The Teacher Project: Weekend Retreat Wrap-Up

We have spent the last few days reflecting on a two-day retreat that kicked off The Teacher Project.

This first-ever event, which was held in Southern California, brought together a group of dynamic teachers eager to explore their core beliefs and how those beliefs shape the work they do in classrooms, schools and communities.

Here are a few of the themes that surfaced during the retreat:

• Teachers are struggling to decide how to handle cases where the values and priorities of students’ neighborhoods and homes conflict with the values of the school. One teacher, for example, questioned what to do about students who refuse to take home books or notebooks because being viewed as too academically oriented can be dangerous, leading to bullying and more in their neighborhoods. She wondered whether compromise was appropriate, or whether that compromise would dilute the high expectations that all students, regardless of their backgrounds, need and deserve.
• Schools nationwide have seen their budgets stripped. And Southern California is among those hardest hit. Teachers are increasingly being pushed to do more and more with fewer resources. Teachers are struggling with how to maintain their morale when there are sometimes more than 60 students piled in a classroom and money for field trips, student competitions, assemblies and other activities are increasingly scarce.
• And finally, teachers are struggling with when and how to reflect on their teaching practices and beliefs. The teachers we met all have the best of intentions and work tirelessly to provide the best possible instruction for their students. But at times, they find are at risk of finding themselves on autopilot, struggling to balance teaching, grading, any extracurricular activities they oversee, prep time, and their personal lives.

The ideas and experiences each of the teachers shared were valuable, serving to advance our understanding of education and the challenges that we face. We look forward to sharing more of what we learned in the future.

We don’t view this first event as a one-time experience. It’s an exciting beginning – and the start of an exciting partnership with these and other teachers nationwide.

Plans are now underway to hold similar events – either in a retreat or one-day format – at schools in Georgia, Texas, Mississippi and other parts of Southern California.

Want to know more about The Teacher Project or eager to see a similar retreat held in your area? Email us at instituteforedandsocialjustice[at]gmail[dot]com and include The Teacher Project in your subject line.