A few years back, I started a new category of posts here on the Radical called TWIT -- or THIS Is Why I Teach -- designed to serve as a celebration of the simple joys that come along with being a classroom teacher and a reminder to me that I really DO enjoy what I do.
I realized the other day that it's been a LONG while since I wrote a TWIT post -- and then the email below ended up in my inbox:
Dear Mr. Ferriter,
In my last semester at UNC Chapel Hill where I double majored in Psychology and Political Science, I took a class in cognitive development.
Our professor asked the class if anyone had a vivid memory of something taught in grade school and I raised my hand.
I told a story about my 6th grade language arts teacher who came into class and told one side of the room that they were his favorite students and the other side that they were bad and lazy.
I told them how the good side was given soda and candy and how the bad side was assigned pages out of a workbook.
You did this demonstration to teach us about discrimination and injustice and how despite the arbitrariness of the division, no one spoke out against it.
My professor and the class were impressed less with my recollection than with the brilliance of your pedagogical device.
Earlier this past semester in law school at Georgetown, I was working on a ten day take-home exam memorandum.
I thought about how easy it would be for students to collaborate on the assignment, breaking the honor code.
I thought about how the code was less fair to people like me who would choose to follow it by forcing us to compete with those who would ignore it and benefit from collaboration.
Then I remembered how Mr. Ferriter emphatically taught my 6th grade class that it was better to earn an "F" than to cheat one's way to an "A".
On many occasions like these, I have been reminded of your teachings.
I often wondered how it was that under the guise of language arts you taught us so much about ethics and morality.
I sit here writing this e-mail ten or so years since being in your class not just because you were a teacher but because you went above and beyond what was required of you, and as a result, you made a really important difference.
I believe that aside from parents, teachers wield the most power in deciding what our society will be like. Thank you for taking advantage of that authority and being such a positive influence.
I know I am a better person for having been in your class.
Sincerely,
Bindhu
How's THAT for a pick-me-up after a long week of teaching, huh?!
More importantly, how's THAT for a reminder that everything we do matters more than we can possibly imagine.
#simpletruth
________________________
Related Radical Reads:
TWIT: They Don't Judge Me by a Test
TWIT: They Write Once in a While
TWIT: They're Learning from Me
What a great letter and it also says something about the character of your former student that he took the time to write. Enjoy your weekend, Bill.
Posted by: Philip Cummings | February 22, 2013 at 09:07 PM
Love it, love it, love it! This IS why we teach.
Posted by: TeachMoore | February 22, 2013 at 10:10 PM
Teaching is like raising children, you can't measure your influence on the kids on the spot. But sometimes one's influence shines like a diamond - a treasure indeed! Save the letter and thank you for sharing it!
Posted by: Naomishema | February 23, 2013 at 07:30 AM
Good on you Bill. Looks like you have the makings of another book here. I'd be happy to submit a TWIT. Thank you for continuing to do what you do.
Posted by: Nate Barton | February 23, 2013 at 09:34 AM
Awesome letter, and I could picture the lesson as I read it. You're a teacher to so many people - not just sixth graders.
Posted by: Matt Friedrick | February 23, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Hi! I am a student from University of South Alabama. I am pursuing a secondary education history degree. This post blew me away. Congratulations. Bindhu stated that his professor and classmates were most impressed by how brilliantly you taught the lesson. I am also amazed by your apparent ability to creatively step out and teach more than what is stated in your curriculum. This is truly inspirational, and I applaud your passion for not only being a teacher but also a person of influence. Keep it up!
Posted by: Carmen Clark | February 23, 2013 at 01:13 PM
All,
Thanks a ton for your kind words on this post! That definitely wasnt my intention in writing, but it feels good anyway.
What I REALLY wanted people to notice in this post -- and in all my TWIT posts -- is that teachers add value in ways that #edpolicymakers refuse to recognize and/or respect.
Did I help Bindhu to learn more content?
Probably -- but thats not what she remembers.
More importantly, that content was probably far less important than the other takeaways that she speaks of here.
Why cant we see that? Why is it that when we speak about a teachers value add score, we automatically mean scores on standardized tests?
Bill
Posted by: Bill Ferriter | February 24, 2013 at 07:05 AM