Contextual Factors

     Bonneville Elementary School serves an affluent community—one of Salt Lake City’s nicest neighborhoods.  The homes and properties are beautiful as they are nestled in the shady foothills that adorn the city’s East side.  Having worked as a substitute teacher during the 2007—2008 school year, I had a chance to work in schools that were in much less fortunate areas.   The kids and faculty at Bonneville don’t have to think much about problems that are huge in some of the schools on the West side of the valley where many classes are filled with students who don’t use English in their homes.  Bonneville students don’t know what it is to hear lots of languages, and accents.  With a focus on just one language the students have excellent English vocabularies and understanding. 

     The kindergarten class—where I am doing my student teaching—has 26 students.  They were evaluated before they started the year. 22 of them could write their names. Five of them knew all the letters of the alphabet.  23 of them knew at least 10 numbers.  Two of them knew their address.  All of them knew how to use position words like: on, in, under, beside, far and near.  From my experience in other schools here in Salt Lake City, they are coming to school better prepared with these basics than most.

     The classroom is next to another half-day kindergarten class.  That class is laid out and decorated better, but our class has more learning going on.  All of these classes are very full and the parents of children in the other kindergarten have complained and pushed the school to hire another teacher.   To do so, the school would have to get some of the parents in our full-day kindergarten class to want to move their child into a half-day class with another teacher.  None of the parents in our class wanted to lose this class and our excellent teacher.  When we had an open house and all of the kindergarten parents met in the same room, with both teachers, the other teacher had very little to say, and what she said sounded scared and pinched.  When the teacher that I am working with got up she talked with smiling authority and went way overtime as she had so much to say.  So the class might not be the most beautiful, but it is filled with excellent learning.

     The teacher spent so much time teaching detailed procedures and giving the students a chance to practice the procedures.  So many details that could easily be overlooked were covered and practiced.  For instance:  She taught them how to use their whiteboards.  They were to listen for a click when they put the lid back on the marker and they learned where to keep their eraser.

     The lessons and activities are non-stop.  The teacher has the kids busy doing interesting things every minute.  When they come in from recess she is having some get drinks while others get situated for the next activity.  There is not a moment when students have not been given directions and know what to do.

     When a teacher is in such a classroom, where students are prepared to learn, there is little to distract the process.  The kids are ready with their healthy bodies and minds.  They have secure and peaceful homes and family lives.  The school is functioning well with excellent facilities and faculty.  Assessments have been made and everything is in order.  There is no reason this class can’t achieve at a very high level as a group and as individuals.   I had a chance to attend the end of the year party that this teacher had with her class last year.  It was a lot of fun but the part that was most impressive was the tears of the parents as they expressed appreciation to this teacher and great sadness that this year was over.

     So another year has begun and the sweet memories are added as the days go quickly by.  I still remember watching them as they came in to get assessed by this stranger who would become their beloved teacher.  They are already very different people to each other in wonderful ways.  The school, the principal, the halls, the gym, and the cafeteria are all so different to this class and me.  These Bonneville Elementary School rooms and people are now a part of these students like their fingers and toes.  What was once so foreign has become essential.