The Stories...

Being an elementary teacher is a particularly trying experience. It's also particularly rewarding. Over the relatively short period of time that I've spent as a teacher I've cried, laughed and been speechless on so many occasions by the antics that go on in my little world called a classroom. Days later I'll find myself reflecting on a moment with a tear or a smile and telling myself "I really should write this stuff down." As I launch into another year of teaching, I'm sure to add to the collection of stories I already have to record. This profession is a gift. Not everyone can do it and certainly not everyone can enjoy it. But some of us can and some of us do. I can't imagine doing anything else. I'm not the best teacher in the world, I don't have the best ideas or even the most unique. I don't have the fanciest of credentials and I haven't invented anything groundbreaking. But I do have a philosophy about my job and the role it plays in our society and it's on that philosophy that I build each lesson. It's the philosophy that every child has potential and should be approached as if they hold the keys to the success of future generations. I know that not all of them will succeed and most will probably never go beyond ordinary. But do you think when Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela or Barack Obama walked into their first day of grade school that their teacher looked at them and thought, this kid will make history? I doubt they had any idea. But hopefully they looked at them and thought, here is a child, let me strive to empower them to change the world. They did and just maybe it was partly her we can all thank. And so here is my little blog, my ideas, my best and worst moments, my thought process on educating, and how it plays out each day.

Together with my students we have successes and failures. As they say on Law and Order, "These are their stories..."

(all student names have been changed to Jane and Johnny for the privacy and protection of the students and their families)

Saturday, August 14, 2010


These days in a classroom dietary restrictions and food allergies are a constant issue that teachers must be aware and on top of for the safety of their students and peace of mind of their parents. Fellow students without allergies however, watch and observe these going ons and can easily find themselves confused between what a student can't have because they are allergic and won't have because they don't like the taste. When encouraging a student to "eat their growing food" before they eat the Twinkie at lunch time, the retort I'm often handed is "I'm allergic to it." No, you're not, you just don't want to eat it.
In our classroom, as part of a school wide curricular activity, teachers teach a once a week teach a "cooking lesson" during which we supervise the children in making a variety of simple dishes. This is a fun activity that requires the picky eater to try new things. At this particular time we were making a fruit salad which that went nicely hand in hand with the tropical theme we were teaching to that month. I was passing out fruit for the students to slice and put in a community bowl. As I distributed the fruit we discussed what it was, it's attributes and where/how it grew. I came to a mango. Being as I am allergic to mangos I thought this was a great opportunity to clarify the allergy vs. taste aversion running rampant in the class.
"Oh I love mangos" I waxed. "They are my favorite fruit. But," big frown to accentuate my disappointment "it makes me so sad because I can't ever eat a mango. Do you know why?"
Rapt attention. Why oh why couldn't Ms. Stacy partake of her favorite fruit.
"I can't eat Mangos because I am allergic to them. Isn't that sad. I like mangos but I'm allergic to them. Sometimes we like how something tastes but we are still allergic to it." To drive my point home..."Do you know that if I eat a mango I get red bumps all over my face!"
I stop for a moment, taking in the awe of the students as this new realization concerning the allergy washes over them. Jane leans in close and raises her hand.
"Yes Jane, do you have something to share with us?"
"Ms. Stacy", Jane says soberly leaning in to get a good look at my face, "I think you ate a Mango."
I scheduled an appointment for a facial and hit the Clinic counter directly after work.
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