Tell us how a teacher has made a difference in your life

One of the requirements for the Barbara Neu Memorial Scholarship application is submitting one or more paragraphs on how a teacher made a difference in your life (remember the application deadline is April 6, look here for more info).

Many people take the time to recognize teachers that made an impact on them. For example, here is an excerpt from a blog post by Bill Gates:

“When I first met Mrs. Caffiere, she was the elegant and engaging school librarian at Seattle’s View Ridge Elementary, and I was a timid fourth grader. I was desperately trying to go unnoticed, because I had some big deficits, like atrocious handwriting (experts now call it dysgraphia) and a comically messy desk. And I was trying to hide the fact that I liked to read—something that was cool for girls but not for boys.

Mrs. Caffiere took me under her wing and helped make it okay for me to be a messy, nerdy boy who was reading lots of books.

She pulled me out of my shell by sharing her love of books. She started by asking questions like, “What do you like to read?” and “What are you interested in?” Then she found me a lot of books—ones that were more complex and challenging than the Tom Swift Jr. science fiction books I was reading at the time. For example, she gave me great biographies she had read. Once I’d read them, she would make the time to discuss them with me. “Did you like it?” she would ask. “Why? What did you learn?” She genuinely listened to what I had to say. Through those book conversations in the library and in the classroom we became good friends.

Teachers generally don’t want to burden their students with extra reading beyond the homework they’ve assigned. But I learned from Mrs. Caffiere that my teachers had so much more knowledge to share. I just needed to ask. Up through high school and beyond, I would often ask my teachers about the books they liked, read those books when I had some free time, and offer my thoughts.

Looking back on it now, there’s no question that my time with Mrs. Caffiere helped spark my interest in libraries (Melinda’s and my first large-scale effort in philanthropy) and my focus on helping every child in America get the benefit of great teachers. I often trace the beginning of our foundation to an article about children in poor countries dying from diseases eliminated long ago in the U.S. But I should give some credit as well to the dedicated librarian and teacher who helped me find my strengths when I was nine years old. It’s remarkable how much power one good person can have in shaping the life of a child. ”

— A Teacher Who Changed My Life By Bill Gates | August 16, 2016

If I think about my own situation, there are many teachers that have had an impact. The one that stands out most for me growing up is Don Hartman, who was my sixth-grade teacher at Pioneer Elementary School. Mr. Hartman had a number of traditions that are forever etched in my mind.

The first being his reading books to the class. He could have had a career in audiobooks if he wanted to because I can still hear him reading passages from The Cay and The White Mountains in my head to this day.

There was also this green-light, red-light system that signified when you could talk to friends (we often played Hearts) and move about the class (green light) and when it was time for quiet and work (red light) 

Another impactful thing was his love of technical things and mechanical drawings. Buiding and launching model rockets is something that he introduced me to, plus he would produce technical drawings on command of things like fighter jets and railroad locomotives (this, during green-light time) using pencil and paper. It was through this that I learned he liked to make model railroad locomotives, which resulted in having him create a replica of the one my grandfather (Mrs Neu's father) drove on his last run for the Western Pacific before he retired as a railroad engineer (see below).  

Don Hartman's replica of my grandfather's last-run locomotive before he retired.

Finally, and in retrospect, the most impactful thing Mr. Hartman taught me was to strive for excellence. It was the stickers. He had this system of rewarding the quality of work on assignments with a hierarchy of stickers, which included things like state flags, but with the ultimate prize of receiving a president sticker.  Those were very rare and extremely coveted. He may have given us grades, too, I don't remember, but I do remember striving for a president sticker and the feeling of accomplishment when finally receiving one. Doing well in school was a never topped after that, and I wish I still had one of those stickers to show for my effort, or, better still, I wish I had the opportunity to earn another one. Thanks, Mr. Hartman.

If you are not applying for the Barbara Neu Memorial Scholarship this year, and you still want to tell us about a teacher who made a difference in your life, please do so in the comments below. 

Stealth Speech Therapy

Mrs Neu learned to use poems and other teaching tricks to help children with speech problems without having to send them out of the classroom for speech therapy. She figured this out by observing Birch Lane Speech Teacher Karen Larrsen and reading Talking Time, a book by Louise Binder Scott and J. J. Thompson.

“It was obvious to me that as a classroom teacher I could easily facilitate practice in hearing a particular sound and could give opportunities to use these sounds without ever having to single out students with speech problems. ”

Here is the first poem she did:

Seven
Silly
Sad
Sisters
Sat
   in the sunshine
   in a circle
Sobbing
Sighing
Singing
   this sad silly song (the song is a speech practice circle): 

More On Talking to Children

 The following is from some sort of lecture Mrs Neu gave that was found on her Mac.

Thoughts to Take Home With You 

    From birth to going to school, children learn about 20,000 words.  The home is the place this learning happens best, through the talking. Usually there are not good talking opportunities in a classroom.    Having meals together is considered extremely important for talking time.  These days, most parents spend only 15 minutes a day in conversations with their  children.  Reading stories and talking about them, teaching nursery rhymes, singing songs, all help a child develop  talking.  Having opportunities to have free play, helps children reconstruct things learned and to use their language skills.  Talking with adults helps children learn the meaning of words, develop sequence, etc. Talk about what you are doing, what you see, what you think....

TALK TO CHILDREN IN A NORMAL VOICE: give up baby talk. don’t raise your tone.  RAPID HIGH PITCHED SPEECH is hard to hear.  Screaming at a child incites fear and they can’t listen well. If this is something you do, Dear Abby has a booklet.

It is important to express anger, being upset, disapproval, clearly and calmly                              for a child to learn right from wrong and to develop a conscience.

TALK TO children UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.  LOOK THEM IN THE EYE, SIT DOWN WITH THEM.

Don't make your children  invisible when with you and you are talking to an adult.  Don’t talk about their mistakes, misdeeds, etc. to another while these children are listening.  Don’t let others do that, like teachers, doctors.... This reinforces the behavior.

Don’t label: this is our child who talks too much...runs everywhere...doesn’t listen...doesn’t eat vegetables. ...

        Don’t make your sentences questions with a rise at the end or an added OK?  Don’t say "Would you, could you." Don’t imply  a choice when there isn’t one.  Don‘t give many choices, two is plenty.

        Use the word “I” a lot.  I want, I need, I think, I saw, I liked....

Use short directions.  Give directions up close to the child with eye contact.  Use words the child knows.  Behave doesn’t tell a child much.  Stop harrassing your sister tells much more.

Don’t go on and on and don’t repeat and repeat and repeat.

        Beware of power struggles.    Train your children so that your “No” is not negotiable and that "Now" is not in 20 minutes.  (Be firm, don’t give in.)(Redirect the child, help the child make transitions; give clear expectations; i.e., how long TV can be watched, etc.)

        I wouldn’t try to talk through temper tantrums.  The child is either tired or frustrated (try a hug or gentle helping hand) OR is trying to get what is wanted.  Try redirecting.  Sing a known song, read that favorite book, walk away. Calmly express your displeasure afterwards. Think of ways to avoid....

        React when your child is disrespectful.  Train your child to know what respect is by how you respect your child.

        I hope you found this helpful.  Here’s my most helpful book.  I hope you read and reread it many times: The Magic Years: Understanding and Handling the Problems of Early Childhood, by Selma M. Fraiberg

--------From Barbara Neu

It is important to look children in the eyes. 

Children Are Listening

As noted, Mrs Neu learned a lot from Nora Sterling at DPNS. One of the key things she learned from Nora is how to talk about, talk to and talk with children. Here is an excerpt about this from her memoir draft.

I participated in the [DPNS] program weekly with Legend, Nora Sterling. Not only did she help train me to be an effective parent, she changed my way of teaching forever. I had taught first grade 5 years before I had children--she helped me know that the relationships I had with my students was far more powerful than the curriculum. She helped me learn how to talk about, talk to, and talk with children. Over the years, classes I took, and the reading I did confirmed her wisdom. I have spent almost fifty years working with children ages four to seven and I am going to share some of our wisdom.

A special event happened last week right outside the school when I came to pick up my neighbor's little boy, I was standing under the overhang out of the rain with another mother who was holding about a two year old. Another mother came in and greeted both me, the mother and the little boy. She proceeded to have a conversation with them both.

This is far from the norm. I have often noticed how many times a child seems to be invisible in a conversation.This can be a serious problem when an adult talks about their child as though the child can't hear, or about another child as if a child present is not listening. "My child just won’t eat vegetables," they might say, "I try and try but it can’t be done." The listening child is thinking, no vegetables for me.

It is very important to be careful what you say about your listening child. Don’t let the child be invisible. If you are meeting with a teacher, or a doctor about problems, don’t discuss these problems unless the child can be included in the conversation, or, if not, ask to speak together without the child there. ALWAYS BE AWARE that a near child could be listening to you talk. What are your words telling the child?

More on talking to children to come ...

My Nursery School Years

After she retired, Mrs Neu took some memoir writing courses and we were able to retrieve some of her drafts from her computer. This is a starter segment shedding light on her takeaways from Davis Parent Nursery School. 

My Nursery School Years

      Who would have thought that I would get so much out of the years my three children went to Nursery School!  Joseph started out with one year at the age of four.  John was there two years after that, and Jennifer followed with two more years.  That gave ME five wonderful growing years.  I learned how to parent well, and ultimately, learned how to be a better teacher.
         The children were at Davis Parent Nursery School where I was required to be in the class one day a week , followed by a meeting with the director and other participating parents. There was a once a month night meeting with the director, and an adult education class for a semester each year.
       The director was Nora Sterling, the wisest, most caring person I have ever known.
       Nora modeled how to talk to children.  She got down to their level and looked them in the eyes. She was kind and firm.  She used "I" messages  and gave them reasonable choices.  She changed me from teaching curriculum first to putting the children’s needs first.  
       Nora taught me how to use volunteers effectively.  After my nursery school years, I went back to teaching and incorporated parents into my day as much as possible.  First I started a kindergarten at Saint James School and stayed there for four years.  I tried a year as Director of nursery school at the Community Church. Then I started a private cooperative primary school at the community center in Village Homes.  Parent participation was a requirement.  I ran this school for four years too.
       Nora’s influence was with me as I finally became a first grade teacher at North Davis Elementary School and then transferred after four years to Fairfield Elementary School, where I spent twenty-one years .  Fairfield is set up as a parent participation school .  Each family is required to work in the school for three hours a week.  I was in heaven!
      I spent my time using all that I learned in Nursery School!

" . . . the wisest, most caring person I have ever known."

Can Teaching Be Taught?

My mother believed that people either have being a teacher in them or not. You still need to learn how to become a great teacher and can benefit from training, especially in the classroom under the tutelage of an experienced teacher, but if you don't have being a teacher in you, training to become one is a huge challenge. She did experience would-be teachers overcome this challenge, however, so it is possibe. 

With this in mind, I wonder what this Leader in The Economist would prompt my mother to say with its premise that quality teachers matter most to a good education and, fortunately, teaching can be taught.

Here is the leader from The Economist's take. 

The article this Leader sets up delves a bit further into the natural-born versus well-trained teacher idea:

 "Elizabeth Green, the author of “Building A Better Teacher”, calls this the “myth of the natural-born teacher”. Such a belief makes finding a good teacher like panning for gold: get rid of all those that don’t cut it; keep the shiny ones. This is in part why, for the past two decades, increasing the “accountability” of teachers has been a priority for educational reformers."

Consistent with Mrs Neu's view, though, more focus on classroom training is key: 

 "In America and Britain training has been heavy on theory and light on classroom practice. Rod Lucero of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), a body representing more than half of the country’s teacher-training providers, says that most courses have a classroom placement. But he concedes that it falls short of “clinical practice”. After finishing an undergraduate degree in education “I didn’t feel I was anywhere near ready,” says Jazmine Wheeler, now a first-year student at the Sposato Graduate School of Education, a college which grew out of the Match charter schools in Boston."

On one thing my mother would surely agree, that is, the power of good teaching is immense:

 "Thomas Kane of Harvard University estimates that if African-American children were all taught by the top 25% of teachers, the gap between blacks and whites would close within eight years. He adds that if the average American teacher were as good as those at the top quartile the gap in test scores between America and Asian countries would be closed within four years."