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Erica Jacobs
Education ExaminerErica Jacobs is the Education columnist for the DC Examiner, and has taught high school and college for 33 years. She has been around the education block! Email her at ejacob1@gmu.edu.
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The way to students' hearts is through their stomachs
Erica Jacobs - Education Examiner
Please understand; I see that I have a big hot dog on my educational blog. I have spent the afternoon cooking for students who came after school for extra AP Prep help from either my government team teacher, or from me. Hot dogs were on the menu.A few years ago, I used to cook for students in these sessions: this prep wasn't required, so I needed to make it attractive. Also, no one looked at my AP scores. So why not feed those starving teenagers after school? I truly enjoyed that, years ago, but when suddenly everyone was scrutinizing my scores and accounting for my time (collaboration! rubrics! common assessments!), I decided the expense in both money and energy was not worth it before AP tests. All that cooking stopped.
Well, now I'm nearly ready to leave high school teaching and the numbers rat race. Not that my students didn't do well; they did. But I taught to their minds and souls first; I taught to the test second.
I am now a year or two from retirement from high school teaching and no one really can fire me. (Well, I could do something egregious, which is unlikely.) That is very liberating. So why not show my affection for these students by feeding them grilled cheese sandwiches and hot dogs when they come after school for AP prep sessions?
This afternoon I was met with puzzled looks. "Why are you cooking?" they asked. "Because I like you!" I replied. They looked skeptical. But their tummies were also full. Some things are priceless. I will rejoice if their AP scores are fabulous, but I also rejoice that they know I care enough to cook for them.
Topics: student , food , AP , scores
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Topics: day , class , shakespeare , quote , julius caesar
Word of the Day
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Topics: graduation , forward , last
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Erica Jacobs - Education Examiner
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Topics: book , review , patchett
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Topics: day , shakespeare , quote , taming of the shrew , tuition
