TCLA: What are you and your students getting out of your participation in the Bill of Rights Seminar?
SG: In the seminar I interact with other socially conscious educators, hear their stories, thoughts, opinions, and experiences. This helps me rethink my own experiences. People are very insightful and honest in responding to the readings and to one another. Nothing has been inflammatory, no propaganda—just views and experiences presented very clearly and objectively. It has been very inspiring to me to question not just my teaching practices, but the educational system that I grew up in.
I like to think that I am dramatically different from those who don’t respect their students. But I’ve had to sit and listen and reflect on some of my teaching practices that perpetuate all the things I say that I am fighting against. In the seminar I have evaluated my beliefs as a teacher, asking what education should be, what it means, and what I actually show my students. Do my actions show my values to my students? So, I’ve become a kinder, more honest Ms Gray. My students have noticed. They are more honest with me. They are taking leadership positions in the classroom. They weren’t before because they were in mortal fear of me. I’m certainly much more reflective now.
TCLA: Can you give an example of how your students are more honest with you?
SG: We've been studying trustworthiness as a school and I attempted to tie this into the idea of being the best we can be, so that we can eventually play a productive and proactive role in the world. Initially students would vehemently deny wrong-doing in the face of accusations by other students, or by myself. In recent weeks, there has been a significant turn around. One day, a student came to me during lunch saying that he had been pushed by another student. I probed deeper, attempting to find out what happened. This student went and got the other student who was involved. Both were initially very defensive and denied any wrong-doing. I simply expressed my desire to seek a resolution, and that each would have their fair share to speak. I did my best to be a respectful and attentive listener, without giving too much input. Still, the stories were contradictory. I left the room and told them that I wanted them to talk and get back with me when they were certain of the details. Within 3 minutes both came and I got the entire story; which proved them to be equally culpable. The rest of the students came in from lunch recess. I made an announcement telling the class how proud I was and pleased that their two classmates were honest and willing to take responsibility for their actions. Then three other hands shot up. These students each shared the role they each played in the incident. It was a very, very glorious moment for me as a teacher.
TCLA: How have your students reacted to the idea that they have rights?
SG: On the first day of school I asked them, "Why do you go to school?" They said, "to get a job" and "to pass the Stanford 9." Now they say "to be the best that I can be," and "to grow up and change the world." The Students’ Bill of Rights has affected how they see themselves. Now everyone is really trying to help everyone else. It has been a dramatic change. They were really excited that there were adults who cared about children’s rights. They were amazed that they could be valued with the same standards and respect as adults.
Since our initial conversations on their rights, and the role of education in their lives, my students place more emphasis on becoming good citizens and leaders. My students look for opportunities to be "teachers." They speak up for themselves now because they realize that their opinions and views are valued and respected. We've had conversations about what makes a "good leader," and reached the consensus that it is more than just getting the grades.
TCLA: You mentioned earlier that teaching about the Students’ Bill of Rights has changed who you are as a teacher. Why is this so?
SG: In many ways I'm undoubtedly a more traditional, "old school" teacher. I stress the importance of etiquette, and manners. I don't accept disrespect from my students in any way. I am exceptionally firm and strict with my students; at the onset of a school year I quote the adage that if you give someone an inch, they'll try to take a mile. But, discussing a Students' Bill of Rights requires a paradigm shift. If I believe that my students and all students have inalienable rights to the best education, I have to give them proof that this could and should be their reality. This mandates that I wholeheartedly become the adult that I want my students to become. It was hard, and still is hard at times, having to hold my tongue, and model the ideas and notions that I've put in their heads. My fear was that students would see a more tolerant, compromising, "kinder and gentler" (ha ha ha!) Ms. Gray as an opportunity to act up. But I realized that if I do subscribe to all of the enlightened and most noble ideals of education, I have to be willing to take the risk. And my students have responded. They are taking their education much more seriously. They’re not taking advantage of the fact that they have a teacher who believes that they have rights and wants to give them the same respect that she would want. So I’m very proud of that. I’m proud of the fact that this awareness has not caused them to become manipulative or make excuses for their behavior.
TCLA: Do you think that this is a common concern among teachers and adults in general? Do you think that this might explain why adults withhold rights from students?
SG: Honestly, I don't think so. I'd feel a lot better about some of what I've seen and heard in schools if teachers were maintaining more control over the classroom because of fear that the students would get out of line. I'd be excited to talk with a teacher who sets high behavioral and academic standards, and initially seems reticent to shift their perspective a bit. In my experience those are the teachers who care the most, and who are willing to go the extra mile for their students. It requires much more time and effort to stick with a student who appears incorrigible rather than to just throw your hands up and say "whatever." The teachers who are firm and strict (without being oppressive) seem to be more open to the idea of change to better serve their students' needs. I've been to countless schools where I see a blatant lack of respect between teachers and students, students and students, and teachers and teachers. I firmly believe that the kind of person you are outside of the school translates into who and how you are in the classroom. The same people who don't value students’ rights are the same ones who on any given day would withhold the rights of their own children, their peers, or anyone else. Operating systems don't change when we enter the classroom.
TCLA: What do you think you and your students have learned about rights, respect, and power over the last couple months?
SG: Sharing power with a group of 8- and 9-year-olds is not always easy, but we learn interesting things in the process. A couple of weeks ago, I became concerned and frustrated because my students were displaying an uncharacteristic lack of respect for myself, and each other. I realized that they were anxious about our upcoming break, however, I still expected them to maintain appropriate behavior. Clearly, they needed to become more aware of how each students' behavior affected the entire classroom environment; I needed them to KNOW what it felt like to be responsible for their own learning, and the tremendous work and patience it required to lead the class. Perhaps if they could walk in my shoes for a day, they'd understand they importance of maintaining order within the class. So, at the close of the day I stated, "Tomorrow, you will have no Ms. Gray; tomorrow you will be teaching class."
On the day I "quit" teaching, I marveled as I watched the students "democratically" select a teacher. They chose the student who not only has the grades, but has also proven herself to be honest and fair. The students had me down to a tee. The first hour and a half these third graders went through an entire Friday morning routine, including a spelling test. They allowed the "teacher" to give the entire class the test, and decided to have one student give her the test afterwards. Even in the midst of some power struggling, I noticed that the students were conscious of the need to learn something that day, and so they got in groups, each working on a different subject, but helping each other acquire and understand the information! It was amazing to witness. There was one group doing math on the board, another group working on spelling, and another doing reading comprehension. In the afternoon, I could see they were taxed, and getting frustrated, and the "teacher" pulled out a book I had started reading to them about the Sioux Indians, and they all sat and listened to her as she read aloud. Students even asked her questions, and responded to questions that she posed about the reading. It was amazing!
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