It’s been a very long time since I sat down to write in this little space of mine. I’ve
been wanting to for a while now, but just couldn’t find the inspiration. Sometimes the best thing to do is to just get
started, let’s see where this takes me.
So here I sit about to start another school year. It’s
usually about this time of year I start to feel ready to be on a schedule
again, to feel productive and get back to work but this year it’s different, maybe because we had such a short summer
after a long winter of snow days, or maybe because last year was a really tough
one with a lot of new initiatives and challenges. Whatever the reason I’m not
feeling quite ready. However, ready or not …here they come!
I’ve been thinking a lot about school culture. I’ve read
quite a bit on the subject, mostly articles written by other teachers and
administrators. I’ve talked about it with my colleagues, and as I write I'm talking about it with my best friend too. I've even gone so far as to do
a little informal research by polling parents but more about
that a little later.
Let me start by saying my school is a special place. Most
school’s are, but to know Horace Mann is to love Horace Mann. It has a feeling. It’s not the most beautiful of school buildings, it’s old, it's in serious need of updating and it has its
limitations but people walk in and it reminds them of the elementary schools
they attended as children. We have no gym and our cafeteria is tiny. Despite
the limitations, learning happens here. We are a dedicated bunch, working
tirelessly to educate children and we know it's not the physical building that's important but the people in it.
It’s not easy to be a teacher these days, “work smarter, not
harder” is something we hear often. We have curriculum maps to follow,
trajectories and lesson plans to write, the word “rigor” is becoming a regular
buzzword in the halls of public schools everywhere. As a teacher I know it’s
important to challenge the students in my class, to teach them to think for
themselves, ask questions, and be inquisitive. I know it’s important for them
to achieve academically but I also know if a child is not enjoying school,
learning isn’t going to happen. This is where culture comes in.
My fear is that with all the pressures from politicians, the
business world and administrators who are concerned with test scores and
keeping up with the rest of the world, the culture of community in my little
school and others across the country will be disregarded as unimportant.
Of course the primary purpose of a school is to foster a
culture of learning and student achievement, but as educators it’s equally
important to foster a culture of community where administrators, teachers,
parents and students work together.
Parents first and foremost want their children to achieve
academically, but they want something more from their school. Parents want to
know their children are learning, that they are being challenged, they want
them to succeed both academically and socially. They want their children to
feel safe, happy and loved. They want school to be a place where their children
want to be. I know this because I’m not only a teacher but a parent too. It’s
what I want for my own kids.
I know this because I asked parents what they thought of our
school. I heard words like, “respect”, “family” “home away from home”. They said things like “dedication”
“perseverance” “warm” and “friendly”.
I know those are all feel good words, but it’s what makes school
a special place. Those teachers, parents and students who are or have ever been
part of our community know it. It’s important that in these days of high stakes
testing, data, and assessment that we don’t lose sight of what makes our
community special.
The people, traditions and ideals that make kids want to
come to school.
