Unacceptable Expectations

The union representative informed me that the union was there for my protection, but to receive the protection, I had to conform to expectations given out by the union. He told me, “You have unacceptable expectations if it is your desire to exceed the prepared lesson plan for your students.” I replied, “My entire life has been focused on becoming an exceptional teacher. I want to deliver high expectations to my students and I will not fail my students in my endeavor. If I do, then I fail as their teacher.” The union representative used the still pond and pebble analogy to explain to me the teacher’s role in modern schools. He said, “Your school is like the still pond. You are a pebble about to be dropped into the pond. The ripples that occur when you are dropped into the pond affect the remainder of the teachers sharing in the same pond. If you seek to teach your students beyond the curriculum outlined by the school district, then your students may exceed district expectations, but when they move into their next class, they will become bored and potentially disruptive. More importantly, you interfere in the teaching scope of the next grade when your teaching encroaches on what will be taught the following year. You need to limit your teaching, and your student’s learning, to your assigned curriculum and do not exceed what you are assigned to teach your class. If you do, then you will affect the other classes and I promise you that you will not be liked as a teacher. You must conform for your own protection and for your colleagues. Am I understood? I hesitated, but said, “Yes.” He then said, “I may have a better analogy for you becoming a teacher. Assume that you are a chef. You are given recipe to cook something. You don’t create a different recipe; your job is to follow the recipe you are given and produce a cake or whatever. Your grade curriculum is like a recipe. Follow the curriculum and you will do fine. I indicated that I understood and would pray about it. I am hesitant to compromise my desire to become an exceptional teacher. He replied, “Two things. First, prayer and God have no place in public education. Second, to become an exceptional teacher means to be compliant and follow the rules. If you exceed our expectations then you will not be exceptional and the union will no longer support you.” ____________________ I rode my wheelchair across the pedestrian bridge with over two hundred children following me and cheering for my quick recovery. My minister heard me and my students coming and he quickly opened the doors and welcomed the children back for club activities. He stopped and prayed with me and my students. When done, the children lined up quietly and left for their classrooms and their study pods. I was surprised to find four teachers from my school and eleven parents all being present to make sure that club activities continued in my absence. Ms. Jefferies informed me that while I was gone, she kept club going. She smiled and said, “I was so bored watching the children learning and teaching each other. The club concept is wonderful and the children are really excited about learning and challenging each other. I didn’t have to do much of anything except answer a few questions. The most prominent questions were about when you would be back. These students really love you.” I replied, “If we teach correctly, the children will always teach themselves. We are guides and facilitators. We fail when we confine, or limit the desire to learn. We need to open the doors and then get out of the way. When we do that, everyone succeeds.” _________________ The officer approached me and asked, “You aren’t holding these children hostage are you?” I laughed and replied, “Does it look like they are being held against their will? These are my students from the sixth grade. The principal fired me because I taught my students how to teach themselves and each other in order to accelerate their learning. When they learned that I was fired, my students crossed over the pedestrian bridge and joined me here for class. You can ask any student if they are free to go. I am not holding them here. Only their desire to learn is holding them.” ____________________ I introduced myself and explained my goal of teaching excellence. “I was fortunate to have wonderful students that had a desire to learn and accelerate their learning programs. I had some opposition to my programs, but in the end, the students prevailed and the peer teaching program resulted. Prior to the peer teaching program, I had implemented a program called “Club” which permitted students to meet after school and challenge themselves to excel. It was this desire to excel that led to peer teaching. Children are natural teachers. My job is to guide what they teach each other through positive reinforcement. My school has students from first grade through ninth grade. The students are separated into learning pods and each pod works independently of any other pod. They teach each other and help each other. As a teacher, I stand out of the way and allow them to learn. Every time a teacher interrupts the class, learning stops. My students are trained to keep working and I know to let them learn.” _____________________ The schools started as a club after school and ended up with 842 academies across the country. The Sinclair Method became a teaching method that lasted to present day. I asked God to help me become an exceptional teacher. I became that and so much more. I became an exceptional woman, mother and wife.