By Dr. Fairy Hayes-Scott
Owner, MarketingNewAuthors.com
"Mommy, she called everyone in class but me!"
“Pumpkin, are you sure? Perhaps, she did not see you.”
“Mommy, she saw me. And I know I was the only one who had a report on a Black person.”
I was a third grader and decided to choose to report on a Black person since I had not had a book or lesson about any Black people who had accomplished anything.
Thus, one day I lamented in frustration to my Mom, "Has Black people done anything?" She answered in the affirmative and took me to a public library. It was there I found a book about famous Black people, one of them was Louis Daniel (Satchmo) Armstrong.
Since I was in a class with few Black students and knew that I was the only one going to report on a Black individual, I was really anticipating the opportunity to do my report. Well, it did not happen. I was hurt.
So, when I became a teacher, I always made sure I did my best to answer every raised hand or acknowledge every student letting him or her know I would get to his or her answer as soon as I could. For my students, they knew they could not "hide" from me or be missed because there was no front or back of the classroom. I walked all around the classroom doing my best to make every student feel he or she was the center of my concern.
Sometimes, my students (before I retired I taught seventh, eighth, and ninth graders and community college students for 45 years) may have wished they were not the center. I would even call upon students who did not raise their hands (the exception being when I perceived I should not or they would tell me they were having a bad day). I never wanted to embarrass a student, but I wanted to motivate every student to be confident in his or her answers and know that I believed in each student’s personal worth.
The community college where I taught had a policy of colleagues evaluating each other’s classroom teaching. Faculty could choose the colleague. I chose one whom I knew we did not have a close relationship.
As my evaluator/colleague, in her report to me, she confirmed my efforts:
It was apparent that Dr. Hayes-Scott's students were accustomed to and comfortable with her expectations for participating and high-energy teaching style...There was a lot of good-natured laughter as Dr. Hayes-Scott called on many students to share their ideas with the class, for they knew she was not going to get anyone off the hook...I feared that one young man, Dan, would be embarrassed by his inability to answer her question immediately.
However, Dr. Hayes-Scott was so respectful and optimistic in her approach, that while she insisted that he dig deeper and find his answer, he was able to explore his ideas with her (while the class listened and watched) until he came to a much better understanding of what had been bubbling in his mind all along. It was a remarkable interchange to observe and learn from, and it was clear that Dan emerged from the experience with a self-confidence and pride that he hadn't exhibited earlier in the class period.
So, as the school season begins, I do hope all educators remember the importance that every student feels when acknowledged. Furthermore, students can feel the joy of learning and have pleasant memories of their classroom experiences. And educators can feel personal satisfaction and belief that they have done their best so that no student leaves their class ever feeling hurt.
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