Teacher Side Note

I am teaching about the Holocaust in my classroom right now, so it has been on my mind a lot lately. It is a huge strain to carefully teach children about such a period of destruction and death without doing damage. I encapsulate this dreadful event in novels that don’t shy from the truth, but declare that hope lives, have characters that never give in to the overwhelming darkness of hatred, and try to teach students that we cannot let such things come to pass again. 

If you’re interested in some excellent young adult Holocaust novels, here are my personal favorites (in order from least difficult to hardest): Number the Stars, Yellow Star, Ashes, I Have Lived a Thousand Years, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Hiding Place, and Night. There is a graphic novel called The Complete Maus, which is told in an extended metaphor of cats (Nazis) and mice (their victims) that is also very well done. If you are going to share these with children, please read them first, be prepared to explain difficult concepts like stereotypes, racism, loss, and genocide, and it doesn’t hurt to have some historical facts about the time period handy. 

I’ve been asked, why teach children about such a horrible time period? I always reply, because humans are capable of horrific things. The Holocaust happened. Genocides are not a thing of the past. We, as human beings capable of intelligent thought, shouldn’t let it happen again. The best way to make that change is to teach children compassion, empathy, tolerance, awareness and a drive to do. We  must teach them not to be a bystander, the un-sung villain of the Holocaust. The Holocaust will always be a testament to what happens if we don’t. 

Benton City vs. St. Louis- Part Two

In part two of this comparison, I'd like to give you a window into my daily interactions with students...

#2- Students and their...manners...

In St. Louis, my title was "Ma'm." This went for anytime a kid was speaking to me, especially when they were in trouble. The first time a child called me that I thought to myself, "Holy s*&t, I'm an adult." I was right out of college and had to act older than I felt, but I'll admit, I got used to that feeling really quick. I looked to (and felt like) Anne Shirley, out of her element, yet determined to succeed. I had my fair share of Anne moments, and while I never had a snake put in my desk or hit a student, there were times when I would just vedge in front of "Anne of Green Gables" and shout, "That's right L.M. Montgomery! You got it right!! Anne, you take that little girl DOWN!" I'm glad I had that trilogy to fall back on in times of trouble.

Here in Benton City, before students knew my name (which I've always felt is a bit lazy on their part- I memorize 150 names in two weeks, and you can't learn just one? Sigh...), my title was "Teacher." I now understand that to be an honorable title in the Hispanic community here. The first time I heard that, I honestly thought of the scene when John Keating from "Dead Poet's Society" is introducing his students to the poem, "Oh Captain, my Captain!" To be called "Teacher" is just such a lovely acknowledgement of my work, akin to a military title, but with more love. It's a difficult sensation to explain.

The way students dress is also very different. I mean, I went from the inner city...

My favorite saying from St. Louis? "I gotta use it, Ms. Labrie!!"

Ah, uniforms, they flatter every body type like a bicycle helmet flatters every head shape.

to the country...

My favorite saying from Benton City? "YOLO."

This may be from spirit week, but camo, cowboy hats and boots are familiar sights at school...

And now that it's election time? Boy, do I get to know what my students' parents really think...because, you know these middle schoolers really haven't got a clue about current events. They're just parroting back what their parents say and believe. I've heard some interesting opinions about race, sex, gender, and politics that I KNOW did not formulate in the mind of an eleven-year old.

Let me make it simple for you- 

St. Louis

Benton City

Oh, America- how the heck do you stick together with such differences? It's a beautiful thing.

And to end today's post on a most awesome note...for your viewing pleasure...

Oh my freaking goodness.