Whatever It Takes is the motto of Marcia Mateling, the teacher of several of the students I work with in the 'Wrinkles' group. Yesterday was a red-letter day for all of us at J. H. House Elementary as we watched with surging joy as a group of administators, reporters, photographers, teachers and others entered Marcia's room to recognize her as Rockdale County's teacher of the year! I can't think of anyone more deserving. In Marcia's words, "Part of learning is understanding how to understand. Whatever it takes, is my motto, and truly my responsibility. Every teacher must accept the responsibility to do everything in their power to teach, to help, to do whatever it takes to get the job done with every child! When is our joy done? When the light comes on, the joy is seen, and the excitment is obvious."
Marcia had to submit an essay as part of the county's evaluation process. The essay details her influences, experiences and expectations. It is my honor to publish her paper at the end of this post . You will certainly enjoy reading it. See the local paper's article about her. In the above picture, Marcia is on the left. Joyce Hooper is on the right. Joyce is the outstanding principal of this terrific school. Hats off to Marcia and the entire team at J. H. House Elementary School. It's a privilege to be working with you!
Whatever It Takes by Marcia Mateling
Pinning down exactly which factors influenced my decision to become a teacher, I find difficult. As a student, I was bored and unimpressed with dull, lifeless teachers.
As a child in Savannah, on summer mornings, my mother took me to American Red Cross swimming classes. For 1 hour I took lessons, and for 2 hours I helped her "catch" frightened children who couldn't swim or even touch bottom. When I graduated from high school, having completed all of the swimming courses the Red Cross offered there, I was awarded a scholarship to attend the National Aquatic School in Leesburg, Florida, for my many volunteer hours. There I completed my last course, Water Safety Instructor, the PhD of swimming! (I taught swimming until I was 34 at several Georgia Girl Scout camps.)
During my high school years, I tutored a child weekly from an impoverished family, determined that she would find freedom from the filth and stench of her predicament in the books that she grew to cherish. I also volunteered weekly at the Chatham Nursing Home and the Savannah Public Library. I enjoyed both activities immensely. My responsibilities with the elderly were diverse, from reading to them, feeding them, to just listening to them. The library work fed my passion for books and authors, but still, I had no desire to be a teacher!
In college, I chose many majors, ending up in Education. In the summer of 1972, I completed my course work at the University of Georgia, totally bored with the education courses. I chose the Atlanta City School system for my student teaching. As I settled into my new class, I became aware of some strange stirrings. I loved the children! I realized that each day was exciting and fun, not dull! You see, what I amazingly realized was that teaching wasn't a book or a paper or a theory. It was (is) a special bond between two people as they share a piece of themselves with each other, resulting in both of them learning. Scary...yes! Challenging...truly! Never, ever boring...and I was wonderfully, whole-heartedly, passionately hooked!
Passion would have to be a word that would describe my teaching. There is nothing that a child needs that I won't find, somehow. From finding ways to get shoes to fit or book bags or clothes, to finding retired teachers to be pals for my students. I am passionate about the material, as well as my students! When a child has a need, it must be filled! Only then can a child relax enough to open up and allow me to come into his life. Once I had a child who had been in 9 foster homes, and was known for running away from schools. However, he found a safe, challenging environment, free from haranguing, where he could blossom! Each child has daily opportunities to build their self-esteem from hard work. They find out that they are important, that they can learn more, and that they matter to me, to our class, to their community, and to this world. I encourage their natural passion, their fire for learning, getting excited with them and for them. During every day, I make it a point to converse with each child. I sit with my class at lunch, choosing 5 different children to sit with me daily. Few children have "dinner-time conversations" with adults at home. Our lunches are valuable talking times, for both the English and Spanish speakers. Each day, students have opportunities to explain what they have learned. As they learn a skill, a peer who is having difficulty may ask for help. When a student can explain a skill, they understand that skill at a much deeper, more permanent level. Part of learning is understanding how to understand. Some children "just don't get it." I expect every child to eventually "get it." Whatever it takes, is my motto, and truly my responsibility. Hearing professionals speak about who's to blame for a child not learning is such a waste of time and energy! Think what could be accomplished!! Every teacher must accept the responsibility to do everything in their power to teach, to help, to do whatever it takes to get the job done with every child! When is our job done? When the light comes on, the joy is seen, and the excitement is obvious. Until then, it will take more of me, the teacher, the thinker, the visionary, the believer to find and stir up the passion and quest for more!
As new teachers enter my profession, it's exciting to see their enthusiasm and their fresh ideas! Several years ago, I became a mentor for new teachers. Certainly, I have always believed in helping anyone, in any way I can. It was a natural transition for me to become a mentor. Having a mentor and being a mentor helps both teachers. It helps the new teacher face the expected, as well as the unexpected challenges! It reminds the seasoned veteran of a time long ago, when he/she was locked away in isolation without a mentor and 35 wide-eyed children, trying to figure out the new manuals, the reports, the IEPs, the DLPs, the BLTs, the SSTs, and so much more. Encouraging new teachers to stay in this difficult, exhausting profession is a must. Veteran teachers need to open their doors and files and share ideas. Every student needs a stimulating assignment, not just the students in one class. All teachers need a successful assignment to a workable classroom management plan, not just the veteran teachers. Supporting fellow teachers will strengthen our profession.
Teacher accountability is a natural progression in our society. Every company has accountability. Basing accountability on one test result, though, may not be the only criteria needed. When children are already behind in school, they progress slower than bright, well-nourished, stimulated children. Children from horribly impoverished homes do not progress as rapidly as those with three meals a day, a bed, and heat and water in the home. Keep the accountability and the observations, but revisit the criteria to insure that teachers are assessed on their competence, their knowledge, their persistence, as well as the test data.
There isn't enough time for everyone to master every skill! To balance this, continually recycle or spiral skills. Each week on a Math Test, my students will find any new skill covered that week. plus problems covering skills since the beginning of the year. Students should be expected to know and use previously learned skills! Recitations, debates with classmates, and role-playing difficult concepts are several activities that show a student's skill! These result in an on-fire class!
As Georgia Teacher of the Year, my message would be that teaching is the hardest, most challenging profession that you will dedicate your life to willingly. Where else can someone make a difference daily in the lives of many, many people? Just where does our influence stop? Teachers are people-pushers! We must always search for ways to touch, to reach, to teach, and then to challenge the children in Georgia.
Secondly, teachers need to be a part of the solution, NOT part of the problem. Where there are problems that cannot be solved easily, such as budget shortfall, we need to think creatively, coming up with ways to present skills that are still unique, intriguing, and challenging, without losing energy to negativity. Our Golden Rule still applies as it did for us as children. No one has the right to steal our joy, our happiness! Negativity can be catching, but so can joy! As I come to my room early in the morning singing, I ward off those negative comments, giving no room for gossip. Your fellow teachers readily know if you are of the negative camp or if you are of the Positive Thinkers Club. In stressful times, positive thinkers are called upon for help, for ideas. If you know that a co-worker is always growling and complaining, watch out! They will further zap your strength. Can you imagine being a child in a negative teacher's class? At 13, I had a Math teacher who made me write 2 different essays, (he didn't like the first one) about the completeness of my Girl Scout uniform, just because I hadn't worn the wool cap with my uniform in October in Savannah. What was his point? Was it Math? My self-esteem? Ridicule? My troop still wore our uniforms to school on meeting day, and we looked sharp! Negativity affects every area of a life, poisoning all that it touches. Georgia Teachers have much to do! We must wake up, leave our chairs and lecture stands, and indeed, become passionate about teaching children! If not us, then who??
Iraq's Red Cross is going to reduce the help of the Iraqi people,I think because someone threw a grenade on the Iraq's Red Cross.
Posted by: Jacqueline | October 30, 2003 at 10:26 AM