Dicourse Follow-Up...What Does Teacher Talk Sound Like?

As a follow up to my Education Week commentary titled Can Changing the Discourse Change the School?, I wrote the following about acronym overload in school discourse (Spring 2008). This school year, more of our team and faculty meetings are focused on meaningful topics and, as a result, less bureaucratic language is saturating our discussions.

When you talk about school, what teaching and learning values does the language reflect?

Acronym Overload

A few weeks ago, I had to stay after school for a SILT meeting. SILT was established because of our school district's commitment to VPAT, with hopes of increasing NCLB and CATS indexes (from the KCCT) in an effort to meet AYP. Of course, SILT needs to remember to report to DILT, a strong instructional arm of SCPS. A focus on CC 4.1 and close examination of PC's should help, I am told. Same with a recommitment to teaching and modeling TRIBE.

It turns out SILT needs to meet more often, so does KYCID, and we focus on implementing initiatives from our CSIP and SISI document. Sitting in that meeting, I remembered to attend a SBDM meeting the following Monday. My thoughts were interrupted when the principal asked us to consider the TAG, LEP, ELL, KJHS, and STLP students. I was relieved when the meeting was over.

At first, I found myself laughing at and dismissing all the acronyms as just trite business to be dealt with, a nuisance that many of us public school educators have to endure. But language reflects values. And the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that the language primarily used in public schools is moving further and further away from a humanistic language focused on honoring individual children and relationships. Let's stop accepting and actively participating in professional development sessions full of bureaucratic jargon without a second thought. I've tried to speak a different language this year, and it has paid off.

When I teach my class of 8th grade language arts students, I don't harp on acronyms relating to accountability testing or, for that matter, test-taking strategies. Instead, I'll try and converse, one on one, with as many students as I can per day, talking about everything from their upcoming math project, the latest Lil' Wayne album, the University of Kentucky basketball record, or brainstorming creative ideas for independent reading projects.

Focusing on students as people with diverse interests who want to be listened to and spoken to by a caring adult has done wonders this year. I believe this approach is one reason why I've made it through months at a time without ever having to kick a student out of class or write a discipline referral. If I played the game, so to speak, the way some politicians and administrators wanted it to be played, then I'd have a much harder time engaging and connecting with students.

So what to do when we feel bogged down by bureaucratic jargon and acroymns? Let's talk about specific kids in proactive ways.

Instead of spending tedious hours analyzing test scores of the TAG and ELL students, let's talk about how to motivate one of our 8th grade students named Brent. Let's talk about how to help him deal with his tendency to blurt out crude comments when substitute teachers take over, and discuss how to assist him in finding wilderness, adventure-based books, because we have taken the time to know he loves the outdoors, deer-hunting, and mud-runnin' in Kentucky fields.

Instead of talking to visiting professionals about what we are doing to close NCLB achievement gaps, let's talk about specific teaching strategies that might increase Jessie's interest in class-after all, she's a precocious reader who often finds herself staring at the ceiling, tapping her pencil, or distracting other students because the content isn't engaging her-after all, she is receiving few opportunities to make positive decisions about her learning.

Instead of debating the best way to grade ORQS, let's talk about Justin's penchant for wiggling around in his seat and bouncing around the room. WE know this hyper-kinetic child is remedied by authentic technology use, so let's talk about how Justin can produce a movie project about his latest independent reading book, incorporating some of his favorite music, images, and a narration he creates and records digitally.

Better yet, let's take time to talk with Brent, Jessie, and Justin in order to build solid relationships with students that can spurn transformative learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom. The language we choose to employ in the classroom, in hallway exchanges with colleagues, and professional meetings-among other places-reflects values and priorities. There is a time and place for discussion of data and test scores, but does the frequency of these discussion truly reflect what you believe as an educator?