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Shaundalyn Elliott's Diary
The First 180 Days

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Shaundalyn Elliott, a recent college graduate, always dreamed of being a corporate lawyer. Her deep feelings of responsibility to the minority students in her hometown led her instead to a teaching position at her alma mater, an urban middle school in Montgomery, Alabama. Each week during this school year -- Shaundalyn's first year in the classroom -- she will share with Education World readers her thoughts and feelings about her first 180 days!

Connecting with the Kids

Week 26

One of the truest statements I made in last week's entry regarded the uncertainty of the teaching profession from the perspective of a first-year teacher. Essentially, I said that although teaching involves a great deal of work for a comparatively small salary, there are other rewards for those who teach. The question is whether those rewards can compensate for the drawbacks of the profession. Based on an experience I had this past week, I would have to say that they do.

It seems that every time I feel particularly low in regard to my job, something happens to remind me of why I am where I am. This past Monday, one of my favorite students was afraid to enter my classroom and let me see his latest hairstyle. His reluctance was based on a prior incident in which he came to my classroom with one side of his hair braided and the other side blown out. On that day, I took him outside the classroom and explained why I disapproved of his new style. I tried to help him understand why he should disapprove of it as well. I am very aware of cultural diversity and an adolescent's need to express himself or herself, and I fully support the right of each generation to develop its own style. I want my students to understand, however, that to avoid some people's stereotyping, people who belong to minority groups have to be careful about the impression we convey.

I assume that the student recalled our previous discussion when he eased into my classroom last Monday, carefully watching my expression. Based on a (relatively recent!) realization that every action doesn't necessarily demand a reaction, I decided to try a different approach this time. As I struggled to ignore the braids that were in disarray all over his head, the student approached me.

"Ms. Elliott," he said, "may I see you outside for a minute." Reluctantly, I went out into the hallway with him. He began by saying that he wanted to do most of the talking and he wanted me to listen. I agreed, and he began to speak to me. He told me that he knew that I would not approve of the new hairstyle he was wearing and that he understood why. He went on to say that his mother had given him the same sermon that I had given. Finally he said, " I promised my mama and I promise you that I am going to improve my behavior and my attitude so that no one will be able to stereotype me because of my hairstyle." His words burned through me. I tried to mask the effect those words had on me, but I was unable to do so. Instead, I did something I rarely ever do -- I got teary-eyed, and so did he.

It means so much to me when I see that I have truly affected someone else's life. As teachers, I think that is what all of us want to do. The children will never know how much they mean to us -- or what effect their actions have on us. That student, for example, will never know how his words helped determine my course of action regarding my profession. All he knows is that I am just like his mama -- I love him. I wish all my students could see it as clearly as he does.

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Shaundalyn Elliot
Education World®
Copyright © 2000 Education World

03/22/2001