I paid Packemin a visit last week. It was the day of the senior barbecue and I was curious to see how the tenth graders I taught there my last term before retirement faired. And, although I had mixed feelings about the adults I would encounter, I had no such feelings towards the students and to say the trip was rewarding, would be an understatemnt.I was greeted with hugs and embraces so hard that, 4 days later, I can still feel. Their words, still bring smiles to my face. So many thanked me for coming and for being on them early on, as they wondered if they would be graduating now without my help. (They probably would have made it anyway.) Several told me they couldn't pass math without me and it broke my heart to hear that many of these kids didn't make it through geometry and trigonometry. I know, with the right push, they all would have succeeded. And, while they are graduating, most will be in remedial classes in college, in spite of the pre-trig classes they took in high school.
Mr. AP claimed I had nothing to do with the school's stats and his bonus. That doesn't matter. These kids know I played a big part in their education and quite frankly, their opinions matter a whole lot more than the actions of some administrator who judges the quality of a teacher by how high they jump when he issues a command.
Being retired, I can post pictures. Students all gave permission to be photographed.
4 comments:
Um...I'm sorry...did you teach at Super Model High?! I've never seen a more beautiful group of kids!
Glad it was such a nice day for you with the kids, and that the grown-ups didn't ruin it for you! =)
It is those hugs (and knowing that you were doing the best by your students) that kept you at Packemin despite the administrative attacks on you, despite all the nonsense. You were (and are) a wonderful teacher and your students know that. What a shame that the powers that be didn't know that, or knowing it made no difference in their witch hunt against older teachers or teachers with enough backbone and educational smarts to resist their crap. Congratulations -- their success is your success!
So nice to once again see the smiling faces of hopeful, happy kids!! I know one of those faces and remember the struggle and hard times that particular kid went through.....thanks, PO'd!!
I retired from the system but I did not retire from the kids. I miss my students, too, but I do not and would not miss administration and their needs to look statistically good, forsaking the relationship with students.
Great pictures. I can see why you had to go back and see how they fared in school.
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