November 2010 – Pernille Ripp

being a teacher, blogging, community, students

A Ghost Child says Hello

November 30, 2010July 24, 2013 Pernille Ripp

Image from here

I call them ghost children, those students who pop up in our classroom for weeks or months only to vanish again as quickly as they appeared. One student, let’s call him Tom, showed up a couple of weeks into the school year ready to learn. Hailing from Chicago, he was so excited about having art, gym, and regular teachers rather than subs. At his old school they didn’t have such luxuries I quickly discovered. I spoke to his mom several times on the phone, asking if there was anything we could do to help her find a home, a job, etc. Her main concern was always Tom and his education, particularly getting him out of trouble and into learning.

Every day, Tom greeted me with the biggest smile. He was ready to learn, no matter the obstacles and just couldn’t believe all of the “amazing” things we were doing. Blogging, in particular, was something he loved to do, writing stories that made little sense and never quite fulfilling the task at hand. But he wanted to learn, to connect, to be a part of something.

And then, one day he was gone. We called home and got no answer. The weekend came and another couple of days passed by and his seat continued to be empty. I reached out, once getting a family member on the phone stating he would be back the next day. Days passed and I got more people involved, trying to find my student, worrying where he had gone’ and why his stuff hadn’t gone with him.

More than 2 weeks has passed and this morning I opened up our kidblog. There was a new post waiting for my approval:

hay ever one this is Tom what up i am likening my new school sorry miss ripp i had to transfer but i will talk to you and the class ever day tell Nathan Erick Hannah Lewis well ever body i miss them by

There he was, letting me know everything was alright, reaching out. Maybe this blogging thing makes a difference after all.

being a teacher, communication, community, new teacher, school staff

Why is Teaching a Lonely Job?

November 29, 2010 Pernille Ripp

This past week as I have reflected upon personal conversations, emails and posts I have come across I had a sad realization; everywhere there are teachers who feel that no one wants them to succeed, that no one cares what they do, that no one stops to listen to them. While I had hoped that these were merely regional perspectives and not something worldwide, I see now that teaching can be an incredibly lonely job.

Every teacher wants to be the best teacher they can be. They start out with ideas, ideals, and aspirations, truly believing that every child can learn, achieve, be something incredible. And yet, after perhaps not so gracious welcomes, or reserved hello’s, teachers learn their first lesson about teaching: don’t expect a red carpet welcome. It is not that other teachers aren’t welcoming, the profession as a whole just seems to be a bit skeptical, naturally reserved when anything new enters our midsts whether it be a new idea, change, or a new person.

And what a sad lesson that is. We are there to reach out to all students, to make them feel welcome, and we spend precious class time building community with our students and then forget the community that needs to be re-formed every time someone new enters our schools.

I discussed this with my mother, who is a college professor. She agreed with me that this is not a localized phenomenon but something that she has encountered on various levels as well. Her take was that it often can be attributed to jealousy, busyness, competitiveness or a combination of any of those. I hate to say she is right but I do think from personal experience that there is room for improvement in how we treat each other face to face. I think of how in my online PLN whenever there is a success, people cheer and ask more questions. Now I wonder whether this happens as much in real life as we would like to think it does. I certainly have days where I feel as if no one hardly cares and then there are days when I feel accepted and welcomed.

So I open it up for debate. Are teachers friendly to each other or could we improve on this? Why can teaching feel as if it is you against the world with few people cheering you on? Do we create this situation or is a just a cutthroat profession where people fend for themselves, constantly wary of the new person?

being a teacher, first day, inspiration, new teacher

Dear First Year Pernille

November 28, 2010July 24, 2013 Pernille Ripp

Image from here

Dear First Year Pernille,
You did it! You got the job you set your heart on and now comes the part you have been looking forward to; teaching! I know life has a lot in store for you this first year, already you are 4 months pregnant on the first day of school, and yet there are just a few things I want you to know before you start.

Stop stressing over your room! Now is the time to be outside going for a walk, not laboring over the placement of posters, bulletin boards or welcome signs. The kids will hardly notice it so give yourself a break. Even if it feels like a hallway bulletin board competition at times – it’s not.

Ask more questions. Your teammates are some of the kindest and smartest people around. Don’t feel that you are a burden or that you should already know. You are new, don’t feel like you have to act like you already know the answer.

Trust your gut. Feel that little tingle in your stomach? Besides the baby, that’s your intuition trying to tell you to listen to it. So absolutely go ahead and use some of those same programs but then spend some time finding yourself as well. Make this your room with your teaching style, not a watered down version of someone else’s.

Allow yourself to fail. The students love it when we fail, why? Because it shows we are humans. The sooner you embrace your failures as another step in learning, the sooner you can get over it, and the more you will be a role model for the kids.

Don’t beat yourself up. Not everything will be perfect, even for an overachiever like yourself. Some days will be amazing, others will not. Don’t worry there will be more good than bad but when those bad ones come around – give yourself a break.

Smile. Love. Laugh. Share. Think. Reflect. Question. Be kind. Be brave. Be you. Everything is going to be just fine. Oh, and do get on Twitter.

being a teacher, classroom expectations, communication, inspiration

Give the Gift of Now

November 27, 2010 Pernille Ripp

Being a teacher means being there in the moment at all times. Yet often this simple truth is misplaced, pushed aside or simply forgotten. So even though we may be thinking about the next lesson, the paper’s that need to be looked at, or whatever else may be happening in our world; being there is the most important thing.

So keep this in mind on Monday when those kids need you again. What is most important; what has happened already, what will happen, or what is happening right now? So listen to them, look at them and be in the now. The now is, after all, a wonderful gift. Give it to them.

being a teacher, inspiration

One Deep Breath

November 25, 2010 Pernille Ripp

Letting go; it’s a beautiful thing. And yes, one that is so hard to do for all humans. Whether it is the unjustified comments at work, misunderstood jokes from your spouse, or misinterpreted glances; they hurt, fester and boil, until they become so all consuming that all rational thought disappears.

In the last year, I have learned how to better let go. I knew that I could not carry these thoughts, these all-consuming hurts that led to nowhere but self-doubt and loathing. I didn’t have a hallelujah moment, just realized that those people whose words I held on to so tightly as commissaries of my self-inflicted torture, had long since moved on from me. And so now I choose to move on from them as well.

It has become sort of a life philosophy now, this letting go. I have to remind myself, allow myself to fester, and then breathe. With that breath I push it all out and refuse to let it pull me down farther. With that breath I put up my wall, say no more, and then realize all of the beauty I have in my life. With that breath I continue living a better life, vowing to not be one of those whose words hurt.

Now, if only I could stop carrying grudges.