Today, about 1/2 hour before school gets dismissed, I got a phone call from the secretary asking that I send a student to the office because her mom was there to pick her up. I hustled to gather a few things together that I thought she might need, because we're coming up on a 4 day weekend (state teachers' convention,) gave her a hug, and sent her on her way.
5 minutes later she was back. "My mom says to say good-bye because I'm not coming back. I'm going to a new school." Then she buried her head against me and started to sob.
I had heard from our interpreter that they might be moving, but as of yesterday they didn't know when. Unfortunately, because my school is very high poverty (>70%) this is not a unique situation. Part of me is angry with her mom. Why don't parents realize how hard it is on their children to just pull up stakes and leave? Our psychologist just told me that, on average, students lose 6 months of learning every time they move to a new school.
The fact that children grieve when they leave to go to a new school is very much unrecognized within school communities. I can't tell you the number of times that a student of mine has moved and I get a call from the new teacher saying, "What works to control this child? S/he refuses to learn and has already been sent to the principal's office x number of times!" or "We're starting an evaluation on this child and would like your input."
It stands to reason that the children who move most often are the children living in unstable housing situations and -- no surprises -- tend to have more behavior (and often academic) issues. They tend to express their grief at leaving their friends, their familiar teachers, by acting out. It shouldn't take a fruit fly scientist to figure that out!
In the case of my student today, her mom has the added stress of being a single parent because her husband was deported to Honduras last spring. I can't really stay angry with her, but I wish we had gotten a day to say a proper good-bye. The rest of my class was amazing. I told them that she was leaving, and they surrounded her in a great big hug. But man, it breaks my heart.
My school is home to an excellent program for homeless children and their families. Sometimes the teacher in charge of that program -- Jani Koester, a devoted advocate for kids so just give her a personal round of applause right now where you are sitting -- sometimes she pulls strings and arranges transportation for children to continue coming to our school even when they have found housing in a different attendance area. Once in a conversation with a neighbor -- usually a liberal guy, but with a few blind spots -- he started going on about how the district could save money by cutting out the excess transportation for the homeless students. I had to set him straight: For some kids, school is the most stable thing in their lives and keeping them in one place is a good investment.
Anyway, so ends my work week. Tomorrow I'll be in my classroom doing some much needed cleaning and organizing. Convention offerings don't look particularly compelling this year, so I don't think I'll go. (It's right here in town, so if I change my mind ...)
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One of my students, who just started a few weeks ago is already moving again. Another student disappeared for a week after a 4day weekend. We did a home visit, but the house was boarded up. We assumed that he had never lived at that address. He came back last week. His house had burned and it came out that he had started the fire by trying to light a cigarette. Yup, and I DO teach kindergarten! It's amazing the things our little friends go through every day. And then we wonder (well, not you and I really) why they struggle with 2 hours of language arts and an hour of math, no nap, no snack, and very little recess...
Hey, Josie. It is heartbreaking, isn't it? Your schedule sounds insane. Is it like that in response to NCLB, or did the framers of NCLB look to large cities like Baltimore as a model? Is it like that in the wealthier suburbs outside of the city? I remember Jonathan Kozol charging about a decade ago that schools that served low income children were turning into boot camps while wealthier districts were still providing developmentally appropriate curriculum. For all of MMSD's faults, I am grateful that there are some who hold firm in insisting that we teach the whole child, etc. And the pendulum seems to be swinging back too.
I'm glad you commented! Sorry that I've been incommunicado lately. I have a new student starting on Monday -- Sheila and Fernando's cousin! I just heard that they are back in Honduras with their mom for now.
Remember Kevin? He is back at Emerson in Rosy's class, and his cousin Omar is in my class.
Love to Nate and Lucy. Tell Nate we're still working on that slab of bacon!
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