Hello Again!

It's been a while since I last posted...life has been busy! I have made a school change, but I am still teaching middle school in Bridgeport.

At 3+ years into my teaching career, with all of my experience being in an urban setting, there are so many sad things that I am seeing academically. I am currently teaching at a college prep school. I have increased the rigor of my teaching in the past year, and have learned what it really means to be a teacher.

With the increased rigor in my teaching comes the sad realization that so many of our kids are left behind. It is hard on schools like mine to retain scholars until they are truly prepared to move on, knowing the material they need to know, because there is often such a large percentage who need to repeat a grade. So how do you choose? Why should Johnny be promoted over Sally? Oh, Sally's failing grade was a bit higher than Johnny's failing grade? The problem is that Sally, though her grade was higher, is still NOT ready to move on. It is a cycle of dead ends, failing grades, and disappointment for those scholars who are pushed on.
In higher performing suburban or private schools, the need for retention (I assume) is far less than what I have experienced, and therefore easier to accommodate those needs. How do we, as teachers, help those scholars who have been moved up because they are too old, have an IEP, or their failing grades were better? They end up completely unprepared for the next grade, and failing all over again.

If we continue to push our kids through, they're never going to be ready for life. It hurts my heart to think that I can't help those who need it the most when they are sitting right in front of me.