It Takes a Village.
Raising kids is the most important and difficult task any person can take on. It doesn’t take having a family to see how hard any parent is working at any given time. Bank of America has excellent parental leave and the work environment we have is very encouraging to parents who prioritize their kids over just another meeting.
That’s very heartening, because I also enjoy and value kids. I distinctly remember my childhood role models; teachers, coaches, parents, swim team captains, etc. Those impressions, their examples, formed the basis of who I model myself to be. Because I know the impact those people had on me, I’m always enthusiastic about opportunities to share my experiences with school classes.
Casey Taylor works at Universal Daroff Charter School in Philadelphia as a reading specialist. In an underperforming school, she is tasked with raising the reading levels of dozens of students who are 2, 3, 5 grade levels behind. It’s an important task that forms a lot of significant relationships with students.
That evident from the number of “Hi Ms. Taylors” that pepper the halls as we walk in.
That day the snow caused a 2 hours delay. It was a scramble, as it was the conclusion of Black History Month as well as Dr. Seuss Day, and the school had multiple celebrations going on. Staff members dressed as Dr. Seuss Characters, from Sam-I-Am, Things 1 and 2, The Grinch, and lots of red fish, blue fish. The kids had performances they had been rehearsing for the month, dance and music and skits.
In the midst of all that chaos, there were also classes, lunch to be served, hall monitors, custodial staff, computer and reading periods. Dozens of staff members were communicating, herding kids, planning shortened lessons, and generally being joyful, and a little chaotic. The kids were not a source of calm either. They were rambunctious and loud, young and energetic.
To come into that was frightening, amazing, nerve wracking, and a huge privilege.
Each class was different. The age changes really reflect the level of interest the kids had in the presentation. I spent some time preparing more adult version content towards the older kids, and some more appropriate stuff for the younger ones.
For the 8th grade classes, I figured that poems about sex and drugs would hold their attention for moments. Then they would dissolve into side bar conversations and snickering and talking.
As I knew I had little chance to pull their attention 100%, I would lean into the sidebars, conversing with smaller groups of teenagers. I learned about their hobbies with cooking, beats, music, fashion, and that no one except the teachers knew who Anthony Bourdain was…. [God is this where I start feeling old and out of touch?]
Each class had a different flair. The younger kids, especially, where happy to share their opinions and thoughts. This was most pronounced with the 5th grade class, where I was greeted warmly by a Ms. Brenda Lee welcoming me to her class, and immediately caught their attention with the Ol’ If-you-can-hear-me-clap-clap-back. I’m glad some things never change. Ms. Brenda Lee’s variation added a nice call and response of singing at the end.
After a really engaging 30 minutes, we took a class photo and I moved on to more classes.
The fourth grade classes were younger, and more excitable. One of the rooms, after a few reading, took it as a great chance to read me their own poetry. The teacher had worked with them on a poetry lesson recently. They were energetic to share their poems, all in turn.
As I wandered the halls of the school I was reminded how many important subjects they cover. The halls were filled with boards of their last projects, they plastered pictures and math tests, book reports and essays. Everyone had different thoughts and opinions and styles. Handwriting would have hearts dotting i’s, or big messy loops or tight cramped scribbles.
At the end of the day we sat in the auditorium and watched a group of kids doing a dance/lip sync routine that ended with a mass of kids “chasing” them off the stage a-la Beatles fangirls, with the school security and lunch ladies and special ed teachers laughing and cheering them on. I was truly reminded of how the teaching of kids takes a village. These kids are thoughtful. They are individuals. The work that the school does to make an environment which these kids can succeed, can express themselves, can be nurtured and grow, takes more that just a teachers at the head of a classroom. It’s the collective work of a society, how they value their children, and what individual support we can provide to make individual people.
I hope that I was part of their journeys. I hope I inspired, I hope I exposed them to new ideas, I hope I honored their thoughts and opinions.
I think I did. Every class paid attention. Every class had questions that I answered honestly. Their engagement and thoughtful questions will stick with me, including the most popular ask; if I make money from my art.
I don’t. The time and effort at the bank are where I get my paycheck. I was blunt that I had no chance of supporting myself on my art.
But it’s a skill that I enjoy honing. I like writing things to myself, that I can take home with me and enjoy.
I love sharing that art with other people. The classroom will forever be a honor to talk and inspire younger kids to find and pursue their interests. Regardless of the “level” of success, the pride is in the drive of getting better. And as long as you stick with it and try hard, you will get better. That’s the message I was trying to impart on the classes of Douglas Charter School.