East Flatbush Writer

As punishment for my first blog three weeks ago about why teachers need summer breaks, I was extended a late offer to actually teach summer school for the remaining weeks. Let me take a step back and assure you that accepting the offer was a bit of a beleaguered moment. Discussions were had with my husband about how to rework the summer, as we had already made plans which in no way included me working in a school. There was disbelief, disappointment, some long pauses, hopefully a shed tear (from my husband) and then finally acceptance. We both agreed that although a summer break was what we wanted, some extra cash to help with our financial responsibilities was what we needed.

The call came on Friday and by Monday I was in an Uber heading to a middle school a few miles away. The small group of students lingering on the side street signaled that the entrance into the building was close by. I would later realize that they were waiting for the cafeteria doors to open. At 8:00 am students are served breakfast and later in the day, lunch. The hours in between are used by public school teachers, like myself, to continue at the task of educating or re-educating students, who for a myriad of reasons, were not able to pass one or all of their classes during the past 10 months of the school year. The goal is certainly not to re-teach in 24 days everything missed or misunderstood in the past 183, but rather assist students in compiling a portfolio of assignments which justify their promotion to the next grade. I am teaching 6th grade Social Studies.

“Where’s Mr. John?” One of the students hurled the question at me as soon as I entered the 99 degree sweltering classroom. I had very little information for my new students about their old teacher, except that Mr. John was not returning, and that I would be replacing him. Each time the same question was asked throughout the day, I would add more details to the the answer. “Where’s Mr. John?” In response I would ask right back, “Where is Mr. John?” Or I might say,   “I heard you ran him off.” Surprisingly one of the students lamented quickly that maybe all the cursing and overturned desks may have contributed to Mr. John’s decision to leave his summer teaching assignment after only two weeks. I certainly didn’t expect to hear about the chaotic scenes preceding my being there, but it was very revealing about what I had committed myself to for the remaining four weeks.

Summer school is a repository for students who either failed a class or multiple classes. They may not have passed one or more mandated state tests or a combination of both. It is a place which usually contains students with the greatest academic and/or behavioral needs.

A classroom which is ordinarily filled with 30 students of varying learning levels is transformed into a holding pen for 20 of the neediest ones. Although they are not as concerned as you might think about the possibility of them being promoted to the next grade, the odds are in their favor that they will. If a summer school student attends most of the 24 days, completes a small percentage of the work and doesn’t hurt a teacher while overturning a desk in frustration, they will be awarded a portfolio and a “pass on” to the next grade.

So with two more weeks to go on this journey, I hope you will come back and hear about the rest of my summer school adventures.

Until next time.