What I learned in Teacher Corps (Is this REALLY for a grade?)

I ought to be protesting this compulsory blog thing, but I guess I'm not, because hear I am typing on a Sunday morning. May God have mercy on my soul. Here's the speech I wrote for our presentations. I don't think it's very good.

On second thought, I could talk about other changes I went through during Teacher Corps. I started taking vitamins, for example. I tore my miniscus (sp) and gained twenty pounds. I got knee surgery and lost thirty.

I found the love of my life, the man I'm going to marry.

I quit smoking.

I got screwed by Planter's Bank, and then by U.S. Bank, and learned I should find a Teacher's Credit Union as soon as possible.

I got ringworm. I read Rising Tide. I sat on the porch. I went to Club Ebony.

I ate barbeque. I became a connesuer, even.

On second thought, here's the speech:

A binder. I think this format, although justifiably unpopular, fits well with the theme of my professional development-- order and discipline. These are two things that I'm known for maintaining in the classroom, but I consider that accomplishment to be nothing as compared with the cultivation of these qualities within myself. I wasn't always the paragon of virtue and professionalism that you see standing before you today. I've changed, though-- changed for the better. I learned order and discipline while I was in Teacher Corps.

I don't know when I got tired of being a rebel; it was probably the instant I realized that it takes more courage to be an adult, to participate in the struggle on the side of right. Sullen criticism of the establishment, no matter how apt, is impotent if the speaker is on the sidelines. Anarchy is simply wasted energy. Throwing a brick through the window of a Starbucks, for example, does not directly impact the WTO. Agitation is not the same thing as movement in the right direction. It is only the latter that requires organization and perserverance. it is only through cultivating order and discipline within myself that I am able to arrive at a position where I can participate in the discussion; where I can effect, not immediate, dramatic change, but lasting, far reaching, and sustainable development.

We are only here for a brief time, and no one can say where we're headed. It's important that we use our time here well. During my time with teacher corps, I have realized the importance, nay, the neccessity, of a life-long commitment to serving the underserved.

Next year, I will be teaching young women of privelege at the Academy of the Sacred Heart on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. I feel conflicted over this, but I would like to use the experience as an opportunity to cutlivate thoughtful, service-oriented young women. I'd like to begin an intercultural diaglogue of sorts, perhaps in the form of an after-school tutoring program, with the local underserved public school. Ultimately, I plan on returning to the Delta in order to renew my commitment to serving the black community there, preferably in a leadership capacity. I hear many people don't want to live in the Delta, but I wonder if those people have ever been. I can see myself spending the rest of my life there.

I don't think I'd have been capable of surviving in this field if I hadn't cultivated a certain level of order to my existence. Losing one second of instructional time is unacceptable, particularly in an environment where losing a second might mean losing the class. In order to survive, I've become organized, which is entirely against my nature. I've developed systems-- nothing is ever lost or misplaced, everything is easily accessible and on-hand. This is essential. I beleive the most important aspect of classroom management is organization. It facilitates everything else: execution of the lesson, time management, behavior management, everything. The students are active participants in maintianing order in the classroom. They have to be; it's entirely too much work to do on one's own. Besides, for some reason, students love to file. I teach my students organization, too, although they rebel against it. I grade their binders. I hold them accountable. A disorganized binder recieves a failing grade. I would rather that they learn organization than Macbeth. Organization is a life skill.

I can't affort to be sloppy, careless, or disorganized in my classroom; neither can I afford to be so in my existence. Time is of the essence. I have things I need to accomplish before my time is up. I can't afford to waste one second to disorder or confusion. To do so would be weak, even unethical.

Perhaps my greatest accomplishment as an instructor was the execution of four formal MLA-style research papers-- two each year in every class. This was an enormous challenge, considering the fact that in August, most students couldn't successfully execute a five paragraph essay. I teach 12th grade (I have more detailed information on the research paper process, however, I'll post it as a seperate blog so as not to overwhelm the reader).

What seems impossible is simply a challenge to be met-- logically, step by step, one obstacle at a time. It's important, always, to remember the necessity of self-discipline. I think of this, in a large part, as growing up-- realizing the direct connection between action and consequence, between method and result.

To sum it up, Teacher Corps is where I finally became an adult in anything more than name. To know what is important to me, to set a goal, to ultimately create a meaningful and significant positive impact-- this is what will justify my existence on this planet, this is what makes my life worth living, this is what I can accomplish, now that I have learned order and discipline. For me, a life ruled by ego and unmitigated by compassion would be a waste of time.


Okay, I admit, not the best speech. Plus my blog is 40 minutes late, so I won't get credit for it. I'll post it anyway.