Reflections on the short yet deep book of Timothy Snyder.

Stand out. Someone has to. It’s easy to follow along. It can feel strange to do or say something different. But without that unease, there is no freedom. Remember Rosa Parks. The moment you set an example, the spell of the status quo is broken, and others will follow.

Speak up for students. Someone has to. It’s easy to pretend they are data points and these days, it can feel strange to do or say something different. Do it anyway. Break the spell. Let others follow even as you know many will not. But why should that stop you?

Every teacher who has worked in a public school setting has sat through dreary meetings that endlessly chew over student test results (code word: data,) that promote the trick-of-the-month (code phrase: admin spent school money to go to a conference and has to justify the expense,) or that require teachers to do nothing more than keep their mouths shut as district personnel tell them what to do (code phrase: I hate kids. Never going back to the classroom.)

Speak up for the students. Keep it professional; don’t give in to the impulse to make it personal or get upset. Stay focused on what counts–>student learning and growth, true learning and growth, and dismiss the flawed proxy of test results.

As said in a previous post in this series, this doesn’t mean being combative or going postal. It means speaking up when it’s needed.

Many years ago, I sat in a shared-governance meeting and one of the topics was student tardiness to class. Lots of brainstorming took place along punitive lines. What do we do to students when they are late to class so they will be on time?

I wasn’t a member of the committee and sat silently until the debate reached a lull. Moreover, this was my first year at this school. My goal that year was to keep my head down and build relationships in the building. But I raised my hand. “Am I allowed to speak?”

The chair, a fellow teacher and building rep for the union, said yes.

“Let’s look at gym class. My building has planning that period. The P.E. teachers send the students into the lockers early enough to shower and change and then wait for the bell to signal the next class. Except we have turned off the bells.

“They don’t know when to go to class. There’s no clock in the waiting area. Some of them come into the building only to be yelled at that it’s not time yet and go back to the P.E. area. They comply.

“Waiting around, they do what kids do: play, gather in groups, talk, laugh, and horse around. They are not keeping track of time and again, there is no clock for them to look at.”

“Then, someone yells at them to go to class. They are late. Teachers grumble and threaten referrals for being tardy. But how are the students supposed to know that?”

It’s not easy for me to speak up and confront people. I’m not psychologically built that way. It’s a lot easier to write and post 🙂 But somebody had to say something.

My last principal took note how my nervousness showed through in the sound of my voice. But in his view, that gave me authenticity, what I was willing to suffer in order to speak an unpopular view. It gave me more authority, not less, as an educator speaking out for students.

When somebody has to say something, stand out. Be that person. You may not have an appreciative administrator, but do it anyway. Set the example, break the spell, and see those who will follow.

P.S.: After that meeting, many people came to me to express their appreciation for what I said regarding the tardy students. The most common comment was, “Awesome.” Others do follow.