A Special Strength

Jessica Levy and Ashley Hart are first grade teachers discussing what it's like to teach at Banaadir Academy, a transitional charter school in North Minneapolis.

Ashley Hart (Left) and Jessica Levy
Photo Credit: Morgan Vanden Heuvel

HAVE HEART

Jessica Levy: My favorite part of teaching is coming to class in the morning and seeing that the students are all so happy to be here.

Ashley Hart: They are, and you’re able to catch the vibe right away of what type of day it’s going to be because no two days will be alike when you're teaching. It's soooo different. It's never a redundant job. Even if you have a really hard day, you know the next day is so fresh and new.

JL: Right! For example, when they come in and you think, “Oh great. They look like they had a bowl of sugar for breakfast.” You know it's going to be a long day, but at least you know and you're ready for it. This is my first year full-time teaching, and I really love it! I have learned so much being here. Everyday is a learning experience, that’s actually why I wanted to get into teaching in the first place.

AH: In junior high, I went on a missions trip to Belize, and that’s when I realized that teaching is something that impacts kids for the rest of their lives. It really gives them the foundation they need to be successful. It’s not a job that you go into for the money. You need to really have the heart for it, and you have to really want to be in this environment. It’s my second year teaching, and my friends and family tell me they don’t know how I do it. They think I’m crazy! [Laughter.]


What You're Going to Get

JL: Yeah! It’s hard! I think everything has a challenge within itself. You can be as prepared as you want, but you still have to have your Mary Poppins bag ready to pull out when things aren’t working. You have to be quick on your feet because you never know exactly what you're going to get.

AH: I think the hardest part is classroom management. You could be the most knowledgeable teacher but if you don't have that classroom management piece, it's pointless because you won't even get to actually teaching.

JL: I think sometimes it’s challenging too because you have to be really vulnerable. There are times where you have to show them that you really don’t understand because there is no faking it. You can’t tell them, “Oh, yeah. I totally understand.” You don’t and that’s okay. It can be hard to let that vulnerability in because you’re the teacher. Sometimes, you have to be honest and say, “I don’t know. I don’t understand. Show me. Teach me.” This is really awesome because it gives them the power to show you, and you learn so much that way.

AH: It definitely can bring its challenges because you really have to set yourself and your own comfort aside. However, it’s definitely really enriching. It gives you a broader sense of yourself and just a bigger appreciation for the community we live in because it is so diverse. There are times when you have to listen first, especially with parents. Listening first is big! And being open to learning is a huge thing too!

JL: You also have to have a big heart that’s full of love. You have to understand that it’s not personal. They’re kids and they might say stuff to you because they’re angry and they don’t have that filter. It can be hard but when you reach them, you can see it. They’re very loving, and it makes the whole job worth it. Some of my kids that are my biggest struggles are also my sweetest kids that will give you that hug and tell you that they love you. It’s those kids that make it worth it. It definitely takes a special strength to teach.

AH: Yeah, sometimes the communication with the students can be difficult. When you have newcomers join the classroom, they may come across as being defiant or acting out, but really, they just have no idea what you’re saying or what’s going on. I know last year, I had a student who came to the states when we first started school. She only knew “Hi” and that was it. It can definitely affect your relationship with your students and become a barrier that you have to bridge over time. At that point, nonverbal communication becomes very important, such as using gestures as you’re teaching and having a lot of visuals.

Picture of Ms. Levy's classroom
Photo Credit: Carley Daum

LEARNING

JL: Our school is trying really hard to make it more student talk than teacher talk.

AH: Whoever is the one doing the most talking is the one who is learning. So if the teacher is doing the most talking, they are doing the most learning.

JL: I have them paired specifically so that my lower level students can hear from someone who speaks more English so they can pick up a little bit more. The more student talk is definitely helping them because you want them to learn from each other.

AH: With the variety of levels that we have, it has to be structured with smaller groups and more one-on-one. I know in a lot of suburban schools, or even back when I was in school, kids are sitting for long periods of time and just listening to teachers. For our kids, they need to be up and moving or talking, otherwise you will lose them, especially the English Language Learners when it's taking them time to process it.

JL: It’s more challenging for our upper students because they get bored so easily and so fast. I know my two highest students rush through all of the work because they pick up on it so quick. We do stations to try to make it more hands-on and independently working so they can all work at their own pace.

SAFE ZONE

JL: We also stick to a daily routine because they need the structure.

AH: They want it. They crave it.

JL: They don’t get it at home a lot of the time. Some of the students are in homes that have two or three families living with them and there is a lot going on. They need the structure at school in order to have it in their life.

AH: There are so many other factors that come into play that are outside your control, like how much sleep they got or how many siblings they share a room with.

JL: Even down to how much food they got at home. They need the structure, and they need the tough love. Sometimes I can feel really mean [Laughter.], but then you end the day on a high note and realize that it was worth putting in the structure to have a successful day.

AH: Yeah! I’ve felt that myself or had kids be like, “Mean teacher!” There is a difference between mean and stern. It’s different than a suburban school where you can be sing-song-sweet. Here you have to put your foot down and be really firm or they will walk all over you.

JL: Yeah, at suburban schools, they have middle lines where they are a little bit above good or a little bit below. But we have mountain tops to valleys, and it can get crazy. It can all be very stressful, but it is so exciting. The best is the smiles that they get on their faces when they get something. It makes it all worth it. The horrible day we had before, the day you almost made me cry, it doesn't matter.

AH: It sounds terrible but one time there was this girl who would get so mad at herself that she would go to hit me and it would make her even more upset. At first I was like, “Why is she hitting me?” But then when you think about it they can’t hit because at home they will get hit back. So if they feel safe enough around you to do that, like you’re a safe zone, then that makes you realize that, “Oh this kid trusts me and they realize that I’m not going to hurt them.” They know that I’m going to take care of them even though they are in this state right now. It’s pretty intense.

JL: Sometimes it’s hard to see that but it's also a good thing. The fact that they can show that side. They feel comfortable. They feel safe. So at least you are doing your job well enough to know that they feel safe. [That’s why after the election, it was really hard to make them feel safe again.] You could just tell that a lot of the uproar was because they were just scared. It was a really hard time around our whole school. A lot of them think they're just going to be taken out of our country. It’s hard to show to a first grader that that's not how it works. They don't have the skills yet to fully comprehend that. There are some really scary things being said. One kid pulled me aside to tell me that Trump was going to kill them. It’s really hard to hear that. A lot of them don’t realize that they are legal citizens here, and they can’t be taken out even if he wanted to. It was a tough day. The whole school was sad and everywhere was depressing to be around. We had a few teachers post online about having to come to school and see your kids this hurt and this upset and to know that your country could do that to such a big part of our community. They are a part of our community just as much as we all are. So, it was hard. It was definitely an experience.

Picture of Ms. Levy's students during a lesson
Photo Credit: Carley Daum

THE REWARD

JL: You’re always learning and you’re always growing. It definitely gives you a new perspective on things and it’s always exciting. The kids will say the randomest things.

AH: Oh, the one liners. You could write a book about it.

JL: Even on my most rough days, they know the perfect way to turn it around.

AH: This week was rough, but today I had a kid say, “Knock Knock,” and I was like, “Who's there?” and they were like, “Donald Trump,” and I was like, “Nope we are done.” [Laughter.]

JL: Moments like that and seeing their smiles when they saw the snow are just a few of the things that make this job so exciting.

AH: You won't find a harder, more rewarding job. You’ve got to be strong to do it but it's worth the work you put into it. I remember during my first year of teaching, I was having moments where I thought, “I don't know why I’m doing this.” But then you get to May and you're assessing your kids again and you have kids that are now reading that came in struggling with everything. Watching behavior problems disappear or seeing them grow up and now they’re in second grade. Even just in the moment you see the lightbulb go off, it definitely makes it worth the struggle. You’re able to think, “Wow, what I do does matter.” It gives you a sense of purpose.

JL: It's an adventure. [Laughter.] But, it's a very rewarding adventure. And it's worth it. It's all worth it. Down to the worst days, to the best days. There's nothing more rewarding than teaching.