Chapter 16: Middle School Teacher Qualities: Looking for Signs of Dignity and Democracy

Harry, a Grade 7 and 8 science/math teacher with 13 years of teaching experience, describes this moment as a time when he finally recognized precisely what and why one of his students continually turned in assignments quickly, but rarely demonstrated understanding in the assignment (i.e., the final product did not look the way it should have). As a teacher who followed his students from Grade 7 to Grade 8, Harry had not recognized this student’s actions when she was in Grade 7. While in the seventh grade, the student demonstrated understanding in her work. However, the following year Harry began to notice that the student tended not to demonstrate understanding in her work. Harry had yet to recognize what or why the student did not understand—until, on this particular day, the student responded to his questioning. One might wonder, why did this particular student, in this time and space, decide to tell Harry about her lack of understanding? Did Harry simply catch her on a day when she felt like talking? Did Harry catch her on a day when she felt extremely frustrated so that her response erupted, so to speak? Did the student feel safe at this moment—a bit less vulnerable than other moments? Why did this young adolescent’s voice speak so clearly to Harry at this moment? What is it about this classroom space that allows this student’s voice to speak about something potentially embarrassing for the student—“I ... can’t read. It doesn’t make sense to me.”