In 1974, after filling out fifty applications, going through four interviews, and winning one offer, I took what I could get---- - a teaching job at what I considered a distant wild area: western New Jersey.
In
1974
,
after
filling
out
fifty
applications
,
going
through
four
interviews
,
and
winning
one
offer
,
I
took
what
I
could
get
--
--
-
a
teaching
job
at
what
I
considered
a
distant
wild
area
:
western
New
Jersey
.
My characteristic optimism was alive only when I reminded myself that I would be doing what I had wanted to do since I was fourteen------- teaching English.
My
characteristic
optimism
was
alive
only
when
I
reminded
myself
that
I
would
be
doing
what
I
had
wanted
to
do
since
I
was
fourteen
--
--
--
-
teaching
English
.
School started, but I felt more and more as if I were in a foreign country.
School
started
,
but
I
felt
more
and
more
as
if
I
were
in
a
foreign
country
.
Was this rural area really New Jersey?
Was
this
rural
area
really
New
Jersey
?
My students took a week off when hunting season began.
My
students
took
a
week
off
when
hunting
season
began
.
I was told they were also frequently absent in late October to help their fathers make hay on the farms.
I
was
told
they
were
also
frequently
absent
in
late
October
to
help
their
fathers
make
hay
on
the
farms
.
I was a young woman from New York City, who thought that "Make hay while the sun shines" just meant to have a good time.
I
was
a
young
woman
from
New
York
City
,
who
thought
that
``
Make
hay
while
the
sun
shines
''
just
meant
to
have
a
good
time
.
But, still, I was teaching English.
But
,
still
,
I
was
teaching
English
.
I worked hard, taking time off only to eat and sleep.
I
worked
hard
,
taking
time
off
only
to
eat
and
sleep
.
And then there was my sixth-grade class---- seventeen boys and five girls who were only six years younger than me.
And
then
there
was
my
sixth-grade
class
--
--
seventeen
boys
and
five
girls
who
were
only
six
years
younger
than
me
.
I had a problem long before I knew it.
I
had
a
problem
long
before
I
knew
it
.
I was struggling in my work as a young idealistic teacher.
I
was
struggling
in
my
work
as
a
young
idealistic
teacher
.
I wanted to make literature come alive and to promote a love of the written word.
I
wanted
to
make
literature
come
alive
and
to
promote
a
love
of
the
written
word
.
The students wanted to throw spitballs and whisper dirty words in the back of the room.
The
students
wanted
to
throw
spitballs
and
whisper
dirty
words
in
the
back
of
the
room
.
In college I had been taught that a successful educator should ignore bad behavior.
In
college
I
had
been
taught
that
a
successful
educator
should
ignore
bad
behavior
.
So I did, confident that, as the textbook had said, the bad behavior would disappear as I gave my students positive attention.
So
I
did
,
confident
that
,
as
the
textbook
had
said
,
the
bad
behavior
would
disappear
as
I
gave
my
students
positive
attention
.
It sounds reasonable, but the text evidently ignored the fact that humans, particularly teenagers, rarely seem reasonable.
It
sounds
reasonable
,
but
the
text
evidently
ignored
the
fact
that
humans
,
particularly
teenagers
,
rarely
seem
reasonable
.
By the time my boss, who was also my taskmaster, known to be the strictest, most demanding, most quick to fire inexperienced teachers, came into the classroom to observe me, the students exhibited very little good behavior to praise.
By
the
time
my
boss
,
who
was
also
my
taskmaster
,
known
to
be
the
strictest
,
most
demanding
,
most
quick
to
fire
inexperienced
teachers
,
came
into
the
classroom
to
observe
me
,
the
students
exhibited
very
little
good
behavior
to
praise
.
My boss sat in the back of the room.
My
boss
sat
in
the
back
of
the
room
.
The boys in the class were making animal noises, hitting each other while the girls filed their nails or read magazines.
The
boys
in
the
class
were
making
animal
noises
,
hitting
each
other
while
the
girls
filed
their
nails
or
read
magazines
.
I just pretended it all wasn't happening, and went on lecturing and tried to ask some inspiring questions.
I
just
pretended
it
all
was
n't
happening
,
and
went
on
lecturing
and
tried
to
ask
some
inspiring
questions
.
My boss, sitting in the back of the classroom, seemed to be growing bigger and bigger.
My
boss
,
sitting
in
the
back
of
the
classroom
,
seemed
to
be
growing
bigger
and
bigger
.
After twenty minutes he left, silently.
After
twenty
minutes
he
left
,
silently
.
Visions of unemployment marched before my eyes.
Visions
of
unemployment
marched
before
my
eyes
.
I felt mildly victorious that I got through the rest of class without crying, but at my next free period I had to face him.
I
felt
mildly
victorious
that
I
got
through
the
rest
of
class
without
crying
,
but
at
my
next
free
period
I
had
to
face
him
.
I wondered if he would let me finish out the day.
I
wondered
if
he
would
let
me
finish
out
the
day
.
I walked to his office, took a deep breath, and opened the door.
I
walked
to
his
office
,
took
a
deep
breath
,
and
opened
the
door
.
He was sitting in his chair, and he looked at me long and hard.
He
was
sitting
in
his
chair
,
and
he
looked
at
me
long
and
hard
.
I said nothing.
I
said
nothing
.
All I could think of was that I was not an English teacher; I had been lying to myself, pretending that everything was fine.
All
I
could
think
of
was
that
I
was
not
an
English
teacher
;
I
had
been
lying
to
myself
,
pretending
that
everything
was
fine
.
When he spoke, he said simply, without accusation, "You had nothing to say to them."
When
he
spoke
,
he
said
simply
,
without
accusation
,
``
You
had
nothing
to
say
to
them
.
''
"You had nothing to say to them".
``
You
had
nothing
to
say
to
them
''
.
he repeated.
he
repeated
.
"No wonder they are bored.
``
No
wonder
they
are
bored
.
Why not get to the meat of literature and stop talking about symbolism.
Why
not
get
to
the
meat
of
literature
and
stop
talking
about
symbolism
.
Talk with them, not at them.
Talk
with
them
,
not
at
them
.
And more important, why do you ignore their bad behavior"?
And
more
important
,
why
do
you
ignore
their
bad
behavior
''
?
We talked.
We
talked
.
He named my problems and offered solutions.
He
named
my
problems
and
offered
solutions
.
We role-played.
We
role-played
.
He was the bad student, and I was the forceful, yet, warm teacher.
He
was
the
bad
student
,
and
I
was
the
forceful
,
yet
,
warm
teacher
.
As the year progressed, we spent many hours discussing literature and ideas about human beings and their motivations.
As
the
year
progressed
,
we
spent
many
hours
discussing
literature
and
ideas
about
human
beings
and
their
motivations
.
He helped me identify my weaknesses and strengths.
He
helped
me
identify
my
weaknesses
and
strengths
.
In short, he made a teacher of me by teaching me the reality of Emerson's words: "The secret to education lies in respecting the pupil."
In
short
,
he
made
a
teacher
of
me
by
teaching
me
the
reality
of
Emerson
's
words
:
``
The
secret
to
education
lies
in
respecting
the
pupil
.
''
Fifteen years later I still drive that same winding road to the same school.
Fifteen
years
later
I
still
drive
that
same
winding
road
to
the
same
school
.
Thanks to the help I received that difficult first year, the school is my home now.
Thanks
to
the
help
I
received
that
difficult
first
year
,
the
school
is
my
home
now
.
In 1974, after filling out fifty applications, going through four interviews, and winning one offer, I took what I could get---- - a teaching job at what I considered a distant wild area: western New Jersey. My characteristic optimism was alive only when I reminded myself that I would be doing what I had wanted to do since I was fourteen------- teaching English.  School started, but I felt more and more as if I were in a foreign country. Was this rural area really New Jersey? My students took a week off when hunting season began. I was told they were also frequently absent in late October to help their fathers make hay on the farms. I was a young woman from New York City, who thought that "Make hay while the sun shines" just meant to have a good time.  But, still, I was teaching English. I worked hard, taking time off only to eat and sleep. And then there was my sixth-grade class---- seventeen boys and five girls who were only six years younger than me. I had a problem long before I knew it. I was struggling in my work as a young idealistic teacher. I wanted to make literature come alive and to promote a love of the written word. The students wanted to throw spitballs and whisper dirty words in the back of the room.  In college I had been taught that a successful educator should ignore bad behavior. So I did, confident that, as the textbook had said, the bad behavior would disappear as I gave my students positive attention. It sounds reasonable, but the text evidently ignored the fact that humans, particularly teenagers, rarely seem reasonable. By the time my boss, who was also my taskmaster, known to be the strictest, most demanding, most quick to fire inexperienced teachers, came into the classroom to observe me, the students exhibited very little good behavior to praise.  My boss sat in the back of the room. The boys in the class were making animal noises, hitting each other while the girls filed their nails or read magazines. I just pretended it all wasn't happening, and went on lecturing and tried to ask some inspiring questions. My boss, sitting in the back of the classroom, seemed to be growing bigger and bigger. After twenty minutes he left, silently. Visions of unemployment marched before my eyes.  I felt mildly victorious that I got through the rest of class without crying, but at my next free period I had to face him. I wondered if he would let me finish out the day. I walked to his office, took a deep breath, and opened the door.  He was sitting in his chair, and he looked at me long and hard. I said nothing. All I could think of was that I was not an English teacher; I had been lying to myself, pretending that everything was fine.  When he spoke, he said simply, without accusation, "You had nothing to say to them."  "You had nothing to say to them". he repeated. "No wonder they are bored. Why not get to the meat of literature and stop talking about symbolism. Talk with them, not at them. And more important, why do you ignore their bad behavior"? We talked. He named my problems and offered solutions. We role-played. He was the bad student, and I was the forceful, yet, warm teacher.  As the year progressed, we spent many hours discussing literature and ideas about human beings and their motivations. He helped me identify my weaknesses and strengths. In short, he made a teacher of me by teaching me the reality of Emerson's words: "The secret to education lies in respecting the pupil."  Fifteen years later I still drive that same winding road to the same school. Thanks to the help I received that difficult first year, the school is my home now.