Teaching with Courage

I think ALL teachers are courageous. Often we work under less than ideal circumstances, and it seems there is never enough time, energy, or resources to do all that we would love to do. And yet we return, day after day, with determination and hearts full of hope... because we have the COURAGE to teach.

In reflecting about this post, I have realized that COURAGE comes in many different forms. It takes courage to try something new, and to try again when it doesn't work out quite the way you have planned. It takes courage to work in uncomfortable situations. It takes courage to work with difficult people. It takes courage to work in dangerous settings... whether it be weather, financial limitations, or schools and neighborhoods where kids cannot feel safe. In my opinion, it takes courage to teach children younger than eight, but I'm guessing that is based on my own personal fears!

So this entry is all about COURAGE. It is about COURAGEOUS TEACHING.

And in true TBA fashion, we want YOU to be a part of this Link-up because, after all, with the help of one another, our courage is increased... and then everyone, especially the students, benefit.

At the bottom of the post, you will find details about joining in this Linky Party! I bet teaching requires you to display courage EVERY DAY. I am SO hoping you will be BRAVE and share.

BTW, my Lionel Lion graphics (in the dividers) are from Scrappin Doodles!

With this in mind, I would like to share three examples from my teaching experience to help get you thinking about all of the times you have found your own bravery...

Example 1... When I began my teaching career, I worked with students with multiple disabilities. There were students with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and various other physical and cognitive disabilities. Although these students were in a self-contained classroom on a regular ed site, they rarely participated in whole school activities, including assemblies and "regular" lunch. It was 1984, and the summer Olympics had just concluded in Los Angeles. The local grocery stores had been selling Olympic "memory books"--glossy magazines filled with pictures of athletes and events from the Games. I arrived at school one morning to find that every teacher at our school had received a pile of handbooks to distribute to their students.  Every teacher, that is, except me. I asked the secretary why we had not received any of the magazines, and her reply was succinct: "He [the principal] didn't think your students could understand them."

I was young and naive. And, let's face it: I didn't know any better. Without a lot of thinking, I walked resolutely into his office and said, "It is one thing if you are gong to discriminate against me. But I find it deplorable that you would discriminate against my students just because they have disabilities. They may not be able to read the stories, but they can certainly enjoy the pictures just as much as any other student at this school. I hope that you will soon recognize that we intend to be equal participants on this campus." And with that, I walked out the door. Less than  five minutes later, it dawned on me that I could easily be fired for my insubordination. 

I wasn't fired. And soon afterward, my new colleagues had gotten word of my... courage. Within a few hours, we had piles of magazines supplied by teachers who had a few to spare. This visible windfall may have contributed to the look of confusion on the principal's face when he walked into my room at the end of the day, and without a word, handed me a pile of Olympic magazines--one for each student in my classroom... Courage made a difference.

Would I handle the situation exactly the same way almost thirty years later? Absolutely not. Would I find the courage to advocate for my students and champion their rights? Definitely. Sometimes courageous teaching calls us to be strong so that our students can be treated fairly and with compassion.

Example 2... My first year in general education didn't go much better than my first year in special education. After ten years of working to "include" my students with disabilities into regular education, I changed my focus and decided to teach in a general education classroom. I moved from having ten students with special needs to having thirty-six fourth graders--many of which, I quickly learned, had plenty of special needs of their own.

I didn't know most of the students with whom I would spending the school year. But by recess on that first day, I quickly became acquainted with one of my new friends as I walked him to the office after he had punched another student in the face... twice. There was still blood on his hand as I walked alongside him (and I was trying summon any courage I had in reserve to keep my voice from quavering).  I asked gently, "Is there anything  you could have done differently?" (That's what all of my "community-building" books had said to do!) His response? "At my other school, kids knew not to mess with me because I'd just kill them." "Oh!" I said, trying to hide my surprise (and maybe a little fear!). "Is there anything else I should know about you?" "Nope," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. At that moment I wasn't sure if I was BRAVE enough to teach in general ed after all!

It was a tough year, but gradually he emerged from that protective shell. We made an agreement that each week he would sit a little closer to our community circle (because obviously he wasn't going to agree to sit WITH us at the time!)  I gave him room to grow. And I had courage. Amazingly, over time, with a few set-backs along the way, he learned to trust us. And he learned to care. I could share a hundred vignettes... about how he befriended a child with diabetes and accompanied him every day when he went to test his blood sugar... about how he "borrowed" food from another kid's lunch because his friend didn't have one... about how he defended a student in our classroom who had Down syndrome from being bullied by a student from another classroom... about how he turned in three months of homework after Spring Break because his dad was out of town and he could study without being ridiculed... about how (against the wishes of the counselor) I submitted his name for testing for the Gifted program--and two kids out of fifteen students qualified...and he was one! But I will end this example of courage with my favorite memory. I used to lend him books from my library, always placing a bookmark after page 100.  Seven years later, I received a book in the mail at school. And tucked behind page 100 was his senior picture.

Example 3... I teach sixth grade. I teach kids who are often taller than I am. I teach kids with big bodies and bigger attitudes (who are sometimes... ummmm... aromatically challenged). I have taught many kids who have threatened (and succeeded) to hurt others--and have threatened me. (Thankfully, they have hurt only my feelings... I have no other battle scars.) But there is something I do each year that requires me to find bravery beyond that needed for anything described above...

As part of the curriculum, sixth grade teachers are expected to teach "Family Life" (AKA Sex Ed). It is easy to guess that this is NOT my favorite subject. I have to practice saying some of the vocabulary words out loud over and over at home so that I don't dissolve into a fit of giggles when I try to present the material to the students. I have to listen to their questions and prepare intelligent-sounding answers without a lot of thinking time, and i have to provide the "real words" for all of the slang they know. I have to share larger-than-life information on the Promethean board without saying most of the the things that are racing through my head. As part of this program, I also have to present "the video" and the curriculum to the students' PARENTS--which is almost more difficult than teaching the students!  I am always thankful (and so are the students!) when the week of Family Life education is over. I think this part of teaching sixth graders requites more COURAGE than breaking up fights on the playground! (See, I told you courageous teaching is required in lots of different situations)

So there you have it. Three examples of courage. I am SO hoping you have a story to share too.

And here are three ways you can do just that...

1. Maybe you already have a "just right" post and you can link up to something you've already blogged about. Just link to your post below... just like you would with a Currently post. (Hi Farley!) And it would be great if you attached the "Teaching with Courage" button above (with the code below it) just like you would grab any other blog button.

2. Maybe there is a situation that has happened and you haven't had a chance to post about it yet... and now is the time! Teachers can always learn from other teachers' experiences. Think of it as helping out a colleague in need of a little bravery. It doesn't have to be a lengthy account. Just show us your courage so that we can feel a little braver on your behalf. And then link up below. And it would be great if you attached the "Teaching with Courage" button above (with the code below it) just like you would grab any other blog button.

3. Finally, if you're not in a post-and-link mood, or if you don't have a blog, it would be wonderful if you shared your experience in the comments section at the end of this post. Describe what happened in a teaching setting (home school included) and how you found the COURAGE to deal with the situation.

And thanks to you for joining us on our journey on International Blog Hopping Day!

Now it's YOUR turn to share...

And if you've linked up and are trying to get back "home" to TBA,
Clink on the button below...