Who is teaching our children? An ongoing series of interviews with
teachers around the country. Meet Lucinda Amerman, a seventh and eighth grade
language arts teacher at Tillamook Junior High School in Tillamook, Oregon,
for the past five years. Lucinda shares her thoughts on school violence,
teacher burn-out and what parents can do to help their children succeed in
school.
Why did you become a teacher?
It's hard to say. I started college as an accountant major. My sophomore
year I did a workshop on Theater Sports with an 8th grade teacher and her
class. They invited me to come back and watch their puppet show. That night
as I watched the show, I was thought it was so heartwarming to watch these
kids show off something they were really proud of. I realized that I wanted
to be a part of that experience, to help kids find pride in themselves by
doing something well. That night I decided to change my
major, and I never looked back.
What do you enjoy most about being a teacher?
Working with the kids and seeing that moment when the light comes on for
them and they realize that they do have the ability to accomplish the task
at hand. That's probably the best part. I also enjoy the humor. They are
constantly showing me how to laugh at myself. I tell them they are giving
me gray hair but really, they are keeping me young.
What is the most difficult and challenging aspect of teaching?
The lack of respect and support that the public is currently showing. If
you talk to individuals, they go on and on about how much they admire me
for teaching, especially junior high. However, in the news, daily, there
are articles about caps on salary, cutting funding, cutting retirement benefits,
and taking away the right to bargain or appeal being fired.
Whenever teachers object, we are accused of only trying to protect our jobs
at the cost of public education. If that were really true, most of us wouldn't
even be in the profession. There are so many talented teachers I know who
could make twice the money doing something else. But they stay because they
are committed.
Have the recent shootings at a Colorado high school
changed or altered the way you view your job? What do you think teachers
and others can do to prevent such school violence from occurring again?
I don't think my job is more dangerous because of recent shootings. I thinkif
you look at the statistics, I am more in danger every day during my 20mile
commute to work than when I walk into the school.
There is a lot that can be done but I don't think it will happen right away.
To begin with their needs to be a fundamental change in thinking about these
situations. Instead of pointing fingers, we need to look at what we as an
individual can do to connect to a child and make them feel part of the community.
We speak the rhetoric about it taking a village to raise a
child, but the reality is so different. Nobody wants anyone involved in their
child's life and no one wants to get involved for fear of criticism or worse.
That has to stop.
Obviously, funding is an issue. Schools are falling apart. They need funding
for repairs. That has a huge affect on atmosphere. Resources for preventative
programs need to be expanded so when a child does need help, they are not
turned away because there is no room. (That's what happened in Springfield,
OR).
Time is another issue. Parents need more time with their children. Employers
need to support that. Churches and community organizations need volunteers
to reach out to children and give them a place to go. Law enforcement agencies
need more time with children so they are seen as
someone to trust instead of someone to fear or resent.
And media also does have a responsibility in this whether they want to face
it or not. Stop glamorizing Littleton, Springfield, Jonesboro, etc. We don't
need such excessive coverage. The need to know does not include the need
to graphically know. Kids do get ideas from this. I have seen it in my school.
Instead of threatening to beat someone up, now they threaten to shoot them.
Where does this idea come from? And look at what a celebrity each killer
becomes? Sometimes kids will take any attention they can get, negative or
otherwise.
The people who sponsor the media with their commercials. They can make choices
to. They can choose not to buy advertising in the middle of blatantly violent
shows. I know this is a long answer but it is a complex problem.
What types of behavior problems do you often deal with?
How do you cope with these problems?
Depends on the time of day, week, year. Usually it's silly stuff. Talking
out of turn, cracking a joke at the wrong time, not on task, forgetting school
supplies, tardy to class, etc. Occasionally there are serious things. We
have had our share of fights, some smoking in the bathroom. Drugs last year
(usually pot) but I don't think there has been much, if any, this year.
The most difficult are the chronic offenders who continue to disrupt, threaten,
etc. despite all our efforts. But there is usually, not always, something
else going on.
I have one kid who runs away from home because her
mom is always drunk. When the kid comes back, mom wants her to clean up the
mess from the latest party. This kid's little brother is just as big a wreck
but who can blame them?
Another of my kids lives in foster care but still keeps in touch with her
mom. One day her mom disappeared without a word. The poor kid was worried
sick for a couple of weeks until mom called. "Hi honey, I'm in Coos Bay with
your aunt." So of course the kid acts out.
We have a pretty good discipline system. We use Think time which deals with
kids at a really low level. I ask a kid to get back to work. They don't.
I send them out on think time and they write what they did wrong and what
they need to do when they come back. It gives you documentation and the kid
has to take responsibility. It's great.
If they don't respond to that, we write referrals and they are assigned points
for each referral. As points increase, these kids get more attention from
administration. Plans are written, parents are called in, kids are given
options, and so on. It is very individualized. The only real problem we have
is not enough people to really work with these kids. Special Education laws
play a big role to because many kids who act out have a disability of some
sort. It's good that the laws are in place but they have become so broad
and all-encompassing that for some kids, it becomes a
license to misbehave.
There have been a couple kids who do have a disability, but that isn't what
makes them a jerk. However, we have to give them lots of extra chances as
a result and they take advantage of that. It can be really frustrating at
times. If we didn't have such a great principal, these kids would run the
school. Fortunately that doesn't happen here. But our principal won't be
here forever either.
What do you do to keep the students' interest and get
them excited and motivated to learn?
That's hard because every kid is so different. As a general rule, I guess
Itry to show kids the relevance of what we are doing to their lives. I also
try to give them a chance to be successful because I truly believe that
success breeds success.
I give them tasks that are challenging but something they can do if they
try. Once they are successful at something they didn't think they could do,
then I have them hooked.
I can't say that I have one strategy because there is such variety in my
classroom. Some kids get candy although I hate extrinsic rewards. Some kids
get humor because it lightens the situation and helps them laugh at themselves.
Some kids get my ear, because they need someone to listen and acknowledge
all the crap going on in their life.
If I can tell them, "wow, just being here today is an accomplishment for
you" they feel validation and they will work for me. Some kids I am a little
rough on because they need to be pushed. They are "getting by" instead of
working to their potential. I am not mean, but I don't accept less than they
are capable of. So I wear a lot of hats to a lot of different kids.
Have you ever experienced teacher burn-out? If so,
what do you do to cope with or prevent burn-out? What keeps you rejuvenated
and refreshed?
This year in fact. Mid-way through the year I was looking for all sorts of
reasons to quit because I hated all the politics, and I was having a tough
time with another teacher (one in my team). I didn't feel like I could really
teach what the kids needed to learn because our standards are so focused
on teaching to the test. I wasn't having fun anymore, and I was really angry
about that.
Finally I talked to another teacher about it. I told him about all the things
I wanted to do in my classroom but didn't feel like I could. He looked at
me and said, "What are they going to do? Fire you?" I realized that was the
worst thing that could happen and it wasn't so bad. I could always get another
job. I scrapped my boring lesson plans and developed a unit that was fun
and still taught the concepts I wanted to teach. I started having fun and
so did the kids. It was good for me because I learned how to keep perspective.
There are other things I do too. I don't bring any work home. Home is my
haven. I change my clothes as soon as I get home. I try to exercise to relieve
stress. I put my husband first. He is my best friend and comes before my
job. When I am at school, I give 150%. I come about 30-45 minutes early everyday.
But I don't take it home. It makes you crazy if you do. I also have several
hobbies including cooking, reading, crafts, and playing with my pets (2 dogs,
1 cat).
What suggestions do you have for parents who want to
help their children do well in school and who want to encourage their children
to like school?
Don't be afraid to talk to the teacher. We really are on the same side. Don't
wait for the teacher to call you. I have 120 students and that is a relatively
light load. Most secondary teachers have a lot more kids than that. I have
very limited access to a phone and even less time to use it.
So bug the teacher and get in touch. If you suspect there is a problem, there
probably is and the teacher is dying for you to get involved.
Read to your kid. Show an interest in their school work. If you don't feel
like you understand the homework, call the teacher. Don't just tell your
kid that you never understood it either. That sends the message that it's
ok to give up.
If you can't call the teacher, call other parents who can
help, or go to the library. Make it a mission. If you value understanding,
then your kids will too. The best thing my mom ever did was have a friend
of hers help me with my homework when she didn't understand it. I would have
given up otherwise.
Go to their events: concerts, plays, games, sports awards, etc. Show them
that school is important. If you can't go, get an adult the kids respect
and ask them to go for you. I understand that parents work crazy shifts and
can't always be there. If you aren't available, get someone who can help.
Kids need that support. Actions speak louder than words.
Especially in junior high, remember your kids are growing up. Give them age
appropriate freedom but be the adult, not their friend. They have friends.
They don't need you to be one too. They need you to place limits.
How would you like to see schools change within the
next decade? What do you think could be done to make school more effective
and more enjoyed by all students?
Start by putting some money into the structures. No one wants to come to
a school that has a leaking roof, peeling paint, dirty walls, ancient lab
facilities, desks that are broken, lights that are dim, rooms that are closed
in, and floors that are extremely hard. Some paint, carpeting,
technological updates, and a general face lift would do a lot to improve
the environment.
Treat teachers as professionals with knowledge that is specialized. I hate
the saying "those that can, do, and those that can't, teach." It is so demeaning.
Many teachers get burned out because they fell helpless, hopeless, and under
appreciated. That carries over into the classroom.
If you are afraid to try new things or constantly feel like you are being
taken advantage of, you aren't going to be your best. Along these lines,
teachers need time for professional development and planning how to implement
new
teaching techniques. Lack of time is a major reason many teachers don't try
new things.
Get more funding for outside activities like sports, drama, music, etc. Those
are the areas where kids really feel connected to school. Those are the things
they come to school for. If you can get kids connected in a positive way,
that is going to affect how they feel about themselves and the way they treat
others. So many kids who get into trouble have nothing at school that they
can feel a part of.
Get rid of these super sized schools. You cannot keep track of 800 students,
much less 2000. No wonder kids feel lost and disconnected. Many of them don't
think any of their teachers really know them and they are right. I see 120
students and that's a small load. I know I don't get to
know my students as well as I would like to.
I look in the halls and I recognize most of the faces which is nice.
But it's tough and we only have about 375 kids. Much more than that and it
wouldn't be possible.
I hate to say that it all come down to money but it does. American schools
get more bang for the buck than any other schools in the world. Everyone
wants a first class education without paying the price. As a result, the
cut backs have forced everyone to pay a different price.
Tell us about a moment when you really loved teaching and felt you were doing
something worthwhile and important. Was there an incident that really moved
you?
I don't really have one or two really memorable moments. It is usually the
little stuff. Every time I get to work with a kid one-on-one I know I am
doing the right thing. Being able to really show them how to do something
and see the light go on is when I feel the best.
There have been a couple of kids over the years that I felt like I was really
reaching because I learned more about them than most of my kids and I was
able to be their advocate within the system. It really does feel good
when you can connect with a kid that no one else has been able to. You feel
like you are helping them to help themselves.
And there are the funny moments too. This year I have had some real laughs
like the kid who asked me for 50 cents to pay someone to type his paper.
Then there was the kid who was doing a speech on Siberian tigers and he
brought in his dog wearing a white t-shirt painted with black stripes (and
he didn't tell me ahead of time that this was his visual aid). Many of us
joke about the books we could write.
If you had to do it over, would you become a teacher
again?
Usually the answer is a yes without a doubt. But sometimes there are
heartbreaking moments that make you question. A favorite student is suddenly
shipped to the other parent's house and leaves. A student tries to commit
suicide and you feel helpless to stop them. The student who does so well
for awhile only to go back to using drugs. It's tough. Sometimes I cry when
I get home. Then I wonder why I'm in this. But I figure if not me, then who?
Someone has to get involved.
In your opinion, what are the major problems our schools
face--and what are the solutions to these problems?
Boy, how much time do you have and why don't we solve world peace while we
are at it. Actually, in a lot of ways our schools are doing really well.
We have the lowest drop-out rate ever. Sure, it may be 20-25% but 100 years
ago did 75-80% percent of students who attended elementary school graduate
high school? Was the rate that high even 50 years ago, or 30? No. We have
more students taking the SAT and attending college than ever. Our higher
ed system is the best system in the world. That's why there are so many foreign
students and half of those students stay in the US after graduating. So when
you look at all that, we are doing pretty good. But obviously there
is room for improvement.
I would say the biggest problem is the lack of involvement by the community.
That is the school's fault just as much as the community. We aren't exactly
inviting at times. But the community isn't asking to be let in. If we are
going to continue to make education a priority, we need to not only commit
money, but time and skills as well. We need people who are willing to come
in and spend time in the schools, mentor kids, tutor kids, give teachers
an adult to talk to (we miss that sometimes), share knowledge and skills,
and
give kids role models.
Right now our school has a partnership with Habitat for Humanity. It's wonderful.
Contrary to what many people think, partnerships don't have to be about money.
The kids are integrating real skills with their math. The solve real life
math problems, then go out to the work site and see if they
are right. They have gotten to help paint, measure various spots on the site,
determine amount of materials needed, create instructional video and advertising
posters, made planters for the families, learned about soil composition,
and I don't even know what else.
Not only are the kids learning all sorts of skills, but they are giving something
back to the community and forming relationships that will last a lifetime.
So I guess the biggest thing our schools need right now is the human factor
if they are to succeed into the future. |
