Hopeful News on Teaching Boys

Hopeful News on Teaching Boys

Since I have taught mostly boys in my teaching career, I had already figured out that forming relationships with boys leads to them becoming invested in learning, thus doing better in school. Part of what I loved about my classroom at Griffin Middle school was that I could teach the same boys from 6th grade all the way to 8th grade. The relationships we formed lead them to feel more comfortable in my class, more cared about reading, and, in the end, be more successful. I could take a boy in 6th grade who was resistant, combative, and did not feel he could learn, and by 8th grade he would be a different kid. One boy comes to mind. When I got him in 6th grade he was totally sure he couldn't read. He told me the first day, "I have an IEP and it says I can't read, you have to read everything to me." He had totally given up on reading. I explained to him that my class was different, I believe you can read and you WILL read in here. We butted heads all 6th grade leading to threats, write ups, and parent conferences. I asked the mom to hang in there with me, that I knew where we were going and we would get there. By the end of 6th grade he was reading on his own. Yes, it was only at the 2nd grade level, but it was on his own! The next year for 7th grade he became one of the best kids in my class. He loved to read and got on kids who acted out in class. Yes, he still had problems in his other classes with behavior, but he was feeling successful in reading! By the end of 7th grade he was up to 5th grade!
Now the sad news, my reading program was eliminated that year due to budget cuts. Yes, that was this year and I was devastated and my students were too. That is part of why I stepped out of the classroom to serve as President of CCAE. We cannot let cuts hurt children, but they are. We must stand up and fight for our students and for ourselves. Teachers really do care and know what is best. Save me from business people or musicians or actors who want to tell me how to teach!! Let us do what we know and children will be better for it!