When You Know, You Know…

“When You know, you know.” Words I’ve heard time and time again spoken by veteran teachers as they announce their plans to retire. Those words have brought solace, comforting me with the thought that it will be clear when my cherished time in the classroom should end. This year little nudges, including outwardly mean, angry students and the disappointing response to my much-anticipated Advanced English elective, suggest it may be time to cash in my chips while I still have stacks in front of me. So for everyone who asks, “Are you retiring yet?” I will continue assessing my effectiveness and gauging my interest in continuing the work I have loved for so long. I’ll keep you posted.

With that out of the way,I can relate how the words, “When you know, you know.” hit me hard this week and it had seemingly nothing to do with my retirement. It was Thursday evening, the second night of Parent-Teacher Conferences, and I was offering suggestions to a mom who asked how she could encourage more in-depth thought about literature in her son who struggles with abstract questions which require analysis. Like an out-of-body experience, I watched myself and heard my words as I quite proficiently, if I do say so myself, explained how she could push her son to think beyond the text. The mom nodded, repeated my idea, and gave me the smile of someone who truly appreciated the help. It was right then in that moment when the words, “When you know, you know.” resonated.

After thirty years in the classroom, I have used cooperative learning, thematic instruction, reading across the curriculum, authentic assessment and student contracts. I’ve developed my own rubrics, unit plans, and mentor texts. I’ve led students in tracking their own learning, setting their own goals, and writing for real-world purposes. I’ve taught like a Pirate and a Champion. I’ve used Grade Level Content Area Standards, Benchmarks, Common Core Standards, and Priority Standards to guide my lesson design. I post my “What” and “Why”, our Student-Generated Classroom Rules, the Voice Level Charts and my Certificate for First Aid in Emotional Health. I take photos of our class connecting with the community as we tour the Historical Village and post the photo collage to social media. Public relations and perception are more important than ever, and that’s also why I write and send an English Letter to my students and their families each and every Sunday. I KNOW how to do this job. And really we all do. Teachers have years of college schooling, interning and the “boots on the ground” training that only days after days spent in the classroom can provide. So it’s time to stand up to the bullies of education who lurk in political meetings and sometimes even in our own administrative offices and say, “Enough!”

We are enough. Because when you know, you know! And I know this, teachers are not the problem. Teachers are the one thing keeping hope alive for a meaningful educational experience and we need to get loud about demanding a seat at the table where decisions are made.

Because we are the ones who know.