Schools Cannot Replace the Family.. But We Can Give Hope!

We all know the classroom I'm about to describe:  Maybe one, maybe a dozen students or more with  challenged home lives.  Parents are absent -- literally.  They don't show up for their children, and they certainly don't show up at school.  The best meals, and sometimes the only meals, these kids get are those provided at school.  Health care -- school provided.  Connection to social services -- the school counselor. 

Teachers often lament that while accountability in the classroom has increased dramatically, the needs of students outside of the teacher's control have escalated into a full-scale crisis.  How can a school respond when youngsters show up in the second grade knowing tens of thousands of words LESS than their counterparts?  How can a classroom function when the behavioral supports required for many students could easily consume the entire classroom period? 

Schools and their tireless professionals cannot replace a loving, stable home.  Many of those who live in middle class districts, and who support elected officials who have LOTS to say about how schools are failing our kids, have no concept of the reality in many schools and classrooms.  But poverty at home -- lack of food, stability, support or even worse the presence of abuse, drugs and neglect -- does NOT have to enter into the classroom.  School can become a haven FROM the chaos of poverty, and when that happens, the teacher and the school team can become successful mentors and instructors.  They become instruments of HOPE.

This month I was in a 9th grade classroom focused on reading support.  Part of a Freshman Academy, the small school-within-a-school on the outskirts of Chicago allowed teachers to more fully collaborate and partner as a team.  Daily staff conferences allowed educational professionals to discuss student  needs and triage the most serious cases of the day.  The classroom I visited had a range of reading abilities -- from 3rd grade to emerging 9th grade.  For those of you who don't like math, that means the most struggling students were 6 grade levels below proficiency.  The classroom included a wide variety of races, more than four languages, and a lot of needful children.

And one masterful teacher.  The students were well behaved. They were responding to a stern, no-nonsense professional who combined caring with a strict classroom routine.  Students were called upon -- no one could hide from participating, and everyone spoke up.  The student who was having a special struggle on the day of my visit received additional one-to-one time, and despite the concerns of many policy makers -- this amazing teacher put her arm around the child, and recognized his humanity.  She showed she cared.  And he knew it. 

Each student was assessed in some fashion at the end of the lesson, and received feedback.  Each student saw some progress, and was told what to work on the next day.  Many students got a squeeze on the shoulder, an arm around them while they worked together, a caring question about how their mom was doing or how their ailing grandma was feeling.  The teacher knew the students -- she was part of their lives.

Research indicates that one of the most critical elements leading to success for at-risk students is a strong positive relationship with an adult at school.  Someone who cares about them, who believes in them, who knows they can be successful.  Someone who gives them hope.

Today we celebrate Mother's Day.  I celebrate the teachers who provide care, support and hope to the many students who have no Mother present in their lives.  Thank you for caring first, so that learning is possible. 

Why do Schools Rock?!

Everyday across America and around the world, dedicated professionals along with concerned citizens and loving volunteers SHOW UP for Kids!  They leave their homes, and sometime safety, to help create new and better futures for children.  Wherever you find a teacher and student, you find a school.. you find hope, and you find our future.  That's why SCHOOLS ROCK!