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Rookies no longer
By LOGAN NEILL © St. Petersburg Times, published May 31, 2001 BROOKSVILLE -- By all accounts, it was a joyous graduation party, filled with tasty food and drink, the kind of special occasion that Brook Bell's kindergarten class had come to love. Amid parents and family, they laughed, danced about and posed for pictures. Some took time to draw last-minute cards for their teacher, while others sat and talked about their summer vacation plans. But the laughter and play couldn't hide the mixed emotions, especially for the first-year teacher who was facing the thought of having to say a final farewell. That's why every hug seemed a little tighter, every shoulder pat lingered a bit longer and every smile seemed more precious than before. But in the end, the reluctance of seeing them leave was overshadowed by the need to let them go. "I got some extra Kleenex because I knew I'd need them before the week was out," said the 24-year-old Bell. "Now I know what it's like being a parent. One minute you look at them and they're babies; the next minute you realize they've suddenly grown up."
Having previously worked with small children in a local day care center, Bell obtained her teaching degree and had even interned at Brooksville Elementary the previous year. But the responsibility of trying to educate 20 pupils new to a school environment would soon harden the more lofty ideals she had of the job. "It was real hard at first," she recalled of the early weeks. "Some of them would just wander around the room. They really didn't know what to think of me." Establishing respectFor a while it seemed she spent more energy grappling with keeping the pupils orderly and occupied than anything else. She also began to teach fundamentals such as letters, numbers, shapes and colors, but it was clear they couldn't take precedence until the youngsters learned the basics of classroom behavior. But Bell realized some of her greatest challenges were a result of her own perceived weaknesses. She was, in her words, "a softy", unsure of just how strict a line she had to take when it came to disciplining kindergarteners. She admits to often taking a more liberal approach because it tended to make her nine-hour day easier. Over time, however, she learned the value of patience in dealing with children who couldn't fully appreciate their own learning goals. A bit of creative psychology, coupled with smart use of limited class time, enabled Bell to balance lesson goals with activities that her pupils found more enjoyable. As the school year went along, she began to notice greater progress. "You learn to adjust yourself," she said. "I became more flexible. I stopped worrying about things I couldn't control. Not every child will learn the same things in the same amount of time. You have to figure out a way to get around that or you won't be able to teach them anything."
Necessity required Bell to become more of a disciplinarian. Rather than repeated warnings,she was quick to send offenders to the office. Looking back, she wishes she had done that sooner. "I'm not a fighter by nature," she said. "But I learned I had to establish respect if I was going to be able to teach. Once I did that, I think things got much easier for everybody, particularly for the ones who were doing well academically." Laying the foundationBell thinks her greatest gains came after her pupils returned from winter break. As if overnight, many had matured to a point where they seemed to better understand the serious side of their school day. They no longer took after-lunch naps, and she found it easier to push them harder in reading, writing and math. Her efforts earned high praise in an evaluation by school administrators. But perhaps her greatest accolades came from parents. Andrea Barnes was one of them. She had observed how strong the bond between her son, Kahlil Bennett, and his teacher had become during the year. "He adores her," Barnes said. "I think she tried to make learning fun for the children, and I know that's not always easy to do." While Bell believes her first year as a teacher helped reaffirm her heartfelt aspirations to become an educator, she can easily see why some aspects of the job make it an unappealing career choice to people her age. Her $25,5000 annual salary reminded her that she wasn't in it for the money. In fact, she has yet to find it financially feasible to move out of her parents' Brooksville home. Another factor is the time involved in teaching. Her classroom time was routinely supplemented with after-school hours and she spent weekends preparing classroom projects and filling out administrative paperwork. In addition, she frequently spent up to $15 a week of her own money to buy snacks and small rewards for her pupils. Through it all, however, Bell came to realize the true essence of her calling, that she was helping to lay the first stones in a foundation that she hopes will support a structure built on hope, caring and a desire to learn. "I realized that I was doing something I truly loved," Bell said. "These kids became a big part of my life, and I think I've done a good job with them. I really wouldn't change it for anything." Those thoughts roll through Bell's mind as she helps her students don their yellow caps and gowns for their graduation ceremony. They are faces she won't soon forget. James, the shy and quiet one. The artistic, yet sometimes distant Ruby. Kahlil, who loved making everyone laugh. For a while longer, they are hers. Pulling out a picture book, she offers to read them one final story before they go. As they sit and listen quietly, each child looks around the room as if to say a final goodbye to the things that had become so familiar. Their eyes pass over the tiny tables and chairs where they once drew Valentines and Halloween ghosts, to the small wooden cubbies that once stored nap-time blankets, to the boxes of pencils from which their first words were written, and finally to the green slate blackboard, where Bell's message calls to them: "I love you. Don't forget me!"
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