Bush Teaching: Vol. 3

Hey y'all!

This week I'm going to write about what it's like to actually teach here.

I love my kids. I used to think it was weird when teachers would refer to my class as "their kids" but I totally get it now. I think about my students all the time. I wake up wondering if they're all going to make it to school on time, if they had dinner last night, which ones of them went to bed when their parents told them to.

The boundaries between teacher and student are a little more blurred here. After school I don't get in my car and drive several miles to my house to be away from my students until the next day at school. My house is 30 feet away, and our village is so small they would know where I lived anyway. It's very common for students to visit here. Almost every day after school a student will ask to visit. I'll be putting my backpack on and grabbing my keys and I'll hear "I follow?"

I have definitely started to learn that the boundary between teacher and student is very important. It's been difficult to start enforcing a more professional relationship with my kids, but it is necessary. When you go out hunting all day with your students, they can start to see you as more of an adult friend than an adult. While I don't want to turn my students down when I'm invited, it is important to keep this boundary clear. I've found this difficult, but it is getting easier with time and practice! I am always honored when I'm invited to do things with my students.

I teach all of high school, 9-12. I am foremost an English Language Arts teacher, which I have taught several courses in since I started. However, I also have taught Sociology, Consumer Life Skills, and World History. It can be difficult sometimes to teach something you don't really know a lot about or find totally uninteresting (I'm looking at you, Consumer Life Skills...), but I think I am a better teacher for it.

My school district has many policies that align with my values and keep me proud of the place I work. My benefits are AWESOME. My pay is great. I have good technology in my classroom, and great supplies.

There is no substitute for the culture though, and for being in my own classroom. I wake up looking forward to going to work. Unless we have mandated testing, and then I have to talk myself out of taking a personal day.

Isolation has its drawbacks. I can mention things that I think are common knowledge, and my kids have no idea what I'm talking about. Sometimes I'm astonished by the degree of this. Concrete? The White House?

Growing up the way I did has given me some great stories to share with the students. By doing this, I've learned that they are amazing storytellers. I could sit all day and listen to them tell stories. Storytelling gives me a good place to start with having the students write.

I don't just teach curriculum. A lot of the hidden curriculum goes into teaching here. With only 7 teachers, we all have to pick up tons of extra work. I am one of the high school teachers. I also tutor after school, co-chair the Student Government, head the prom committee, coach Native Youth Olympics, I'm our school technology person, Union Representative, and lots of other things. It can be exhausting sometimes, but someone has to do it for the students.

I love teaching here, living here, and growing as a professional here. I can't think of a better place to be.

xoxo