Years in Education: 4-6 White Female Heterosexual First in Family to Graduate From College Former High School International Studies Teacher Q: What do you have in common with your students? A: I grew up as a first generation college student with a stay-at-home mom and a blue collar father who worked most if not all weekends of the month, to enable my mom to stay home with us and to give us the opportunities my parents wanted us to have in our affluent suburb, where there was rampant elitism. I use the term "rampant elitism" because despite the fact that my family's class status didn't impede my academic success, from my perspective, the pressure and the boundaries of elitism were almost always present in my life, though often quiet and subtle. As a student, elitism was always more apparent in my peer group than in my teachers. Group project work sessions were always held at the homes which were more desirable. Certain students always won in our school elections and ran almost all of the school clubs. We had a strong population of students who refused any attire that was not clearly expensive. When it came time to drive, there was a clear divide between who was driving a new vehicle and those of us who sported something older. My experience as a student prompted me to be highly motivated to want to see a change in how other students experienced school. I know I felt just a shadow of what many other more significantly marginalized groups feel. I always wanted my classroom to be a safe space for students where they felt free to share their honest, even if at times controversial, opinions or feelings. My work ethic came from watching my family push in every way to offer me and my two younger siblings the best possible options for our futures. My dad was initially an elevator mechanic and eventually an industrial mechanic in the Everett Boeing plant. He switched to working nights instead of the prized day shift that he had held for over 20 years because the overtime was being cut on that shift and he didn't want our quality of life to suffer. He continued to work until was mandated to stop by a doctor due to a late diagnosis of Stage 4 lung cancer. I have no doubt he would have continued to work through his illness even longer without complaint if his brain tumors weren't affecting his balance on the catwalks. Even in the last weeks of his life, he complained that they wouldn't let him fix the crookedly hung paintings in his hospital room. The drive that my dad fostered in me is guided by my mom's influence. She is the reason I care so much about how people feel. Her gentle pushing and prompting, with firm, high expectations (regardless of my low starting point) inspired my classroom management approach when I was a teacher and led me to have great success with a wide swath of students at the different schools I worked in. My mother's influence is the reason I am so driven to connect to others. She taught me to value everyone's story and it's part of the reason that I am so passionate in being supportive however I can to every teacher I work with now. Ultimately, my mother is probably the reason that I am participating in ROLL CALL, despite the fact that I am usually not a big sharer of my feelings or personal life. I am hopeful that someone may glean something from all of my sharing that resonates with them. Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? A: It absolutely matters that teachers and students have things in common. That bond and connection created by common interests motivates drive and motivation that cannot be replicated if a teacher does not take the time to find or create a common interest with a student. As teachers we are expected to be role models for our students, part of that status requires that we ensure that all students can see part of themselves in us so that we really can function effectively within that role for students. I am a white woman. That gives me an immediate connection to many of my of my white female students. For my nonwhite and male students, I find I connect with them better over time. Because we lack the obvious outward connections, it takes time creating that connection by sharing and establishing bonds over what experiences or values we both share. For me, sharing my background with my students that includes my love of sitting in the garage tinkering with my dad or baking with my mom for big family potluck gatherings was usually a great opening connection with my students who didn't automatically see themselves as similar to me. Krystal has recently transitioned out of the classroom to become her school's Instructional Technology Curriculum Leader. Connect with her on Twitter @KJStevie72. Photo (c) 2017 Kristin Leong
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Years in Education: 11-15 Caucasian Heterosexual Male High School English and Theory of Knowledge Teacher Q: What do you have in common with your students? A: When it comes to the external or the obvious identity markers, not a tremendous amount because I teach in a diverse school that is 60% students of color from a variety of cultures, which means that most students do not match my identity--white, US born, heterosexual, middle-class, cis-gender male. However, we share a common curiosity and wonder about the world we live in, and I have learned way more from them than I could ever teach. The strongest bond is that we are learners, and furthermore, we are both teachers. I have worked at my current school for twelve years. When I started about 70% of students were white and 30% non-white. The staff in the building was 95% white. Today, we are a rich tapestry of ethnicities, nationalities, genders, and many more identities that makes going to work a delight. It has made me a better teacher to learn from such a rich multitude of lived experience. Although the student body has changed rapidly, the staff in the building is still 95% white. I grew up in a suburb of Dallas, TX and went to a very homogenous school where over 95% of the teachers shared many of my identity markers. I saw many examples of teachers that look like me. My students do not see that, and I believe it is the responsibility of me and my colleagues to provide a curriculum that brings in many voices not just the ones we are familiar with. Additionally, we have a community of successful alumni in the area that have amazing stories that need to be shared. As a TED-Ed Innovative Educator, I have partnered up with a former student to create a venue to support that, and we are calling it The Barbershop of Ideas. Akeem is a talented artist who opened his own barbershop two years ago, and it is the place to be in our community. The purpose of the venue will be showcase examples of success from our community by bringing together alumni, community members, and current students. Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? A: Yes: There needs to be trust for learning to occur and, and trust develops through an authentic relationship. It is difficult for students and adults to start building that relationship when they do not have as much in common. A great teacher does everything he or she can do to find the way to make the connection to have something in common. No: As long as both have empathy for the other person's lived experience because that can be the most powerful thing we have in common. I see that as my main responsibility as a teacher- developing and cultivating empathy by modeling what that looks like and living it through my actions. And when I fail, which I inevitably do, I admit that I made a mistake and use that as a way to continue to build that relationship. Tim is a TED-Ed Innovative Educator. For his Innovation Project he is creating a Barbershop of Ideas where students are having authentic conversations about their ideas and values in a safe space. Follow Tim on Twitter @timleistikow. Photo (c) 2017 Kristin Leong Years in Education: 16-20 Caucasian Female 7-8th Grade Digital Teacher Librarian and former High School English Teacher Q: What do you have in common with your students? A: Currently, I teach in a middle school. This is an interesting age of growing because they are leaving the world of concrete ideas and entering into abstract ideas. This means their world of black and white, right and wrong starts to tilt wildly and they are just holding on for dear life trying to navigate what was previously a very defined life. When I was this age, I believe I lived in a more sheltered world where topics like drug abuse, eating disorders, and sex were there, but not prevalent and easy-access as they are today. Mental health definitely wasn’t something that was an acknowledged issue at the middle school level, possibly not even at the high school level. Now, my students face a barrage of social media, television, music, and movies that give them ideas of what right and wrong are and who or what is acceptable. When these images don’t mesh with who they are, our kids struggle with their identity, depression, anger, and rebellion. Because of this, I work hard to make connections that are more than academic level connections. Through my Ted-Ed club and Ted-Ed Innovative Project, my kids and I focus on combining the idea of global citizenship and social justice to create lessons for others to use to help them navigate the ambiguity that they are in. In our efforts, we hope to build a safe environment in which our society starts to become stronger through acceptance of change and challenging the status quo. Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? A: Having commonalities between teachers and students is essential to growth and learning. Before I became a Digital Teacher Librarian, I taught high school English in a high-risk school. My school had 70 countries represented and close to 120 dialects and languages spoken in the households. I grew up in upper-middle class suburban Colorado where diversity was not something common. Working in this school gave me such a wide understanding of the world I live in. I learned more from my students than I could ever hope to have taught them. Experiencing quinciñeras, Vietnamese and Chinese New Year, Day of the Dead and Cinco de Mayo with my students didn’t just increase my cultural awareness, but my students awareness of each other’s cultures. It also increased my empathy for those disenfranchised with learning and education. When I was growing up, it was always when you go to college...My students heard, “if you graduate high school”. The impact of that simple phrase shocked me to the core. When your family and community don’t even expect you to graduate high school, the importance of working to reach graduation distorts like a funhouse mirror. Although I remember many of my students and their hard work and pride from graduating, one student always sticks in my memory. Her name was Maria and she came to me and asked if she could talk to me after school. I worried that she was about to tell me she was pregnant. Prior to Maria, I'd had approximately 50 girls and 10 boys (whose girlfriends were pregnant) come to me with pregnancy news. In fact, Maria had come to me because she didn’t know what to do. She was taking IB classes and doing very well. She wanted to attend Colorado College, a private college in Colorado Springs. Her counselor basically informed her that she shouldn’t shoot so high, she should look at community college because that was what her family could afford. When she spoke to her parents, they also expressed doubt that she could succeed in the high-pressure world of college and suggested she attend community college and then start working for the family business. When she came to me, she was in tears because her dream had been to go to Colorado College and to start a career. She asked me what she should do, how to shift gears to lower her dreams. Instead of jumping on that band wagon, I told her that she should apply to Colorado College. She was a first generation citizen, her parents had immigrated to America before she was born. I told her that there were a lot of scholarships she could apply for and that CC also had scholarships she could apply for. I even found a couple of suggested scholarships. After that talk, I didn’t hear anymore about college, until the spring. Maria asked if I could come to the Senior award night. I did, and on stage, in front of her family, peers, and teachers, it was announced that not only was she accepted to CC, but she received a full-ride scholarship to college. I have never felt more pride for a student for their refusing to give up on their dreams than at that moment. That moment, that student, is the epitome of the importance of connecting with our students. Sometimes, we are the only voice they hear that says “yes, you can.” or “follow your dreams” or “try again, learn from what went wrong and try again.” That is the reason most teachers become teachers and those connections are why it matters if students and teachers share commonalities. Not just because it helps them learn, but because it is essential to have that lifeline when things start going wonky in life. Tobye is a TED-Ed Innovative Educator. Her Innovation Project is inspring Colorado students to become global learners. Follow her on Twitter @tmertelt. Photo (c) 2017 Kristin Leong Years in Education: 11-15 Latino Heterosexual Male High School Administrator Q: What do you have in common with your students? A: First and foremost that I am a human being. With all the flaws and insecurities. I like to relate to my students on a personal level because we've all had times in our lives when we needed someone to listen to our struggles, to give us encouragement, and to tell us everything's gonna be alright. No matter what race, ethnicity, sex, or economic background, we are ALL part of the human race. Therefore, we deserve to be treated with dignity and worth. What do I have in common with my students? The fact that we are alive, and that as we experience life itself, we come to understand that it doesn't come without its challenges. However, no matter how hard things get, if we are conscientious of our existence and the power that we posses to positively affect our lives and that of those around us, that should be reminder enough that our existence has purpose, and meaning. That without us, things would just never be the same. Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? A: Yes. There is no learning without that human connection. The way our brains are wired, we must connect with the person before we can come to understand anything they have to say. If your students don't KNOW that you care about them as human beings, they will never learn from you. People are emotional beings and sometimes we don't learn through our eyes, earns, or mouths, but with our hearts! I ask, when was the last time you learned something from someone you don't like? Jorge is a TED-Ed Innovative Educator. He is the Founder of Instructional Leadership Academy where teachers work together through peer coaching to elevate their practice and strengthen their community. Follow Jorge on Twitter @jalvarezcjusd. Photo (c) 2017 Kristin Leong Years in Education: 20+ Asian Male Technology Integration Teacher Q: What do you have in common with your students? A: Hawaiʻi is a very multi-ethnic place where there are no "minorities." My Asian ethnicity is common, and is in common with many of our students. Having been raised here, I also have cultural commonalities and share common values with many of our students and families. I also believe that we share similar interests, pastimes, music, and even foods. The local culture here is a blend of many immigrant cultures that came to Hawaiʻi to work in the sugar plantations. It is beautiful and has a unique charm. I teach at a school for Hawaiian children. Although they are part-Hawaiian, they are a majority of other ethnicities. Still, I thought it was important to learn the culture and language. I have grown a love and passion for the Hawaiian culture! It has given me insight, empathy, and a place in the ʻohana and community. Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? A: I believe that learning is very relational, and it is helpful when students can relate to a teacher or mentor. I believe that it is also important to have role models of similar race, economic status, and orientation. There is a hope and a power in making that kind of a connection. Because Hawaiʻi is such a tiny place, there's always been that "underdog" mentality. It is important to have local role models whom students can relate to. I believe that transparency in the teaching/learning relationship (or in any relationship) is important. When students get to know you, something just might resonate and make all the difference in the world. When I was an elementary student a teacher would throw football with me during recess. That connection and relationship made a huge and lasting impact. The first time I brought my ukulele to class, I was finally able to connect with a student who often seemed disengaged. And again, learning the culture(s) of your student population can lead to more connections and empathy. Sometimes even the use of a local slang can make an impact. "Shoots! All pau. Good job!" When you have things in common, you can start to break down barriers and build community. Alan is a TED-Ed Innovative Educator. To find out how Alan is amplifying student voices in Hawaii through real-world community leadership follow him on Twitter @alantamayose. Years in Education: 20+ White Female Mother of a Transracial Family High School Humanities Teacher Q: What do you have in common with your students? A: I now live in the same town as my students (although I haven’t always). My children attend school with and are friends with many of my students. I have race in common with about fifty percent of my students (gender, as well). As I have an Asian child and other Asian relatives, my family's status as transracial is also a feature I share with probably thirty percent of my students. My childhood family culture was probably similar to about half the students I teach, in that I grew up with one caring parent and and we were financially secure, but not wealthy. I attended public schools, did well with my academics, and dabbled in extracurricular activities, as many of my students do. I also grew up with the expectation that I would attend a 4-year university and earn at least a BA, which I believe is true for practically all my students. Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? A: Today, my students and I discussed the death of a character in a novel, and whether or not he’d had a “good life”. At the start of the discussion, I mentioned that one reason we often read novels featuring death is that it’s the job of great literature to remind of us our own mortality and to teach us how to live so that we don’t die with significant regret. But another reason to read is that learning universal truths reminds us of our shared humanity. Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? Well, we DO have things in common, so how are are going to capitalize on them? I feel so lucky that my discipline is all about examining those things. This is not to dismiss the very real isolation that people feel when they experience a lack of connection. On the contrary, my response here is a blatant plug for the vital role of the arts and humanities in reaching across social and cultural divides, so that common areas are acknowledged and manifestly visible. I can't change the conditions of my birth or childhood to endow myself with more similarities to my students, but I know where to look to find the bridges that connect us. Marrene has lived in the greater Seattle area her whole life, except for the 2 years she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Romania. She currently lives in a suburb of Seattle with her husband, two teenagers and two adorable dogs. Years in Education: 11-15 Caucasian Heterosexual Male Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math Integration Elementary Teacher Q: What do you have in common with your students? A: I teach in a demographically diverse elementary school: linguistically, culturally, and economically. With 15+ different languages spoken in a given classroom and no ethnicity representing more than a third of the population, the students I teach are generally as different from each other as they are from me. That being said, I did grow up in the district where I teach and we share that experience. Most of my students enjoy learning and school. Our region is a STEM hub so students like technology. Most also love hands-on learning and science. Engineering activities are popular as well. In addition to increasing access to those STEM interests, I am able to serve as a male role model for the boys (there are very few male elementary teachers). As such, I am able to model equal access for all and showing the assertive boys the value of encouraging less assertive students. Being a very diverse population, we value and celebrate our diversity together. Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? A: Yes. As human beings, when forming relationships we tend to connect where we have things in common and build from there. I am fortunate that my school is so diverse because we all share that as a sense of community. Yet, I am also aware that it is hard for many of my students to look at me and see themselves because of differences in gender, culture, language, ethnicity, etc. With this in mind, it is important for educators to seek out as many things that they do have in common with their students as possible, e.g. sports, music, hobbies. Teachers should also take an interest in their students' unique interests and encourage them in these areas as a way to connect. Still, having students able to see themselves reflected in their role models is important. To this end, I cannot change who I am, but as a teacher I can reach out to community members and ask them to visit our school. So, yes, it matters and we need to do what we can to encourage teachers from all backgrounds to enter the profession--a diverse workforce is a stronger workforce in so many ways. In the meantime, those of us who are already teaching can invite in role models that our students can relate to and see themselves reflected in as they envision their own dreams. As adults dedicated to the future success of all of our students, we all have this in common. Douglas is a Washington State Teacher Leader and an innovator in the Maker Movement. To find out how Doug is creating hands-on, student-led opportunities for his students to connect their learning to the real world, follow him on Twitter at @DaskalosDouglas. Years in Education: 4--6 Malaysian + White Female Immigrant First Generation American Middle and High School Math Teacher Q: What do you have in common with your students? A: My students are all recent immigrants and refugees to the U.S. I share the fact that I am an immigrant with them but I moved here under different circumstances than them and at a much younger age so my transition was different. I don't know what it is like to be Muslim in America but I know what it is like to be a womxn of color and someone who is committed to racial and social justice. While I may not share everything the same with my students, I know that our oppressions are rooted in each other and their fight is my fight. Together in solidarity we find our strength. Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? A: Yes! Sharing common experiences leads to trust. You do not need to have everything the same as your students, differences cause us to push one another to help each other grow, but seeing someone who you can find parts of your self in matter. It is important that students see themselves as potential educators, or where ever their path may lead; and it is important for teachers to see themselves in their students, to have that empathy and understanding. There is a reason that there are so few teachers of color and why students of color continue to be disenfranchised. My hope is through collectivity we can change that and truly be in solidarity. Saraswati teaches at the Seattle World School, which serves primarily immigrant and refugee students. She is a Washington State Teacher Leader and in 2016 she won the Imagine Us Award for Bold and Visionary Leadership in Equity and Justice. Follow her on Twitter @saraswatinoel. Years in Education: 2--3 White Cis-Male Middle and High School Social Studies Teacher Q: What do you have in common with your students? A: I spent nearly thirty years in the business world, mostly high tech, before I got my teaching certificate. Although I am old enough to be a grandfather to my students, I can almost always find commonalities with them. We can talk about favorite books and favorite authors, I can talk sports, or cars, or music or theater. Because I am an older teacher, my life experiences are broad and deep. If a student has knowledge about a subject, I can usually dredge something up that relates. We are all humans. We share life experiences. I know love and loss. I can relate to the tragedies and comedies that my students are going through, as they journey up and down the emotional scale. That 8th grader going through an emotional breakup with their partner? We could laugh that off as just a silly Romeo and Juliet romance. But they are experiencing it, and it is very real to them in all its horribleness, and it’s exacerbated by their fluctuating hormone levels. A student identifies as a member of the Queer communities? I can relate: one of my own children came out as gay, then trans, as a teenager. Another is severely depressed? Been there, done that, got the T-shirt: I literally kicked down locked and bolted doors to save my kid who attempted suicide so many times I lost count. This one feels isolated because they aren’t part of the in-crowd? So was I. It’s called life, and we all journey through it without a guidebook. Our students are having to do it without the maturity of an adult and the wisdom of years to help them. No, I don’t listen to all of the same kinds of music my students love, but I listen to enough that I’ve heard or seen some of their favorites. I keep up on YA literature because it interests me and I personally know many local YA authors (the advantage of being married to one, attending conferences with her, and having common friends!). As an older, white, cis male I’ve not had to personally deal with the many issues surrounding racism, sexism, queer and religious intolerance, etc., but, I have friends from all kinds of backgrounds who do so on a daily basis. I can empathize with almost anyone. One of my greatest strengths as a teacher, is building rapport with my students, and I work constantly to continually build a safe community in my classroom. The only way I can do that is to accept my students where they are, wherever that might be, and to listen to their stories. Each student’s voice is essential. Knowing their voice is heard is even more important – and listening more than talking, my friends, is what each of us can do. Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? A: It’s helpful. We certainly don’t have the same experiences that our students have, nor can we ever. However, by listening more than we talk, and by validating their experiences and assuring them that they aren’t alone, more than makes up for the facts that we are not their age, not their race, not their orientation, or gender, or immigration status, or religion, nor all the other factors that make up their story. In addition to being a teacher, Andrew is also a pirate. Follow him on Twitter @andrewlbond. Years in Education: 11--15 Caucasian Heterosexual Female First in Family to Graduate From College English Language Development & AVID High School Teacher Q: What do you have in common with your students? A: Like my English Language Learner students, I worked hard in school to learn another language, Spanish, which helps me to connect not only with their language-related struggles, but also allows me to better form relationships with their families and encourage their primary language development. Travel has also enabled some surprising commonalities. For the past eleven years, I have spent a considerable amount of time in Asia during my breaks, so in addition to being familiar with some of my students' home towns, I know the feeling of being a stranger in a strange land, with little knowledge of the language, ability to communicate with others, and the general discomfort of being in a completely unfamiliar setting. This helps me relate to and empathize with newcomer students who are often feeling the same way within a week to a few months after moving to the United States. Another thing I have in common with several of my students is that I was the first in my family to graduate from college. While I was extremely fortunate that my parents were overall very supportive of me throughout high school, they were ill-equipped to help me navigate the world of college applications and the FAFSA. I did not have a close relationship with a guidance counselor or teacher to help me with the complexities of applications, moving away, and enrolling in college, but in retrospect, I wish I had. I hope to relate that experience to my students who may be too afraid to ask questions. Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? A: Yes, I believe that it is important that students and teachers share commonalities. I feel that it is extremely impactful for students to see their reflection in and have shared experiences with their teachers. That being said, there are many things a teacher can do to cultivate authentic relationships and establish mutual respect and trust. I also believe that there is much to be learned from a diversity of experiences and perspectives, and frankly, learning from and about my students has made me a better person. That being said: has it been as beneficial for them to learn about my experience as a white woman? I'm not so sure. Our teacher education programs need to actively recruit more diverse candidates to effectively represent our student population. Our students need to make those connections through better representation in education and a host of other fields to better help them aspire to be whatever it is they choose to be. Tiffany is a TED-Ed Innovative Educator. To find out more about how Tiffany's Innovation Project is connecting classrooms around the world, follow her on Twitter @BadgerEDHS. |
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