surprises. The minute Zane began reading the Bradbury script in front of her, she was a different girl. Articulate and animated. Already assuming the role of her character on the first read-through.

After our forty minute rehearsal, just as Zane and her sister were about to walk out the door, Zane stopped. She reached into her handbag and gently lifted a folded paper -- the words sheet from Conversational English. She looked at me and said in a small voice, "It worked."

I left Riga State Gymnasium No. 1 a very proud and rich man that afternoon. A man who, some six years ago, unknowingly answered a calling to teach and ushered in a world of blessings... blessings that the likes of Bradbury, Kilver and J. Chipman have known for some time.

Blessings that cannot be begged, borrowed, or stolen. Only shared.

Yours,
Tim