What really matters in school?

 
What really matters in school Dr. Turner?  That we lead with love and humanity. 

I remember Maggie's mother at her daughter's IEP meeting. She sat quietly listening to us talk data and facts. I gave her the literacy data, even though it made no sense. Maggie is a Down Syndrome child. At one point she just started crying. I asked everyone to give us five minutes alone. 

I wasn't sure what to do, I just knew she needed sometime away from the the crowd. I decided to reach across the table, asked if I could hold her hand. We sat holding hands in silence for a few minutes until the crying stopped. I asked her to share what hurts...she said I am afraid Mr. Turner. Afraid that my Maggie is growing up, and she will never do well in school, in life, and never go to college like her siblings will. I am afraid she always need someone to talk care of her. To be honest I have bigger things to worry about than this meeting. 

I called everyone back into the conference room, and said no more numbers. Let us all talk about what we love about Maggie. No more data/numbers, just the good things about Maggie. The things we love about Maggie. 
She has the most beautiful smile,
She is the kindest person in our school,
She shares,
Her laugh is contagious,
She loves to dance,
She loves to sing,
She draws the most beautiful flowers,
She gives the best hugs,
Everyone just loves her,
She is like sunshine in a bottle,
She is smarter than anyone thinks.

I said this is the data that really matters, Maggie is going to surprise the world, graduate high school one day, and make everyone's life better. We brought you here today to say we love Maggie, she is doing fine, and we love her. She is a blessing to our school. 

Hugs and tears filled that room, and her mother left smiling. She said I always dread these meetings, but today I finally understand you know my Maggie, love her, and now I know she is in the best of hands.Thank you. 

Well, after that meeting things were different, and humanity and love ensured that Maggie shined. She inspired us to be better teachers. She did graduate high school, did get a job, but most of all her smile and love blesses everyone around her.  Maggie was the only data that mattered, and finally the adults got it. Maggie gave us our teaching hearts back. 

There is the data that matters, and there is the data that really matters. 
See the child, not the test scores,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner 
CCSU Literacy Center

If you like to listen to the song that inspired my morning walk today? It is the Play for Change cover of "Teach your children" > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5AuFDHdrrg  < 

Teachers see wonders

 Teachers see wonders

At our CCSU Literacy Center our teachers work with parents and children who don't always fit those so-called normal learning curves.
On my first day with our teacher, I usually start with the story about the birth of our daughter.
I was in the delivery room with my wife and Betty her mother. My role was to be a positive coach for my wife, and to cut the umbilical cord.
I was like a deer in the headlights when Dr. Rashid said cut the cord Jesse. I started and stopped halfway. I was worried that this might hurt her. Dr. Rashid said cut silly man, cut it doesn't hurt her.
Then they wrap her in a colorful blanket, put a little pink hat on her, and handed her to me. I put her on Carolyn's chest, we cried a little, smiled the biggest smile, and said does she have all her fingers and toes. Dr. Rashid said Carolyn you have a perfect little girl. We already had her name picked out, and Carolyn welcome to the world Erin.
At that moment that perfect little girl won our hearts. We never wondered what grades she would get, what university she would go to, or what kind of dance she might study. Would she play sports like her father? none of those things crossed our minds. All we really knew was she became our wonder, our blessing, our lottery.
I tell my teachers repeat that feeling of wonder 8 billion times. These children who come to us are not test scores, they are the wonders of their parents. We celebrate their wonders here in our Literacy Center.

Let us teachers begin with seeing their wonder, and the rest will be easy,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner

If you like to listen to the tune that motivated my morning walk this morning its "Wonder" by Natalie Merchant > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zpYFAzhAZY <

 

Not All Superheros Wear Capes

We learn by example; I was a hungry, homeless child once sitting in the train station with my Momma one cold night. She did not earn enough to buy us a room for the night, but she brought us two burgers and French fries from the diner. 

Sitting on the bench next to us was another homeless person. It was clear he was old, hungry, tired, and cold. Momma asked if he would like a burger and fries? I could not believe it; I wanted to shout Momma, let him buy his own burger. She gave him half of our meal; I was angry and young and did not understand how she could give away our food. 

Later on that night, on the bench, she read Matthew: 

"For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, 

I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, 

I was a stranger, and you invited me in, 

I needed clothes and you clothed me, 

I was sick and you looked after me, 

I was in prison and you came to visit me."

"Then the righteous will answer him, 

Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"

Jesus replied, "Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." 

Some superheroes are:

"Faster than a speeding bullet! 

More powerful than a locomotive! 

Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!"

It took a while for me to understand Momma,

Some lead by example,

Teaching lessons that matter,

Momma is my greatest real superhero.

If you like to listen to the tune that inspired my morning walk today, it is the cover of "Let It Be" from Across the Universe. > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gPjGuC6CFQ <