I, Joy Kirr, am a middle school teacher, author, and speaker. My 7th grade ELA (English Language Arts) classes are working to improve their lives through student-directed learning - without marks throughout the year. This is a log of my learning experiences... Want to have me speak with your staff or facilitate a workshop? Here is my PORTFOLIO.

Saturday, July 6, 2019

"She's like I would be in the future had I not met you."

Grocery shopping. Bob (Hubby) and I are walking the aisles, and he ends up next to an elderly woman and starts talking with her about something he'd just seen or heard. She kept walking, either not hearing him or ignoring him. He smiled, said, "Have a nice day," and then we got the butter.

Bob will talk with ANYone. ANYwhere. About ANYthing (except politics and religion). Earlier in this shopping trip, he asked an employee how his fourth of July had been, and they were engaged in a lively discussion for about a minute before they parted ways. Bob and I have been together for about ten years, and he's had this affect on me. I can now conjure up the courage to strike up a quick conversation with someone, whereas I would have hesitated or walked away ten years prior. He's shown me how. He's shown me that people like to talk about themselves - just ask a question.

That was yesterday morning. Today he said something to me about the woman ignoring him, and I replied, "It's okay, Love. She's like I would be in the future had I not met you."

It struck me then. I needed to write this down. How might I be (unwillingly and willingly) affecting the people around me at school, students and peers alike? I've got a fairly new team of teachers to work with this year, so I'm going to think about how I act in the classroom.

Burst out in song (and dance, at times) - I LOVE to sing. When we play music in class (as students are walking in or during some other activity), I'll be singing my heart out if I know the words. I'd love it if, when they left me, they considered bursting out in song when they hear their favorite tunes, too.

Calm - in the face of chaos. I'm not always calm - like when we're celebrating - yet I am calm when there's an emergency, blood, a scream, a spider, etc. I can be calm when I need to be. Most of my seventh graders are working on this; some have no desire yet.

Considerate - of their ideas. I love to ask students what they think, how they would change something we're doing, and then when the tides turn and they simply tell me without even being asked, I love to take the time to take their ideas into consideration in front of the class. I ask, "How would this benefit us? What might be a problem we encounter? Other ideas? What does everyone think?" I actually push this idea and ask my students to practice it when I have an idea I'd like to try. If they poo-poo it early, I ask them to ask the class those questions, as well, to consider the idea before they judge it so quickly.

Honest - I never lie to my students (unless you count lying by omission - for their and my benefit). I tell them that up front, along with a story of how I used to lie all the time from when I was about 12 until maybe 22 or so. (Feel free to judge - I was bad.) This also helps me tell them that I'll spot a lie a mile away, so just be up front and truthful with me. I respect honesty and will be more upset if they lie than if they tell it to me straight. I have no need for lies in my life, and I hope they do respect my honesty.

Kind - Of course. Right? Is this a given? I hope so. And I believe all teachers are trying to help their students be kind to one another, as well. Big time. At every grade level.

Life-long Learner - I am always seeking more information. Reading, blogging with questions for others, YouTube how-to videos, asking my students for more information and their stories...  This summer I'm doing a 30-day challenge (hopefully it will last all 67 days of my summer) so I can learn how to play my banjo. I hope my students see this drive in me to continue learning, no matter how old I get. I hope I can inspire them to follow their own interests and goals IN class, and then take that OUT of class once they leave me.

We don't have a crystal ball to see the future... We do have the choice to be the role model we believe our students need. I will choose my words and actions carefully.


How might your students change a teeny bit after they have met YOU?
What is your hope for them?

Comments welcomed and appreciated, as always. Let's keep the conversation going!

This blog post goes out to all those fabulous educators that constantly influence me... THANK YOU for the kind word, the nudge, the ideas, the conversations, and the kindness you have shown. You are true role models and I have grown because of you. I still have much more growing to do, so thank you for staying near! Hugs!

5 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I firmly believe that there is a reason we come in contact with the people we see on a daily basis. Some have an impact that will last a lifetime while others we barely notice. It is up to us to stop and actually notice what we have gained from that interaction. The elderly women may not have noticed Bob, but another person may have and his interaction/reaction and quite possible learned from his example. We never know where, how or when we are making an impact on other-all of us-not just educators. We all have a role.

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    1. Oh, Tracy - I didn't even THINK about the influence on others who are simply bystanders! Like the teacher walking down the hall past our class, or the student in class as we walk down the hall... Thank you for this reminder. And thank you for keeping this conversation going! You matter!

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  2. I love this Joy and you know I adore Bob and his spirit! I feel very similar in that I wouldn't be the same without my daughter. Her spirit and outgoing nature pushes her introverted parents out of their shells!
    I also love that example of the woman at the store. There are some students that we feel we can't get through or connect to. All we can do is continue to display the traits you mentioned and stay true to ourselves!
    Thank you for sharing this Joy!

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    1. Jen, thank you for reading and commenting - your last post tugged on my heartstrings and you've been an influence in our lives since we met you. I am so glad your daughter has that influence on you! That way we can all learn MORE when you share your stories! To so many, you matter.

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  3. I LOVE this. I will be thinking about this now...and maybe blog about it later!

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Thank you for adding to the conversation!