Yes, you still can make a huge difference - even as a first year teacher

In a recent New York Times article entitled "Big Study Links Good Teachers to Lasting Gain", a group of value added researchers decided to dig deeper behind the lasting impact an "excellent"/ "highly effective" teacher can make on his or her students in the long run. Some conclusions included: higher average income of their students by the time they reach age 28, higher college matriculation and lower teen pregnancy rates. It emphasized how good teachers, even elementary and middle school teachers, could make a big splash on the lives and futures of their students.


I would definitely say that most of us teachers joined the profession for a chance to turn around the life trajectory of the students we will have. I am constantly personally rewarded when my students come to me saying how much I have helped them so far this year, both academically and socially (and this is only my first year!). Some of my students have told me that I am the only teacher they've had who genuinely believed in their ability to succeed. Some of them tell me that I am the only person in their life who they feel comfortable talking to about their problems.


I have also seen a HUGE difference in my students' attitudes towards their schoolwork and in their grades. For the whole month of September, they were extremely passive, refusing to do any of their homework and barely staying awake in class (especially my morning classes... maybe we should push the start time from 8:45 to 9:30?? I know I would get a lot more sleep! :)). They blatantly refused to participate in my hard-planned activities and often chatted their way through the entire period. I often called security for some of my more difficult students. There were some racial tensions (I know, scary, right?? Even in the EXTREMELY diverse part of NYC I'm from, we all got along perfectly!) that lead to some serious fights. It was total madness! But somehow or other, by October, their behavior and attitudes started changing. Their D's and F's started moving up to B's and C's and soon to A's. Right now my class average for all my five classes is around an 86-87.


I guess from my experience that a hard working, diligent  and persevereant teacher is all these kids need sometimes to make gains. I knew from the start that my kids had whatever it took to become successful. That even though they were poor, or didn't speak English as their first language, or had uninvolved parents, they could still surmount their challenges.


I hope my impact still continues to reach home with them. I hope my stories of my life experiences will help them continue to grow and become better students. As they are nearing out the end of their first semester in 8th grade and getting closer and closer to freshman year, I'm counting on them to make the right choices.


I took a lot out of that NYT article. And I know for a fact that a great teacher is all they need sometimes. Many teachers, union officials and members of the general public tend to shift the blame to the parents... or poverty... or "teaching to the test". Some blame the union for supporting bad teachers. But as teachers, we know that we can make an impact right from the get-go. From our own personal interactions with our students. And trust me, students' grades and attitude will change the way you want it to if you show that you care. :)


P.S. I'm nearing out my first semester as a full time teacher! It's so rewarding to see how far I've personally come within my first four and a half months on the job!

P.P.S. (is that even how you say it?) - my class has decided that the Facebook page proposal is a go! We will be launching it in February, when the new semester begins. Details on that coming later! Stay tuned and thanks for reading!