Mr. Hattal's Classroom: It started with a mangrove tree. The ramblings of ...

Mr. Hattal's Classroom: It started with a mangrove tree. The ramblings of ...: I remember the day well, it was three days before the winter break, 7:30 in the morning. The annual contract teachers were all receiving...

It started with a mangrove tree. The ramblings of a bad teammate!

I remember the day well, it was three days before the winter break, 7:30 in the morning. The annual contract teachers were all receiving their mid-term feedbacks.  I was the first one scheduled that day.  As always, I was the first teacher to school in the morning.  The principle and vice-principle were reading from my evaluation sheet. Line by line, area by area.  Proficient, exemplary, proficient, proficient, exemplary…not bad for a second year teacher I’m thinking to myself.  Then we came to the heading “teamwork”. 

“I got this” I said to myself, fully expecting to hear the word “exemplary” roll across my principles lips.

Instead, “needs professional improvement” are the words that rolled from his lips….

“Wait…what???” I think to myself, too shocked to speak.  22 years in the military, 7 years as a contractor, never, never, never had I been told teamwork was an area where I need to improve…NEVER!  Yet here I am, two years into teaching, being told my teamwork “needs professional improvement!”

That night was restless…tossing and turning, I spent my night reflecting on what was said.  In my mind, I went over everything I had done in the first half of the year.  I coordinated the planting of 100 mangrove seedlings, I arranged for a Skype lesson with the Virginia Historical Society, I set up the other teachers Google Classroom Accounts (which they never use), I created PPTs for Science and Social Studies, I single handedly created a wonderful Civil War LDC…there must be some mistake! 

So the next day I went to the AP for some clarification.  They do 25 of these evaluations, who knows maybe there was an error.  Nope!  The AP told me I was marked down after discussions with the team lead. 

“Really, can I ask why?” I inquired.          

“Because you gave the students an “extra” book report during the 1^st quarter” was the AP’s response.

What he said was true…sort of!  At the beginning of the year, 4^th Grade had no defined reading program.  Having lost the A/R program from the year before, we were left with our pants down so to speak.  During “pre-planning” we discussed many options, finally settling on a computer based site “Reading Rewards”.  Students were to enter their reading minutes, then complete a monthly “blog” on a book they had read. 

As the first couple months went by, it was evident that our reading program was ineffective.  Several of my students did not have regular access to computers therefore completing the daily entries and the blog was impossible.  I went to the team for guidance.  Their input included suggestions like “have them go to the library” or “have them come into class early”.  When I suggested an alternative, the idea was shrugged off as “not fair for those that complete the program as assigned”. 

The issues continued, and my frustration grew.  So I (giant gasp) went against the grain (heaven forbid) and provided students with an alternative: an optional format for the monthly “blog” and a pen and paper log.  Little did I know, providing alternatives (isn’t differentiation a buzz word these days) would cause such issues among my peers. 

As it turns out, after some discovery (dare I say investigating?), the real reason my colleges were upset was because the parents in their classes were asking for the same type of alternative system.  “Why can’t we have a reading program like Mr. Hattal’s?” they asked.

I digress…my intention for writing this blog post is not to smear the good names of my colleagues.  The purpose is to show how it motivated me!

After spending many sleepless nights reflecting, I finally came to a realization; I was reflecting on the wrong question.  The first couple of nights I kept asking myself “where did I go wrong?” Instead my focus should have been “where did I go right?”  Well, it all started with a pile of mangrove seedlings.  

As a grade level, we were doing an LDC on Interdependence.  We read text, we had a visitor from the Forestry Service, and we watched videos.  While interesting, there was nothing “hands-on” about what we were doing.  I took it upon myself to arrange for a local botanist to come to our school and help us plant 100 mangrove seeds.  The kids loved it!  They watched as their mangroves grew from an ugly “finger” into a budding, full of potential seedling.  Much like the students in my class, some of the mangroves thrived, some grew at an average rate, and some lagged behind.  We watered them, gave them nutrients, and provided them with sunlight.  Still some grew, some did not.  Regardless of the outcome, each and every student took something away from the experience. 

Next up was an LDC on Florida’s involvement in the Civil War.  Was Florida important to the outcome of the Civil War was the essential question.  Again, we read text and watched videos.  To add an alternative approach, I arranged for a Skype with a representative of the Virginia Historical Society.  This provided an “outsiders” view of the events.  Not necessarily “hands-on” but certainly an alternative method of teaching.  The students loved it!  They were engaged and they learned a ton!  Most of which they can recall today!   

As I reflected on my “teamwork”, I finally heard the bells and whistles!  The students loved what I was doing!  I provided them with alternatives, I allowed them to learn by doing, I provided an different method of learning!  I redirected my reflection from “what am I doing right?” to “what kind of teacher do I want to be?”

Since my “awakening” I have enjoyed teaching so much more! I now focus on my students and worry less…much less, about what other people think!  Don’t get me wrong, I still value the critiques of my peers, but my focus has switched to what is best for my students.  I realized I am a teacher that wants to explore the boundaries…to push the envelope…to recover from failures, in the hopes that my through these “this alternative methodology”, my students will become more productive members of society. 

Will you join me?