Sometimes you forget what a few great teachers can do
I’ll confess that I’d been warned about the school: shootings, stabbings, every few weeks another story in the local Rochester newspaper about how violent the place was. And here I was on my way there, ready to give a talk to a group of students, not really knowing what to expect.
The guard at the entrance–I did expect that. And the metal detector–yep. Took a deep breath and opened the doors to the auditorium.
And was greeted with smiles and applause from a beautiful group of students, many of them holding my book on their laps, all of them wearing matching T-shirts saying I respect myself and my teachers. I don’t swear, I don’t use the N word. I’m about my business in Rochester Matters! I’m College Bound and you can tell . . .
Because these were the students of Rochester Matters, an alternative middle school cluster within East High School in Rochester, New York. And the reason such a program exists is that two years ago social studies teacher Patrick Rausch recruited a handful of his fellow bright, passionate, dedicated teachers to help carve out a kind of academy within this large urban school, to take on a group of kids assigned at random, and treat those students better than they expected, and expect more of them than anyone ever had.
But I didn’t know any of that yet. All I knew was that they seemed happy to have me there, and apparently they had all read the book, which always makes it more fun for me. It means I don’t have to hold back any spoilers, and the questions I get are always better because we’re all talking about what actually happened in the book.
So I launched into my talk, and that went well–mainly because the kids were a lively, friendly group, and asked lots of great questions. And then I figured it was over. But English teacher Kate Gilmore stopped me from leaving and said, “Wait, there’s more.”
She handed me a book of bound pages, with the front page signed by all the students. Inside was a book of poetry–poems the kids themselves had written based on themes in the novel: their own personal evolutions, how they feel about God, how they feel about evolution.
I’m a total mushball anyway, so you know this got to me. My eyes got all soupy, and Ms. Gilmore noticed it and said, “Oh, just wait.”
And for the next half hour or so, the kids treated me to a poetry slam. They got up on stage, one after another, and read and performed their poetry. They spoke of their childhoods, their families, the things that make them happy and the things that tick them off. Some of them were shy, some were born performers–but all of them, if they had a page in the book they gave me, got up and read it out loud.
Okay, so I was a mess by then. The whole thing was so unexpected and so wonderful. I was deeply impressed with those kids, and with their ability to express themselves so richly.
Here I am posing with the poets and their book of poems–something to treasure!
I found out from the teachers afterward that the kids had been working like fiends up until the night before, creating their poems and skits, typing everything up on the few school computers they all share, getting everything ready to put together that book for me, then practicing their readings and skits to perform for me. Just an awesome, awesome task, and it all came off so beautifully. I never would have known what a scramble it was.
I also found out the depths of dedication these teachers have. Yes, the school can be rough. No, there’s not nearly the level of school district support you’d think they’d have earned by now with the kids’ test scores rising the way they have and so many other measurable successes. Yes, they could all have teaching jobs at the “nicer” suburban schools in the area. But they’re there on purpose. This is where they see their work should be done.
And this blew me away: Some of them have even given out their cell phone numbers to the kids to use in times of emergency–and there have been those times. The “can you pick me up, it isn’t safe here,” and other middle-of-the-night phone calls. And these teachers go, and help their kids. How many of us would be willing to expose our private lives to that kind of off-duty duty?
So let me end this with a shout-out not only to the hard-working, impressive students of Rochester Matters, but also to their incredible, inspiring teachers: Patrick Rausch, Kate Gilmore, Arkee Allen, Deb Ortenzi, and Stephanie Metzler. And thank you to Sonia James-Wilson for inviting me. It was an honor to meet all of you. My afternoon with you greatly enriched my life. Thank you.
And if any of you feel inspired to support the program at Rochester Matters, you can do that at the same time you’re treating yourself to your favorite magazine. Thanks!
I was sitting in my classroom on the final day of my 2-day spring break, feeling slightly cranky and slightly post-jellybean-comatose when I read your blog. I thought I was here to put final touches on materials for tomorrow’s parent-teacher conferences, but your words reminded me of why I’m REALLY here – because I love the kiddos I’m lucky enough to work with every day. Thanks for sharing your great experience, I’m sure it was a day those students will never forget!
Tiffany, thank you so much for that comment. Anything I can do to remind teachers that they matter is worth it to me! Thanks for doing what you do.
wow, my eyes are watering filling with tears. What an amazing experience. What amazing teachers and what a way to see that you have made a difference in the lives of others Robin! Wow….wow… wow!
Sigh. I love stuff like this. So lucky that you got to experience it.
Hey, Theresa, glad I’m not the only mushball!
I know, Barry. What a fun part of our jobs, huh?
See, this is why I love teachers! And teens.
I can only imagine how great that was for you. You totally deserve it.
Aw, MAN! Now I want to write a book.
Patrick, I’m not even going to dignify that with a response, because it will only cause me to want to come over there and kick your behind and tell you to stop wasting another minute of time and finish your bleeping book. But I won’t say any of that. But I do kind of want to hit you right now.
Faith, isn’t it great that we personally know so many outstanding teachers? Actually, you’re the one who introduced me to a bunch of them, so thank you!
this made me cry and I wasn’t even there! How awesome to hear about great teachers and great students!
There really are some extraordinary teachers in our city school district, working hard in difficult conditions. (Among other issues, our child poverty rate in Rochester is appalling.) I’m always so glad to hear about programs like this getting support and being successful.
Adrienne, I’m curious: Had you ever heard of Rochester Matters before now? I’m wondering how much attention they get there in town.
Kathy, thanks for saying so! I love celebrating people who do a great job, don’t you?
I am SUCH a mushball, this is about the fourth time I’ve read this and I’m still misting up. Props to these teachers, these students, and all the people out there who do amazing things for little or no credit.
Thank you for sharing about a small group of folks who get very little recognition for the unimaginable amount of effort they put forth. Because of what they do, maybe one part of the vicious cycle will be broken for these kids. I’m so glad you got to experience this.
Elizabeth, I’ll see you tomorrow in Michigan! Cool!
Kelley, exactly. I love that people are out there in the world doing the work we really need done. Bravo them.
Oh my goodness I almost started to cry too just reading about this Robin! It sounds like it was incredible, and those kids are so lucky to have teachers that dedicated to making all of their lives better in any way they can. that is just beyond….
Anyways, good for you hon, that sounds so truly enriching I think I might just have to grab a few tissues ’cause by this point I’m blubbering…
There is no other word but..WOW!
No, I was clueless about it, and I know several people teaching in the district, at least a couple at the HS level. I keep meaning to ask them if they’ve heard about it. Sometimes I think news doesn’t travel so well through the city system. I do know my one friend’s school went to this several-schools-within-a-larger-school model a few years ago, which has proven very successful for them and their students. I think she’s be particularly interested to hear about this. All the teachers can talk about lately is the new superintendent, who keeps doing things like threatening to take away their health insurance.
What a great experience. It’s that kind of energy that can feed you for weeks on end.
Glad you got to observe and be a part of that. It is true that it takes a special kind of teacher to work in such a school…some teachers can only deal with ‘school’ stuff, but teachers in inner city schools know they need to recognize and accept the ‘home’ stuff before they can get the kids to feel safe and learn. Many teachers who work in the more affluent schools would never survive in an inner city school, because their priorities are different.
Let’s not forget the impact you had on those kids, too.
These programs would be useless without people from outside the school who care about them and their future, and by coming in to visit, you showed all the kids another side of the huge world out there waiting for them.
And thank you for coming to TBF. I loved listening to you and your panel.
My response to this post and to you, is long overdue!! Apologies!! Patrick and I just presented our literacy project and research to the RCSD Chiefs and numerous district administrators. The culminating literacy project and publication being your visit with our students and their collection of poems that reflect their struggle with the central themes of your novel. A few of my kids presented their pieces to a room full of fairly intimidating adults. They were amazing. It essence, they have become our literacy project and you, your novel, and your visit played an integral part in the journey that we took with them this spring and helped to map the path that we would like to travel in the fall (YES!! We get to loop with them and have them in 9th grade!!!)To this end, on behalf of my rapidly growing babies, and the rest of our team, thank you so much. We look forward to the next book, and they let me know when they talk to you on your myspace page, they think it’s the coolest thing ever to talk like that to a real author. And it is! It is!
Kate Gilmore
Kate, your comment just made me cry! Thank you so much for the update! I’m so happy for all of you!
Please tell the kids how impressed I am with everything they’re doing. WOWEE!!!!!
And keep it up! I’ll be watching!