Wisdom at Age 15

I was digging through some boxes of stuff that my mom gave me (old photos, schoolwork, etc.) and came across a letter to the editor in the St. Helena Star that I wrote during my sophomore year in high school. The letter was a response to ongoing criticisms of the MAP (multi-age program), which I was a part of in grades 4-8. Reading this was a big "wow" moment, as it reinforced the fact that my passion for education really did start long before returning to school to get my degree/credential. Not only that, but I still 100% believe in what I was preaching back at age 15! I think the letter really speaks for itself; here's what it said:

"Former MAP student responds to criticism"

Editor: I am responding to the letters written in the previous week's paper. I was a student of the MAP program for five years and I am now a sophomore at St. Helena High School. I began MAP in its first year, my fourth-grade year, and continued in the program through eighth grade. Going into the program I was defiant because it was a change, but not long after did I open my mind and grow not only to accept this new change, but to enjoy and learn from it. Change is something that too many people in this community are unwilling to open their minds to and I believe that is why the opposition of the MAP program still continues, six years later.

Something that always bothered me were judgments about who was in the MAP program. This is what was pointed out in the majority of the letters. Although more of a variety of ethnic groups may exist in the Traditional program, I know from my five years of experience that those varieties in the MAP program interact with each other just as much, if not more than in the traditional program.

As far as the statistic that the MAP program brings in $2,150 per class per year and the traditional brings in only $700, even if true, which is hard to believe, this information should not even be relevant. The choice to be in MAP is there for everyone, whether they commit a high amount of time and money, or none at all.

The point of starting the MAP program was to offer different choices in the public schools. These are differences in teaching style, integrated themes, project-based learning, and focus on community and life skills. These different approaches aren't for some people, though the choice is available for everyone.

As a former MAP student I know that the parents, teachers and students do not think that their program is in any way better than Traditional, and they encourage anyone interested to participate.

If people don't believe in the MAP program they should keep their children out of it and spend their time trying to improve other parts of the school, rather than trying to destroy something that should not disappear.

I am glad that i was given the opportunity to participate in the MAP program. It taught me the skills that have been useful to me throughout my years in the program and in high school, in and out of the classroom.

Katherine Shafer

St. Helena

Yes We Can!

Today was Cesar Chavez day (unofficially) at school. The actually official holiday is March 31st. Also, the last day before a beautiful two week spring break.

Our school makes a big deal out of celebrating Cesar Chavez day - not that there's anything wrong with that - we had a really cool day today...but, it did strike a bitter chord with a lot of our African-American students. I'd heard talk about how some of the kids were upset, or offended, because we were making a big deal out of Cesar Chavez day again, and "why didn't we celebrate Martin Luther King day?" Now, you can't really say it's because MLK day was an official holiday, I mean we are still eight days away from the "official" Cesar Chavez day.

Toward the end of the day I overheard an especially bright and personable student say "I hate this school. This isn't fair..." When I pulled him aside to ask why he was being negative, he said he was pissed that we were making a big deal out of this day and why didn't we even bother to acknowledge an entire month? (February - Black History Month). All I could say was that I agreed and that I will be 100% with him if he wants to organize something next year. At the end of our conversation when I asked him if he was feeling better he said "much better" and it was one of those moments when I knew I'd done something right.

Afterward we picked out a quote from Cesar Chavez ("From the depth of need and despair, people can work together, can organize themselves to solve their own problems and fill their own needs with dignity and strength") and created a little bit of art...and proved that "You are never strong enough that you don't need help" (another Chavez quote).

On a side note, Blake's mom was given the Cesar Chavez Si Se Pueda Award in 2004. She gives me appreciation for what this holiday represents.

The Cesar Chavez Si Se Puede Award - Kris Van Treese, a member of the Napa Valley Educators Association, was honored for more than 30 years of work within the Spanish-speaking community. As a teen, she was attracted to the Spanish language and culture as an escape from a painful childhood. Now, as a dance teacher at Napa High School, she has created a safe haven for Hispanic students. From a small program for Anglo students with just one teacher 10 years ago, the dance program today has grown to an impressive 406 students with an overwhelming majority of Hispanic girls and boys.

Teacher: An Expansive Job Description

I had to make my first call to CPS (Child Protective Services) today. Before today I liked to imagine that I would never have to make one of those calls, but as was confirmed today, the responsibilities of a teacher stretch far beyond instruction and content. Some days I feel like a mother ("Take off your hat" or "Let me get you a bandaid"). Other days I feel like a therapist ("No, you're too young to have sex, don't let him force you into it" or "It's not you, it's them"). Then there are the college counselor/academic advisor days ("You need to develop good habits now so that you can succeed in high school and college" or "Let's talk about the best way to eliminate answers for a multiple-choice test question"). Sometimes I'm a friend ("I'm here whenever you want to talk" or "I've been through that too, don't worry, it gets better") and sometimes I'm an authoritarian/disciplinarian ("If I have to ask you one more time to get on-task we're going to have a problem" or "Look me in the eyes when I'm talking to you"). Lastly...and well, firstly...I'm a teacher. Being a teacher means so many things. It means setting boundaries, establishing respect, developing routines and skills, broadening content knowledge, peaking interest, and helping my kids to discover, pursue, and nurture their passions. Most importantly for me it means spending every single day with my kids, who make me smile, laugh, yell, and at times cry, and hoping that I'm giving them the same challenges and gifts that they're giving to me. I love my job, even on hard days like today.

How In the World Did I Get Here?

Yeah, I'll admit, it sounds boring. Who in their right mind ever thought they would become a teacher? I definitely didn't. Yet, here I am, a full-fledged, soon-to-be clear double-credentialed teacher with an MEd in Curriculum and Teaching. All I know is that this decision wasn't planned. It happened by chance, but obviously was fate. Education has always fueled everything about my life (and yours too, although you may not realize it). Learning is an essential part of who we are, and learning how to learn (aka metacognition) is the key to becoming successful, life-long learners, thinkers, and passionate discoverers. I was inspired to become a part of education not because I recognized that learning was such an essential part of who I am (this comes later), or because I wanted the summers off (although I can't complain). . . No, I was inspired to become a part of this broken, beaten-down, failing, and at times hopeless system because I want to be a part of the change. The inevitable, essential, and at it's very core (no apple for your teacher joke pun intended here) hopeful change.