My #OneWord2020…Advocacy

One of the popular hashtags going around the Twitter-sphere right now is #OneWord2020.  The focus of the hashtag is to highlight the one word that defines and describes one’s strategy for the new year.   For me, my #OneWord2020 is Advocacy.

I became a math teacher, because I wanted to help my students gain an appreciation and a passion for math similar to mine.  I wanted to help the next generation look at math as a fun problem-solving activity rather than a series of drills and algorithms.  This was my mission.  What I wasn’t expecting was how quickly that mission could change.

Poor Student - Richer Teaching

During a teacher’s first two years in our school district, a mentor is assigned to the teacher.  Different activities and trainings are planned throughout the year to help the new teachers be successful.  One of the activities I was able to participate in was a book club.  There were four options to choose from, and I opted to join the book club for Eric Jensen’s “Poor Student, Richer Teaching”.  #GameChanger

First of all, if you have not read Jensen’s book, I would highly recommend checking it out.  The book discusses the income achievement gap that exists due to socio-economic issues.  Spoiler Alert – The income achievement gap is real.  51% of students in public school are in situations that meet the Federal definition of poverty. Jensen then outlines strategies that educators can focus on to help reduce the gap.  The author backs up his recommendations with empirical evidence from Hattie’s research.  These strategies include building strong relationships with students, cultivating a growth mindset, and building engagement.

I will be diving into Jensen’s book in more detail in later entries.  However, I wanted to mention the takeaway from this book that caused me to rethink my mission as a teacher.  If a student has an engaged passionate teacher for five straight years, the academic effects of poverty can be erased.  Let me say that one more time.  Students who have above average teachers that are engaged with the students for five straight years, the income achievement gap can be erased.

Advocacy

We can’t afford to focus only on our classrooms any longer.  I know that all the friends and peers I have met and learned from on Twitter are already building amazing experiences for the students that are in their classroom this year.  But what happens if those students move to a classroom next year with a teacher that is not engaged?  The cycle of five straight years of engaged teachers is broken.  This is why my one word is Advocacy.  We can’t afford to let our students have a subpar experience next year.  We also need to ensure that classrooms in the grades below us are also building strong relationships with the students. 

We have the opportunity break the poverty cycle with data-driven strategies.  Despite was Secretary Devos says, the cycle won’t break because of school vouchers and charter schools.  It will break because of the impact we as teachers have.  We must advocate across our school and district to get everyone on board with breaking the cycle.

I’m fortunate to be part of a school where our principal has instilled a culture of building strong relationships with the students.  But I still look for ways to advocate across the district and my PD network.  I’d love to hear what you do in your classrooms to strengthen relationships, cultivate a growth mindset, and build enagement with your students, and how you share across grade levels.

Jensen, E. (2017). Poor students, richer teaching: mindsets that raise student achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.