I casually asked one of the parents to let me know when an interesting event is happening on campus that we might be able to attend. (Last week, for example, a group of Tibetan Monks were building a mandala!) The following day she emailed me to let me know that Sweet Honey in the Rock would be performing next month and the auditorium had space for 25 more people. Would our class like to attend? Had I heard of them?
Sweet Honey in the Rock is an African American women's a capella group based out of Washington, DC. Sweet Honey, whose music I grew up listening to, whose workshops I attended at my music school, whose concerts I saw on the mall, around town, and in San Francisco. In college their lyrics and music guided me through the arduous process of carving out my own identity and philosophy. I choreographed dances to their songs. I brought their music with me in to the women's prison when I taught drama. Sweet Honey, oh yes. I know Sweet Honey.
I jumped at the opportunity and asked my administrator. She immediately countered with concerns. It's not connected to the curriculum. All field trips have to be connected to the curriculum. It's too much time. Don't we have another field trip scheduled for the same day? If ALL the classes can't go, it wouldn't be fair for only one class to go. The parents would really protest. Etc. Etc. Etc.
I balked. This year my principal denied me "tenure" and put me on a third year of "probation." I need to play it safe so I can keep my job.
I started to draft an email letting the parent know that we had to decline her invitation. Then I realized I was being selfish. I was playing it safe for my own benefit, and sacrificing my students' enrichment. Maybe the hour long concert wouldn't be that great. Maybe they wouldn't remember it or care... But maybe they would. More than half of my students live sheltered lives. They haven't been out of New England. They don't listen to music that is not on pop radio. When are they going to get the chance to hear Sweet Honey again? They can count all the black people they know on two hands. Sweet Honey won't be coming to Concord again. The boarding school may never invite us to an event again (why would they?). I deleted the email.
Instead I wrote a proposal outlining the 15 different curriculum standards the concert would be likely to hit. I explained in detail my personal connection to the group and why I thought it would be a powerful experience for my children. I spoke to my grade level colleagues and explained my reasoning. I reiterated my interest, with greater emphasis and insistence, to my principal. I called to see if we could reschedule the other field trip. I persisted.
Finally, she folded. When there was no other possible barrier to throw up, she had to admit that it was reasonable that I take my class to see one of the world's greatest women's a capella groups perform just ten minutes up the road.
When I told my student (whose mom is organizing the concert) that we were going, she stopped breathing for a moment. Her jaw dropped and eyes stretched open as if she had just won American Idol. She was positively elated. That look alone was worth the effort.
When deciding whether or not to persist with what I knew to be right, one of my colleagues told me, "If you know this is a good thing, if you know it will be good for your students, if you care about it, then push. Push for what you care about. Of course you should."
And I will.
1 comment:
There is much I could say here about music and inspiration, but mostly I am distracted by the fact that somehow an exceedingly hard-working and self-reflecting teacher is on probation. If, in your mind, this is related to speaking up with ideas and questions regardless of the outcome, then I need to help you find a new place to teach. In a era when people are bemoaning a lack of highly qualified(now the language is "effective") teachers it kills me to see one of the most creative and thoughtful people I know struggle.
I'm glad you are going to the concert. The kids will have fun, perhaps make some of the connections that you made as a young person to the power of this music, and see the inside of a place they likely have not understood was up the street. Like actually seeing France instead of reading about it in a book, when we know these places are real they become ours too.
More important is that you advocated for your students despite the potential downside. I have seen other people whom I know to be courageous temper there opinions as the tenure decision time approaches. Neither approach is wrong as long as you are clear why.
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