I never take naps. Until about seven days ago that is. My daughter laughs. She makes comments like now you see what it's like to leave home and work with people. I leave home all year long, traveling hours, speaking three times a day interacting with students, lunching with them, dining with faculty, only to do it again the next day sometimes for an entire week even. I burn a ton of energy, but like my daughter says, this is different. In class you have to be on your toes in another sort of way. To be prepared for the insightful questions, the quick student who finishes (truly finishes) before all the rest. To tell a student again what you just told him three times before, making sure you don't crush a spirit but you still get your point across. No it is not the same as visiting a school and speaking, leaving all of the correcting, homework and assignments to the real teachers. But it's no ride in the park either.
Raspberry Hill, the protagonist in Money Hungry, would probably tell me "Miss Sharon, when are you going to get back to talking about me? Enough about those students. I'm the reason you connected with them in the first place, aren't I?"
"Yes, you are Miss. Raspberry." So here's what we did with the book and with little miss redhead today. As always Raspberry is trying to make another dollar. That's how she and her friends end up working in a boarding home that's in grave condition. Before reading the chapter I let students take slips of paper from a bag. The papers said things like You are the man in the wheel chair. You are the women with oatmeal on her face, or the man who hides his money among the lettuce. They were to pay close attention while I read the text and to what I said about their characters. Then they had to write a letter to the Better Business Bureau as that character, complaining about treatment, and proposing the action they wanted taken. The students with problems writing letters last time still struggled, but the details on the board helped them a little more than the paper I gave them before. I also found a teacher's manual that showed paragraph, by paragraph, what students could focus on in a persuasive letter. Several good pieces came out of it. Some still need a bit of help. Read the work of a girl who couldn't seem to get the letter writing at all the other day. For some reason this time things clicked, great letter. She got into the character, was not stomped by the form. Reading it and giving her a "you go girl," was my way of celebrating her in public. She deserved it.
Hey we were to have a banker come today to discuss the power of saving your money and maintaining good credit. She blew a tire along the way so no pig banks for the students. Maybe another time. Truly sorry she didn't come for other reasons. The Communications managers with about ten minutes preparation were going to introduce her, close out her presentation and give her a gift. That group is made of all sorts of students. They had all agreed and were eager to take it on. Sometimes life gets in the way.
Students did get their business cards. Ten each. So cute. After most had them in their hands and were on their way out, a girl asked what are these for? Sometimes we assume things. Don't explain because we think everyone knows the purpose of things. Most of the students did I think. They have parents in the workplace, some high up I believe. Message to self. Do not assume. You don't know everything, and no one else does either. I hope I remember that long as Friday passes.
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