I'll just keep reaching...

This week brought a new level of enjoyment in teaching and the relationships with my students. My co-op was out last Friday and on Monday and I was out on Tuesday (which was planned) so we decided to have the students work on a report for Black History Month. The assignment was for the students to research and write about anyone that has had an impact on our society in easing racial tensions or bringing them to light. Furthermore, the students were to write about the actions of the person they chose and then to write about their feelings on this person, why they thought this person did what he or she did, and if they thought that they could or would have done the same. I really wanted the students to reflect on the impact that the smallest actions can have on society and especially in a racially charged environment. I couldn't wait to read the papers. As a reminder, I'm at a very diverse school and I thought the students would have a lot to say on this issue. But to my dismay, most of the papers were just a regurgitation of history. There was very little thought behind what they wrote. It was a history lesson to them pure and simple. And then I read a paper that made me stop and take a deep breath. Here is an excerpt from the paper.

...I am proud to say today that Barack Obama is the President of the United States. He has come so far in his life. Obama has proved that no matter what you go through you can always do and be what you dream to be. Not only has he proven himself, he has set good examples for others too. Obama started as a young man searching and looking to find who he really was. Now, he is the President of the United States. I look up to him as a young African-American, having things being said to me that I can't be anything, to seeing someone the same color as me as President. I now know that I can be anything in this world that I want. I am happy to be here today to celebrate the history in making. I can see myself setting good examples for others younger and older than me. My biggest success is that I show my little brother and sisters how to overcome the hatred. Show them that no matter what they go through in life they can come out on top just like Obama did. I can't wait til the day comes where I am old enough to really understand WHY there is so much hatred. I want to explain to the younger ones that it's all about who you are and how you carry yourself. Obama knows what we are going through, he has been there before. He really wants to show us that WE, as a whole, can change. He has great plans to make America a better place. We, as people, have to come together to help because we all know that one person cannot do everything by him or herself. As one, we can do anything in this world and that is what he has shown us. I am proud to stand here today and say that Barack Obama is my President.

Okay, so maybe this assignment did reach some of the students! I know that it reached at least one and for today that is enough. If I can reach one student through an assignment and to have that student realize that he or she could do anything he or she sets out to, provided he or she is willing to put the work in, then I will be happy. And I will go on to reaching one more student. The most valuable aspect of this week was the realization that I might not reach every student with every assignment; but, if I can reach them one at a time, then I'll just keep reaching. Sooner or later I'll reach them. And if not, it won't be for a lack of trying.

If I could do anything over this week it would have been to reinforce what I was looking for in the paper. When I gave the assignment the previous Friday, I led a class discussion on racial tensions and most of the students participated in the discussion. Then I sent them on their merry way to do the assignment. I gave them a handout which spelled out the assignment and even a reference sheet on formatting for their report. And, I did remind them that I wanted them to write about their feelings on the person, the situation, or even if they think that they would have had the courage act in the same manner. But I think I should have had another class discussion. The students were participating and talking about their feelings during the discussion period. I think that it may have been easier for them to write about their feelings if they would have had more time to express them verbally. These students tend to be much more expressive when they are talking than when they are writing. I need to work on getting them to be just as expressive when they write.

BTW, this assignment was in a Computer Apps I class and I tied it in to the class as an assignment on unbound reports and internet research. I just love Computer Apps because there's not much that we can't cover in the class! Think about it. The possibilities are endless.