Alyssa Nemecek's Interview with a Fifth Grade Teacher

In the early 1990s Brown Valley* was a community of affluence. The community was new, young and predominantly white. The new elementary school, Dragon Elementary (K-5), was built to accommodate the rise in young families moving in and making a name for themselves. I myself attended Dragon Elementary, and as I look back on old class pictures the school's demographics represented that of the "north side" of Brown Valley. The staff at Brown Elementary were dedicated and friendly and full of enthusiastic and passionate teachers. I have spent some time in Dragon Elementary since deciding I wanted to be a teacher, and while the community has changed, the staff has not, many of my old teachers are still there, just as passionate and enthusiastic as they were 12 years ago.

The demographics of the area I grew up in have changed and so has the school. The school that once had an abundance of money and community support, now is home to over 50% of families whom are identified as being socio-economically disadvantaged. The sea of White faces has become one of many shades. Almost half (47%) of the school identifies as Hispanic, the second largest ethnic group would be African American, while not listed as a category on the school's website.

The most memorable teacher I had at Dragon Elementary was Mrs. Elba Hitchcock, my second grade teacher and the teacher whom I have chosen to interview. Mrs. Hitchcock has been teaching for almost 30 years, the first five of that being in a preschool classroom in Arizona. Once in California, and Dragon Elementary she spent 19 years in second grade before 3 years in a third grade ELA classroom and finally now in 5th grade just before retirement.

Mrs. Hitchcock aligns her professional philosophy on the progressive side, believing that all children are born with the drive and ability to learn. She also believes that all modalities, or multiple intelligences, should be taken into consideration so that all children can be successful. Mrs. Hitchcock see learning in every situation, and feels that every experience should be utilized for its educational value.

As for pubic education, it seem as though it as become a political arena, used as a tool in political warfare, rather than a means to educate the citizens of American regardless of race, creed or origin. The political interference on public education has put a damper on education for knowledge and has made it a means to an end.

When walking into Mrs. Hitchcock's classroom it seems slightly chaotic, and crowded. The wall to the right of the door is lined with computers for student use, in the corner along this wall is Mrs. Hitchcock's desk, which is piled full of papers and is surrounded by boxes that have to be unpacked (this is her first year in fifth grade, having moved across campus from third). The wall directly across from the door houses cubbies with supplies, and worksheets, in front of it a kidney table for small group activities with the teacher. to the left of this wall is the chalk board, in front of which is her podium and stool and they are rarely used. Next to the chalkboard are posters of student position's and classroom rules, consequences and fines, all designated by the students. The wall alongside the door contains the class library. There are shelves with books that are organized by reading level, and shelves with books organized by genre (by the class librarian). Along with rocking chairs there are several large cushions piled up that the students sit on when working in the library. The class is run by students as "Funky Town" and the physical set up of the classroom definitely shows that.

The instruction of the classroom is also student centered, with Mrs. Hitchcock seeing herself more as a guide in their learning process rather than a teacher. The students have a voice in their education environment and the topics they are going to learn about, which makes them excited for school. The instruction is very progressive, with lots of whole participant open-ended discussions, where every answer is valid and there is no wrong answer. The instruction goes from whole group into small group or partner work, in which competition often plays a motivating role. Mrs. Hitchcock relies less on worksheets and more on creative writing, or when relevant, the showing of videos. Positive reinforcement is on-going in Mrs. Hitchcock's classroom, which I have witnessed while observing, not allowing the students to identify themselves as “the bad readers” and turning it around for them, making reading fun. In addition to the previously mentioned strategies, Mrs. Hitchcock uses cooperative learning, peer and cross age tutoring, adaptations for the different modalities, and read-alouds to address the diverse needs of her students in a climate of standards.

After nearly 30 years of teaching, in which the pendulum has swung one way and then the other, Mrs. Hitchcock is still entirely enthusiastic about teaching. This is not only because of personal love of learning, but also because of her students. Particularly this year, learning fifth grade with the students (as she tells them all the time), but also being able to pass on the knowledge to them. The puzzle of finding a way to pass on that knowledge so that the kids will get it, and in finding ways to make them love school and wanting to be there. The students are also the most rewarding thing about teaching for Mrs. Hitchcock. Being able to see them get it and seeing their progress, the innovative and fun ideas that they are constantly providing and teaching to Mrs. Hitchcock, they provide her with new knowledge and youth.

In interviewing Mrs. Hitchcock, I learned many things about her, the methods to her madness, and heard things that keep me optimistic about teaching and my future within it. I have witnessed that you can adapt standards and curriculum that leans toward direct instruction and make it work for you and your students, this gives me hope in an environment of standards and strict/direct instruction. I have seen that getting on the same level as the students can be very beneficial for them and is something I want to work towards. Most importantly I have hope for my future within teaching, because the very things that have pulled me towards teaching, my love of learning and the want to pass that on, the excitement and joy of kids, are the very things that keep Mrs. Hitchcock enthusiastic about teaching and have for the past 30 years.

* All names of persons and places have been changed