Project 365: Day 75 - Fri. July 31st, 2009

Devine Intervention

Today was another great day in Trailer 2. We spent the morning in the computer lab and then came back to do our Writer's Circle, practice our vocab, take a test on our newest 20 SAT words and continue reading A Raisin in the Sun. During our break Ja'chole finished her lifesize poem BECAUSE... She wrote it during our Writer's Circle a few days ago. In honor of the dreams deferred in A Raisin in the Sun, I had the kids write about their dreams. I had them formulate their own Bucket List -- the list of things they want to do before they "kick the bucket". Then they were asked to do some underwater writing about one of those items. When I asked EACH of them to share one item on the list I didn't get the usual, materialistic money, house, car items. That's because this is not a usual group of kids. They are so very UNusual - in a very real and positive "UN" sense. I heard Sanaa say she wants to save a life. Brad wants to witness his future children graduate from high school and college. And Ja'chole? Well she wants to publish a book - a book of poems. After everyone shared one item from the list I asked if anyone wanted to share the writing they had done to uncover one of those dreams. Ja'chole of course raised her hand and she shared the poem she had just written:

Because...

I write because I'm me. I determine myself to be
something phenominal. Yeah I lost someone over a game
apologizing made me never lose my shame.
Live for today and never tomorrow
regrets that will never fade.

I write because I'm strong
I write because I'm determined
I write because I'm unique

I use my language as my weapon as my essence
so you can understand me better

I write because I'm pretty
I write because I'm educated
I write because it's me

I love to write.

The class cheered and clapped and snapped their fingers. It was a moment of clarity and affirmation for one young woman's very real dream.

Going into today's writing circle, I knew it was going to spark something special. Little did I know that God had a very real plan for our writing. I often come up with the ideas for our 20 minutes of sacred writing because of things I read or hear. Today's was no exception. Just yesterday Teacher Magazine sent me an email highlighting the newest issue and a title caught my eye: "Are Schools Wounding Students?" I opened the link immediately and was struck by the timeliness of it all. I don't think that email was from teachermagazine.org at all - I think it was an email from God. I read it and the words spoke to me with urgency because they forced me to come to terms with what I was feeling that day -- a feeling of exultation that four days ago Parris had stopped coming. There -- I said it. I was celebrating one of my student's decisions to give up. Why? Why! Why was I celebrating? The article touched me so deeply that it strapped me to my chair and compelled me to write an email to share it with the teachers I know will help me digest it and react to it. Carney of course was the first to respond and wrote an email worthy of a pulitzer prize. I simply said this:

After our summer school experiences I am left thinking about the at-risk students we deal with. I am forwarding this article to all of you because at one time I have talked with you about this question: "When did we [meaning schools] beat the desire to learn out of our students?" I look forward to our discussions as we think about how to help our students heal from wounds teachers and schools and absent/negligent parents have caused.

Take a look at this powerful line a student gave in the article: "Basically I became motivated to not do well—like what I could do well was not to do well. ... Kids that struggle are so much more sensitive to moments—especially bad ones. These moments shape their whole lives, their sense of themselves. Teachers’ little comments had a huge effect on me"

What moments have I created this summer to help heal or open learning wounds? I have been told by some students that English with me is fun - that they care about learning vocabulary and reading. I am happy to hear some of their wounds are healing. BUT I wonder now whether I tried hard enough to help Parris Hill heal his wounds. He has stopped coming to summer school and just today before reading this article I was inwardly celebrating his defeat. Now I feel nothing but remorse. Tomorrow my students and I are each going to write a letter to Parris asking him to keep trying, urging him to give his education another chance - maybe it will work. Or maybe it will simply serve as a way to release my own guilt. Have the years of negativity burned the image of CAN'T on his psyche so deeply that is like a tattoo for everyone, including Parris, to see? Why did I buy into it?

I hope you will find this article as thought-provoking as I and that we can find some time to discuss and plan how to turn our classrooms into hospitals for the wounded learners.

http://www.teachermagazine.org/tm/articles/2009/07/29/tln30_marshall.h21.html?tkn=%5b%5bUFEDWdmudN12bBDhnRl%252BMpJutiO0IUw76C

That is what prompted today's writing prompt... Tell me when you first became a wounded learner. I shared with the class my reaction to the article and my very personal feelings of guilt about Parris. I told them I was guilty of celebrating his decision to quit and that I was ashamed and embarrased. So today we were not only going to write about our own wounds but we were also going to write Parris a letter to help him heal some of his school wounds. None of us knew if it would work but the time we spent writing something positive and motivating for a student in trouble couldn't possibly be a waste of time.

"Ms. G - do you think he will even read them? And how is he going to get them?"

"Well I can't promise he will read them. But I can promise that I will tape each one to his front door if I have to but I will get him those letters. Of that you can be certain."

And with that they bought in and started writing powerfully compelling arguments for Parris to change his ways, ask for help, and get his "ass back in school".

I read them while they took their vocabulary tests and each one made me proud of this group of UNusual students.

Then we settled into reading and before we knew it, the Friday had flown by and the students were waiting to be dismissed for the buses. Ja'chole opened the door and was the first to notice: there, sitting on our railing of Trailer 2 was Parris. God had sent him to us. I ran back to my desk to get the letters. I placed them in his hands and said, "some of them asked if you would read them. Prove to them Parris that you care enough to read what they wrote. They wrote from their hearts."

"I will," he said. "I'll read 'em - I promise." And I watched him walk away folding the letters into his back pocket to be read in the very private world reserved just for Parris... and God.