Week 2 Observations
Greetings,
This week, I had a couple of interesting things happen to me which I think should be made a note of. The first was watching something Miss Silverleaf did, and the other was an event between a student at Peacebloom School and I.
First, on Tuesday, Miss Silverleaf talked with her 2nd hour class (9th Grade Geography), about the situation with North Korea. Although I disagreed with some of her terminology regarding Kim Il Jung, I understand why she stated it as she did. What gave me more trouble, however, was her reluctance to have, or even attempt to have, the same sort of discussion with her 4th hour (10th Grade US History). I asked her if she would, and she looked me straight in the eye and stated, “No, I am too much of a chicken.” Essentially her reluctance (from my understanding resulting from the consequent conversation) stemmed from her already stretched nerves regarding that class. Indeed, compared to other classes, her fourth hour is rowdy, but I would claim that I would have done so if I were in her shoes. Although I cannot make the universal claim that I would have done so for every class regardless to its “obedience”, I would have done so.
Hmm, I guess I would have to say that each student should be educated, at least at part, in the current events, what is happening and why (as far as can be figured out at that point).
The other event was during Miss Silverleaf’s 2nd hour today. The class was starting research for, and working on, a project dealing with an issue of the Middle East, which meant we went to the library. While there, I was wandering around, assisting the students or shepherding them back onto task. At one point, I was talking to a student and a paper airplane landed in front of me. Noting this was a breach in the rules, I picked up the airplane and looked at the student who was to be held accountable. I found him not more than two feet away. I picked it up and told him that this was not appropriate and it should be put away, then I gave it to him. Although he was appreciative that I didn’t get him in trouble, was this the right thing to do in the circumstances. I figured that it wasn’t that big of a distraction, I didn’t have much, if any, official power to punish the students, so a simple statement should do well in discouraging him, and it did.
