In danger of being un-PC, I must say that I have always been unmoved by the attempts to celebrate or acknowledge the accomplishments of minorities in a general way, during certain months, etc. Although I think Rosalind Franklin and Rachel Carson are very important scientists, I would never feel compelled to bring them up especially during Women’s History Month. Because I view my own “minority” month (ie: Woment’s history month) with so much apathy, my first impulse is not to worry about Black History month over much.

However, my school is changing some things around Black History month, and it really upset a lot of students that there would no longer be an assembly just for black history month (although African-American history will still be highlighted at an assembly). I was surprised at the the strength of the feeling. I find these sorts of things contrived. It seems to be very important to some of my students.

Only about 10% of my students are Africa-American (although about 35 % of the school is), but I now think I will try to do at least one thing to integrate Black History into chemistry class. There are some very important chemists (Percy Julian, anyone?) who I never heard of, who are very important whose accomplishments are out of the ordinary and I could probably fit into the curriculum.

For some reason, I feel like I should go with my students on this one, instead of my own feelings. I don’t think they would notice that much if I didn’t. I don’t think they expect a lot of Black History in chemistry. But that is sort of the point. They should.

I had my first homeroom today. I think some of the particularly disruptive students weren’t there because of a football meeting. It was also extra long. Basically, it is a study hall, because if they did what they intended to do when it was established, it would have meant an extra prep for the homeroom teachers and the school couldn’t adjust the schedule like that. So now homeroom is sort of ‘do what you will.’ Some teachers make it a study hall, which is what my mentor teacher insists that I do. Last semester, it was a social circus, with the teacher sitting in the front ignoring the chaos. So I have to effect the transition. About half of my class are hostile to any kind of authority. Given the state of American society and education, I shouldn’t even need to say that its the black half. One of the girls even explained to me (oh, so kindly), that they were the black kids, and if they didn’t want to do what a teacher said, they told them off, and they didn’t do anything. They didn’t read, or write, or draw, they just kicked it.

She did not say it meanly, just so that I would know, because she clearly thought I didn’t know.

I feel torn. On the one hand, I think it could get out of hand to the level of last semester, and that I do not want. On the other hand, I really don’t think that the strict, silent rows of my mentor are completely necessary. I have several of the students in my chemistry class (not any of the black girls I was talking to), and the girls warmed up to me a little (more than I would have expected) in our conversations. I think that to impose the kind of order needed to please my mentor, and the assistant principle, both of whom are keeping a very close eye on my homeroom because they are very worried, that I will have to destroy these nascent relationships with some students. That makes me sad.

I don’t think they are bad kids. They certainly believe that school has nothing to offer them, and they come mostly to socialize. However, after hearing the classes they have I can see that they are stuck in remedial classes that aren’t offering them much.

Also, sometimes teachers are shockingly rude to them. I don’t want to sound too judgmental, because with my temper it is highly possible I will lose it and say something rude to some of the students. There are teachers who send their students to the assistant principle even when he is not there, and the students wait in the hallway. They chat, or pace, or stare at the wall, but I have not seen them be disruptive. Two teachers whose offices are near this hallway are pretty fed up with this situation, and they sent the kids away very dismissively and disrespectfully. I would have cried if a teacher spoke to me that way when I was in high school. I’m sure these teachers have been treated horribly by many, many students, but if these students get treated like that habitually I don’t wonder that they don’t trust adults.

The other problem with trust, is that they lie a lot. They partly deceive themselves (I’m all caught up, I don’t got no work), when they are failing classes. But I have already seen them try to take every advantage possible of any crack in the system. I think that is typical adolescent behavior, but it is behavior that is exacerbated by distrust in an adult. I have seen many teenagers try to do this sometimes, in certain situations, and for these students that situation is any academic situation. Why does a sports or dance team and coach with their loyalty, respect, and trust, but classroom teachers are automatically suspect?

I also don’t think a student can be blamed for distrusting school if no one has legitimately modeled how it can improve their life, and if the school continually puts them down.

I’m sure this will the first of many posts musing on this strange state. In some ways I am more of an observer, because I teach all honors classes. My students are not the challenging, difficult ones who don’t trust teachers. If I am completely honest, I am glad I don’t have to worry about all these things at once this year. On the other hand, I wish I could begin to learn how to fix some of these problems in my classroom.

One little classroom seems so small, and so isolated, and so hopeless. But it’s all I can aim for right now.