Mr. McKall
Who knew that a simple homework assignment, within eighth period English class. It is the smallest of tenth grade English I have ever had. My name is Mr. McKall, and what I have found out about my small class of seven students, with only one being a male, could make your heart turn circles. But I asked them if it was alright if we shared their stories, so that is what the following is. Their stories plus mine. So I hope you enjoy.
Well my name is Mr. McKall and I teach, for this year, eleventh and twelfth grade English class, along with the eighth period tenth grade English class. With my eight period class though, they attend another school besides English and Social Studies, which they attend here at Anges High School. These students are Jolie, Caddie, Jacey, Sky and Cain. The school that they attend is named Mount Horizon, but these students live at Horizon and joined up with this new experimental class.
Shall we come back to me? If you notice I tend to talk about these exceptional students. But, I grew up in the town of Agnes, so I know this area well. The school that these teens go to is twenty-five miles away, in the middle of the wilderness. They are in an experimental program. They are in my class, though other students from the school are in other classes with teachers that have accepted to take them on. The program is to integrate the students into a real school setting.
I am a fairly new teacher. I am twenty-five years old and started teaching when I turned twenty-three. Though this is my first year with this experimental program. I chose to do this program when I went to the school in which they attend to observe them to see if I was going to accept the program, but when I talked to three of the seven students. That was when I decided to take them on into my English class. I believe that the world can learn so much about these kids. Now lets get back to the assignment that I completed with them.
I told these seven students that they had to write in their English journal. The topic though was that of something new. I was going to have them write a letter. For some it was to see their writing abilities and for others it was just another entry in their journals and grad. Although for one of the girls her journal is a cassette tape that she does on her own. This is because she has a learning disability called dyslexia. Meaning what she is reading is mixed up in her mind, so with her lessons they are a bit modified. This is so that she can complete the lesson. But her journal consists of drawings and I or teachers/ counselors at Horizon write it up is the writing form so she can read what she said.
This homework assignment was a letter to them that was to be addressed to them. It was a Dear Me letter. They had to write to themselves and express what they are feeling or just about them. We were told that anything that can allow these teens to vent was the best thing for them. So that is why their English journal reflects on themselves and how they are feeling that day. So with all their assignments I also do one with them. With this entry though there was no page limit, but instead when they thought that they were finished they could close the letter.
My other associates thought that this entry was interesting and wondered what the students wrote about, but I told them thought that they had to wait and see what they wrote about because I wasn't about to give away what they wrote about. It was that of the seven teen's job to say if they wanted to give their information out or not. But they soon chose to allow others to peer into their lives. I will even incorporate my Dear Me letter.
Dear Me
Who can say who we are? Do I fit the mold of an English teacher? Am I that of a good teacher? How does society see me? These questions run through my head everyday. Most of the time even every breathing moment. My life has always been nice calm and easy going.
I grew up in the town of Agnes. Where the population seems to be quite small. Everyone knows everyone's business. But thankfully there was nothing to be spread around about me or my family. We seemed to keep to the norm pretty well.
I went to New York University to get out of the town to go to college. I became homesick there, but I finally got my master's degree in English Education. I knew though that I wanted to come back to Anges and teach. There was no way that this small town would be out of my life. I applied to Agnes High School and got the job almost immediately. There I was happy to be both back in town and doing the job that I loved.
But there was one more thing that I loved. That was a woman named Leslie. She was my high school sweetheart and she waited for me to get out of college to continue our ever loving relationship. And that is what we did. About a year ago we got married. Now we are expecting our first child and I am more scared then I have ever been in my entire life. How can I be twenty-five and already going to be in charge of such an innocent little being. I don't know if I can.
We know that we are having a little girl. I am pretty excited about having a daughter, her being daddy's little girl. But at the same time wondering if I am going to have the time and ability to be there for her. Most people read books about how well to be a parent, but how can you know if you are ever going to be the best parent you can. I lie awake most nights and wonder how I am going to affect her life. I seriously can't tell if I am going to be the parent that she needs.
Right now we are working on her nursery wondering if pink is going to be the color, purple. What is going to be in there? My mind just spins in circles. Knowing that she is going to depend on me, then turning to my students and knowing that she could be anyone of them when she gets older.
How am I going to keep her safe? Allow her to lean on me, but also be her own individual. Most of the time if gets confusing, but I know if I am there then she will allow me in.
That is what is new in my life and that is really freaking me out. I watch my eleventh grade and twelfth grade students and know that most of their lives are what you see on the outside, but then I look at my tenth graders and see that what they are on the outside is just a cover for what is on the inside. How can the world see their pain when it is so hard for them to feel it? We need to make it right. We can't judge anymore, just allow them to be them.
That is about all I have to say. There isn't much about me. Just Mr. McKall. The nerdy English teacher. Normal life with some confusion shot in there.
Mr. McKall