Culture wars frame the election for students

This is the second in a series of posts I will be writing over the next month about teaching Social Studies during Election season. These reflections are more "off-the-cuff" and some may combine into something worthy of publishing . If I re-draft any pieces here for publication, I will include a link.

THE PUBLISHED HUFFPOST VERSION (Click)

Imagine what the final presidential debate looks like to a high school student

The last few days of class have opened my eyes to a campaign season that we lost control of long ago.

From the beginning of this race, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were sharing the spotlight with videos of police officers shooting black men, a national conversation about the Confederate flag and a baker's religious freedom to decline making a cake for a gay wedding.

South Carolina Capitol Grounds, 2015

Photo by Jason Lander, Creative Commons 

Culture wars about the bathrooms assigned to transgender folks in North Carolina got the attention of students around the same time Trump announced that Mexicans are rapists and he was running for president.

That same year in March 2015, the private computer server sitting in Clinton’s home became a news story shortly after the Justice Department released a report showing that the Ferguson, Mo. Police violated the constitutional rights of the city's African-American residents.

Stop and think about how different news is consumed in 2016 compared to back in the day. Consider the degree of confusion and blame surrounding the conflicts that play out in the media.

Now, imagine your 16 year old self participating in today's political process in today’s information environment. The Internet, Twitter, TV and the 24 hour news cycle make it difficult for young people to avoid the news. Most middle and high school students get a dose of current events nearly everyday at school so young people are taking this election in whether they want to or not.

Laws about gender identity and public 
restrooms confuses students. 

Photo by Wayan Vota, Creative Commons

And our children have been overrun with culture wars pitting passionate people with opposing views against each other.

When ideas clash we’re reminded that different versions of the United States exist - dependent on income, race, education, religion and geography. Family and peers serve as filters for the news my students consume.

It is rational for teens to expect drama at every turn in the race to the White House in a world where facts take a backseat to theatrics and soundbites. Most of my students are not surprised by the antics they see unfolding during the election. From the time they began paying attention, outrage continues to get more play than reason.

Like their adult counterparts, today’s teens are equipped to escape the day to day drudgery of news. Their days are spent doing kid things - algebra, texting friends and going to football games. The news cycle moves at warp speed for teens, but the tone is not lost on them. Even though we move quickly from one headline to the next, students are more aware about what’s going on than their parents, teachers and grandparents were as teens. Whether they understand the implications of what they're witnessing is a separate conversation.

Relevant issues and no political resolve in Congress

For teens, the last couple years of conflict has been their introduction to American politics. The divisions have always existed, but we used to be better at coming to grips with not agreeing. Today's power struggles can't be dealt with in a single protest or piece of legislation.

Talking heads on TV have spun out of control making it difficult to discern honest analysis from propaganda. I am mindful that tension is part of our American political legacy and changing the current political culture will be a slow and messy process.

When students witness or take part in a movement like Black 

Lives Matter it can be a powerful teaching moment. Lessons 

on privilege, values, and  how we view news and social 

justice naturally come up in class. Unpacking Blue Lives 

Matter and lessons from All  Lives Matter has impact.  
(Photo Credit: Creative Commons)

Do today's students have the patience to endure a long road to progress? Do the adults they look to for guidance possess the stamina?

I remind students that change requires equal parts desire, optimism and organization. When I get a tired response from my class I am empathetic. My reminder is also aimed in the mirror.

In the face of real challenges, students are confused about American priorities. In class today, a student compared this campaign season to a bad reality TV show that can’t end soon enough. Another student, in light of our conversation about the election, asked if a president can be impeached right away after they take office. Some students began questioning whether the president is very important to our nation. Their reasoning: nothing gets done anyway.

Sign outside Sandy Hook Elementary School where 20 

children were shot and killed in 2012 along with six 

adults.  Photo By Justin Lane, Creative Commons

Today's high school juniors were in eighth grade when 20 children under the age of eight were gunned down and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. They also know that a solution related to violence or mental health in the United States still has not happened. Debate in Congress? Nope.

This December will mark the four year anniversary of Sandy Hook and nothing substantive has changed. High school students recognize that if the preventable death of twenty children does not usher in a spirit of urgency and bipartisanship then it seems nothing will.

In today's America, teens wonder why we struggle so mightily to tackle tough issues. Why are we so scared?

Guns, immigration, racism and wealth inequality are familiar battles in the United States. Throw in women’s health issues (see Texas, Kansas, Alabama or Arkansas for instance), voting rights and religious freedom/discrimination laws (Georgia and Indiana for instance) and the backdrop to the 2016 Presidential election has been firmly in place for a few years. Voters have taken sides and politicians have been reluctant to compromise. My students are watch without expectation.

When they see the debate highlights (or lowlights depending on your perspective), they aren't looking to be inspired. They're looking for it to end.

What should we expect when candidates are demonized not for their ideas, but for their existence. In some circles, supporters of the candidates are diminished too. Despite my best intentions, lessons about James Madison and Thomas Jefferson are falling on deaf ears.

Students report to me that they don’t believe in a system that fails to deliver. Students, like the rest of us, do not see any indication that bipartisan cooperation is even a goal among members of Congress. Adding a vilified president to the mix will just make it worse.

While some students are comfortable assigning blame, most students are trying to make sense of the issues.

Adults owe it to students to talk about facts, weigh the costs and benefits of ideas and try to understand how someone else can see the exact same choices so differently. You can't imagine the amount of on-the-spot fact checking required in a classroom. In fact, I am willing to bet that in a group setting of adults just as much fact checking would be necessary if facts are actually important.

That’s a problem.

Unfortunately, in the world our students are growing up in, problems exist not as challenges to solve together, but as a means to divide people. They are taking their cues from all of us, including the candidates.

Somehow, legit facts become disputed and half-truths can garner so much airtime that they become the truth. All of this contributes to a political environment that makes statesmanship elusive. Legions of hard-liners grandstand in a fight to be the loudest and sometimes I feel like I am watching just to see the blood spill. And I am the teacher, not the teenager.

It is crazy.

I am not casting blame on my students, just frustration about our shared experience. I am the one responsible to create an engaging atmosphere where students can share ideas in class, ask questions and express opinions. They do those things, but sometimes I wonder how we should make meaning of what is happening.

#   #   #   

PS: Classroom circumstances of concern

Vote for the VPs instead

One student quipped that people should cast a vote for the Vice President since whoever wins will likely be impeached or even worse, assassinated. Obviously, that is not a joking matter and we discussed as much in class. The student did not mean it in a mean-spirited way and his point was that with so much hate surrounding this election, it would not surprise him if an attempt was made to take the life of the president.

But the bigger question for me has to do with a willingness of other students to shrug it off which left me wondering if they have just become indifferent or if they really think the situation is so dire that neither candidate can handle the responsibility of being President of the United States.

As alluded to earlier, high school students lack the context and life experiences to grasp national tragedies and turmoil. I was in the same boat as an early 90’s high school student. Think about it - my students were toddlers when the September 11, 2001 attacks happened. They are caught between witnessing an ugly election season today and what they have learned about history from second hand sources at home, in school or with the help of the Internet. Their context right now includes confusion about Black and blue lives mattering, bullying and a litany of social issues that have divided people.

Michelle Obama Speaks to the Nation about Sexism

After watching Michelle Obama’s speech from October 13 about sexism and the challenges women face, my students wrote a reaction. I will read their written reflections later this week, but as students talked in small groups and volunteers shared out to the class it became clear to me that The First Lady’s message hit home. Today's students seem self-aware and certainly more introspective than I recall being when I was a teenager.

On the other hand, I could not help but wonder how our conversation turned away from the merit of her speech and the universal truths we seemed to agree upon. Among the student-raised topics that surprised me was whether Mrs. Obama was justified to get choked up while speaking (How can she really be that upset? It never happened to her.). There was also talk about patterns of behavior and how that informs our opinions of people.

Naturally, the questions about Trump’s accusers and President Bill Clinton’s accusers took center stage. We walked that fine line with respect to due process and acknowledging the awful legacy of victim-blaming in cases of sexual harassment and misconduct. Students showed sensitivity when talking about the courage it takes for victims to speak up which made me proud. When we eventually made it back to the topics in the speech, I had a sense that it is easy for students to distrust the words of any political figure standing behind a microphone. Even with a message that is universally adaptable and above partisanship, a few students expressed indifference or dismay with some aspects of her speech. I was not prepared for that response.

Public Service Needs our Best Young People

Public service is getting a bad name. It concerns me that my students may view a run for elected office in a negative light. The very nature of this election reminds all of us that we need our best people wanting to serve in their communities.

We have spent so much time talking about heavy topics and national politics in class that I can see now that a pivot to local issues and political figures might help students in the long run. A devotion to public service is commendable and I am not sure I have imparted that to my students yet.

If you have ideas about how I can bridge this gap for students, please let me know. As the grandchild of a former mayor, nephew of a current mayor and son of a school board member I know the value of public service. Whether it is giving back as a volunteer or taking up a cause, I want to do help my students see and experience American values in the places they exist outside of national politics.

Election 2016 & Student Learning

This is the first in a series of posts I will be writing over the next month about teaching Social Studies during Election season. These reflections are more "off-the-cuff" and some may combine into something worthy of publishing . If I re-draft any pieces here for publication, I will include a link.

Young people are paying attention

The election season has dominated my life this week. At home, we talk about the election daily. Colleagues have been stopping by my classroom to discuss the news of the day and students regularly stay after class to engage in conversations about the future of our nation.

My teenage students have helped me see this election from their perspective. While most of my students are still too young to vote, they have been following the twists and turns on the campaign trail. The best part is that while many divergent points of view exist in each of my classes, students consistently demonstrate a willingness to listen and keep the conversations focused on ideas. Personal attacks and disrespectful behaviors do not enter into our heated discussions. Students place more value on being heard than on being right. I try my best to apply the lessons imparted by my students when I get involved in fierce conversations.

Last April I wrote an impassioned Open Letter to Donald Trump featured in HuffPost and in that letter I described my optimism about the future in spite of Trump's popularity. My students were opening my eyes to a perspective I was incapable of gaining on my own. At that time, my students were questioning Trump's bigotry and racist behaviors. Today, six months after I wrote that letter, Trump is on political life-support. As some people make excuses for Trump's behaviors I am mindful that that we have a lot of healing to endure in our nation. I continue to get feedback about my letter to Trump (positive and critical) and while I remain optimistic in general, I am more cautious about asserting what this election means for young people. The damage from this election season is difficult for me to predict.

Voting is not the answer for many students

Just as I feel encouraged by how we talk about topics in class, I slump back into disappointment when many of my students report that they don't have much interest in voting. A lot of these kids don't fit the mold of "quiet and disinterested" students going through the motions at school. My brightest and most ambitious students feel so discouraged about the future of the country that they openly admit to me, their American Government teacher mind you, that voting is a waste of time.

This should concern you just as it concerns me.

I would be lying if I did not admit that I kind of understand why they feel this way, but I still hold out hope that these students might see it differently in the future. Hopefully they will feel their voice is part of a useful process. I am responsible for helping to bridge the gap between our professed ideals as a nation and the role each of my students has in this process.

What's plaguing young people is the same thing that is afflicting many adults and it's not simply a lack of interest.

     My students lack confidence.

     Confidence in the candidates.

     Confidence in the election process.

     Confidence in the electorate.

     Confidence in the media.

     Confidence that whoever is elected will be able to make life better for Americans.

Most students are navigating all of this for the first time and once the heat of election season dies down, we have to honestly deal with the root causes of the divisions in our country. A lot of people seem discouraged and we need to understand why so we can get to work.

Entertainment

Even though some election fatigue is setting in, students report that they feel most of what is happening on the campaign trail feels more like entertainment than real-life. The line has been blurred between the reality facing our nation and the reality TV style campaign antics and media coverage.

My students admit that they are not sure what to make of some of the destructive behaviors and shenanigans that garner news coverage. I fear that there is a major disconnect between what is happening in this election cycle and the implications for our nation. The understanding that elections have consequences has taken a backseat to, let's just get this over with now.

Campaign policy stances and critical issues have been moved to the back pages and impressionable students are experiencing a massive void in regard to a national dialogue about important issues. Ideas that need to be fleshed out and vetted by the electorate can't compete in a campaign season more suited to tabloid coverage. It is refreshing to finally dig into racism and sexism as part of the national conversation, but the way we got here has been disheartening. And where we go from this point will say a lot about our next president's ability to lead.

Whether it involves recordings of Donald Trump bragging about sexual assault or hacks into DNC e-mails by Russians, the whole thing has an espionage feel to it that we normally equate to the movies.

American Values

Guiding US Constitutional principles like the rule of law, limited government, individual rights, equality and the separation of powers have to make their way back to the election cycle list of topics we examine as a nation.

My talented colleagues who teach social studies encourage reasonable disagreement and passionate discussion among students and I hope students will demand as much from politicians in the future. Smart people informing our ideas, no matter their political stripe, should be a part of every student's diet. During election season, it is difficult to sift through the mud in order to get to the good stuff.

As a nation, we cannot afford to ignore how we got to this place: two unfavorable candidates, the regular use of the p-word in news reports and wild allegations about both candidates. Today's students are well-positioned as tomorrows uniters so long as we help them learn from all of this political destruction.

Since they have been paying attention, my students have been exposed to the ridiculous birther movement, a vacant US Supreme Court seat and a nation with deep divisions regarding law enforcement, race and immigration.

Helping students engage in the political process and learn from people whose ideas they may vehemently oppose is an important step toward a brighter future.

We'll be okay

In the midst of a class discussion one student confidently claimed "we'll be okay" when this is over. The basis of his response had to do with the checks and balances in our government. In other words, whatever the result in the election, he said that we will still be on solid ground because of the way the Framers designed our government. Part of me was proud since we just finished our unit on the origins of our government, but I got the sense that his point was that the government will continue to function. The bare minimum expectation and admittedly my confidence in that measure varies depending on who is elected. Another student claimed that it will be okay because in her view Donald Trump will not win so things can get back to normal.

We have yet to discuss what normal and functioning mean in the wake of this election season. How we define and create a new normal is going to be critical to our progress. Whether my student's will have faith in a government they have only two experiences with - the one they learn about from a textbook and the government they see on Twitter - may depend on the ability of our next president to lead us through rocky times.

The greatest challenge for me as an educator is to exercise patience about all of the learning we will be engaged in over the course of the semester. The depth required to analyze the role of the United States President takes time and context. Learning about each branch of government and the guiding principles of the US Constitution encourages students to contribute different ideas, but it can't be rushed. Primary documents like the Federalist Papers and the US Constitution require time to digest.

Students tell me they are overwhelmed with opinions on social issues they do not understand. Policies about immigration get muddled with so many myths that their heads are spinning. Having ideas about out how to deal with Russia or determining where weaknesses exist in Obamacare requires a PhD as far as my students are concerned. We can't afford to have a generation of students left behind by our political process.

How to best work toward progress in class and as a nation motivates me, and the landscape of this election season presents so many nuanced and complex lessons.

I love this challenge as a teacher.

Trump’s Lessons On Privilege & Risk

A black or female presidential candidate with Trump’s history would never make it into a Detroit church to campaign two months before election day.

Last month in Michigan, Donald Trump asked America’s Black voters, “What the hell do you have to lose?”

On Saturday he brought his message to Detroit in an effort to convince Michigan’s largest group of Black voters that he is the solution to their problems. In a scripted interview with Bishop Wayne T. Jackson (Trump received the questions ahead of time), he reached out to minority voters. This well orchestrated campaign move highlights the double standard Trump enjoys in his bid for the White House.

Can you imagine the national conversation if Hillary Clinton had given birth to five children by three different men? 

A Black or female presidential candidate with Trump’s history would never make it into a Detroit church to campaign two months before Election Day. A candidate with even a fraction of Trump’s divisive baggage could only exist if he were white.

Can you imagine the national conversation if Hillary Clinton had given birth to five children by three different men - including an affair leading to pregnancy and a baby born out of wedlock?

How would a church congregation assess Clinton’s presidential fitness if she had broken up her family by acting with callous disregard for her spouse and three young children?  

Candidate Trump continues to take advantage of the built-in advantages that will never exist for Hillary Clinton or any candidate that resembles the Detroit congregation Mr. Trump visited.

As Trump capitalizes on his privilege and pivots to substantive campaign topics, acknowledging the enormous cultural disparity that benefits him rests squarely on the shoulders of American voters.  

Candidate Trump is taking advantage of the built-in advantages that do not exist for Hillary Clinton or any candidate that resembles the Detroit congregation he visited.

As a female candidate, Hillary Clinton has a challenging threshold to meet in order to convince voters she has command of the leadership skills it takes to sit in the Oval Office and still remain likable enough to get elected.

How would voters and the media react if Hillary Clinton had handed over full custody of her young children to ex-spouses while simultaneously advancing her career ambitions? Would voters admire Clinton’s single-minded drive to achieve personal success? Would we celebrate her stamina and applaud her strength? Maybe, but her character and cracked moral compass as a mother would dominate the conversation.  

Trump certainly faces criticism, but when it comes to political popularity the 70-year old grandfather and self-aggrandizing business tycoon has grown his base despite very serious character flaws. Missteps and baggage that would normally derail a campaign turn out to be mere blemishes for Trump. His candidacy affords him luxuries a minority candidate from either party would never enjoy.

Trump’s tweet, “If Hillary can’t satisfy her husband, what makes her think she can satisfy America?” put his sexism on full display. The mere question of a woman’s ability to satisfy a man is the type of twisted male chauvinism that paralyzes our advancement. Trump has ventured from tasteless to dangerous with his rhetoric.         

Following the RNC Convention, how many news pundits touched on the fact that Donald Trump’s talented children were heart-broken as young kids when his reckless behavior destroyed his family? Do you think a female candidate for president who engaged in an extramarital affair in the public spotlight would benefit from public amnesia and be given the same treatment as Trump? What about a Black candidate for president? Would the media ignore the storyline about a Blackbaby daddy who selfishly looked out for his own interests leaving his children without a father present in their daily lives?

The obsession over Clinton’s e-mails and President Obama’s religious views would never exist because a woman or Black man with two divorces and a record of infidelity would struggle getting elected to the local school board in this country.

These questions may be difficult to ingest, but they are worth asking. The double-standards in American politics deserve a critical examination.

If the tables were turned, the obsession over Clinton’s e-mails and President Obama’s religious views would never exist because a woman or Black man with two divorces and a record of infidelity would struggle getting elected to the local school board in this country.  

Yet, Donald Trump is the 2016 Republican nominee for president of the United States of America.

This weekend in Detroit, Team Trump attempted to blur the direct link from his bigoted comments to the man himself. Trumps pivot is motivated by the hope voters will be distracted enough to forget the unique brand of populist racism that propelled his rise in the Republican party.

This is not the first time a Black church has been used as a backdrop to advance a political narrative. Remember the outrage when it was discovered Barack Obama worshipped at a Southside Chicago church led by the fiery Black pastor Jeremiah Wright? Media scrutiny and questions about then-Senator Obama’s loyalty to the nation became a topic of conversation in this country. Obama was facing criticism not for his own actions, but for an association to someone that expressed controversial opinions.

Can you imagine if President Obama became a Christian convert just prior to his presidential run? His campaign would have ended before the Baptismal water dried from his forehead.

Why aren’t the same critics asking about the sincerity of Trump’s recent conversion to Christianity? Can you imagine if President Obama became a Christian convert just prior to his presidential run? His campaign would have ended before the Baptismal water dried from his forehead.

While Trump’s indiscretions have been reported, they have never really been thestory. Trump’s preposterous comments are dismissed as, “Trump being Trump” by his loyal supporters.

No one can reasonably deny that as a Black man Barack Obama would never have gotten away with claiming he is so popular he could shoot someone and not lose support. He would have never been a nominee for president just as Hillary Clinton would not be given the benefit of the doubt if she had two failed marriages and bankruptcy on her record. No way.

In the United States of America only Donald Trump or someone who looks like him could pull this off.

What do African-Americans in Detroit have to lose?

The same thing all of us will lose if we elect Donald Trump president - another four years spent ignoring the insidious nature of sexism and racism in the United States of America.

BY NICK GREGORY

Graffiti designed to welcome Mr. Trump? 

Finding your voice - Letter to students

Completing assignments that require expression and/or analysis of Op Ed pieces can be challenging

CLICK HERE to access my PUBLISHED OPEN LETTER 

 September 2016

Dear Social Studies and Language Arts Students,

First of all, thank you for taking the time to read my open letter to Donald Trump. I am grateful that I am part of the conversation about the election for President of the United States. I realize that some of you may not agree with the stand I have taken in opposition to Mr. Trump and I respect that fact. There is enough room for all of our ideas. I believe that to my core.

I wrote the letter to Mr. Trump because I felt compelled to share my experience. I was challenged teaching my American Government students about the election process and American values (i.e. diversity, individual rights, equality and the common good) as we were simultaneously witnessing Mr. Trump’s questionable behavior. His actions were contradicting the lessons we were studying and I felt that unique angle would appeal to readers. Racism and bigotry are deal breakers for me and Mr. Trump’s divisiveness sinks to dangerous levels in my opinion. It goes beyond political ideology and party loyalty and my goal as a writer was to share my experience with the stakes for my students as a central theme. The main idea that engages readers is called a hook or peg. The future for my students with Mr. Trump’s candidacy for president was my hook.  

Navigating a professional way to teach and talk about Mr. Trump with students is new territory. In fact, I think that is why my letter attracted readers - nearly every angle about Mr. Trump had been covered to that point. My story was coming from a new perspective and I crafted a letter that reflected both the criticisms of Mr. Trump raised in class and my optimism about the future. Finding the appropriate tone was extremely challenging.  

As a teacher, I am mindful that my professional integrity is critical in order for me to encourage students to find their voice in our democracy. When it comes to political ideology and politics I think students need a safe space to engage in meaningful and difficult conversations. Some of Mr. Trump’s repulsive behavior in debates or in TV interviews for instance was contradicting the expectations we have for behavior in my classroom. When students recognized this fact it moved me to start thinking about how I could share my Trump teaching experiences with a larger audience.  By writing the letter then my disdain for Donald Trump would also become public information subject to criticism. As I said before though, racism and bigotry are deal breakers for me and from my vantage point publishing the open letter to Donald Trump was worth any risk it might entail. Every person has the right to responsibly express themselves and being criticized for that expression comes with the territory. 

My letter stands on its own and I am proud of it. Finding my voice in the process of drafting the letter was rewarding. Protecting my credibility required me to take a disciplined approach in regard to establishing the truth. One error and I would have been spending time explaining rather than having conversations about my experiences as a teacher and the point of the letter. 

I researched extensively and the process was arduous. The letter you read reached its final version after more than three weeks of work. I spent several hours editing and drafting various versions of the letter and I was making changes constantly. Two people helped me edit and eventually I cut about 400 words from my original draft and committed to several style changes. My advice to you: get tough editors on your side.  

I have written other published pieces, but I really struggled finding a rhythm in my letter to Mr. Trump. Eventually, I felt I nailed it. With other pieces I have written, I had to just leave them alone and call it good, but my letter to Trump was different. I had to love it.

Words have power. 

Stories matter. 

Your story and the way you experience the world deserves an audience.

My open letter to Mr. Trump is a small part of my story and the impact of being able to share my ideas has given me confidence. My students remind me all the time that when our stories live in places where they can be shared then our voice is multiplied. Publishing that letter has been one of the most fulfilling learning experiences of my life. I am practicing what I preach to my students - “Live with passion, get educated about what is important and elevate your voice!”

As it turns out, the most rewarding aspect of putting myself out there has been all of the opportunities I continue to have learning from other people. Understanding new perspectives is always useful. 

I am very curious so the writing process really fills my desire to keep learning. Finding ways to engage people takes creativity. Putting your ideas out there for public consumption opens you up to learning opportunities. People will tell you what they think so be ready. Whether my audience is critical or positive, if my writing engages a reader enough that they choose to voice their own ideas then it is a win. Writing has helped me grow as a teacher. My students see me taking a risk in much the same way I ask them to in class.  Progress is accelerated through shared ideas.

I think adults would be well served to step back and learn the art of listening from young people. My writing has improved as I continue to evolve as a listener. My students have helped me find my voice and for that I am grateful beyond measure. 

If I can ever be helpful to you, please reach out. I would love to see your writing and with your permission, share your ideas with my students in Michigan.

Sincerely,

Mr. Gregory

Nick Gregory

Social Studies Teacher

PS   You can connect with me on Twitter (@CivicsEngaged) or Instagram (NickGregoryPhoto) – I would love to hear from you.

Media Savvy & Elevating Your Voice: Writing Op-Eds & Blog Posts

Your story matters

Your story is compelling. 
You are an expert.

You can move the needle on how we frame the education conversation.

Today you will:

1. Ask questions and interact with your colleagues to incubate ideas 
2. Discuss strategies & best practices for opinion writing
3. Brainstorm your passion pitches
4. Write a pitch ... Find a blog space

My portfolio at a glance:

• Lens Culture houses some of my Photoessay work. My Flint project is not complete yet, but there are five photo-essays included HERE: https://www.lensculture.com/search/projects?q=nicholas%2Bgregory
• Huffington Post (Open Letter to Donald Trump & Lessons about Privilege we learn from Trump) HERE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/ngregory48846-135

• M-Live - Officer Fields (South Carolina) Reminds us of our National Failures: HERE http://www.mlive.com/opinion/flint/index.ssf/2015/11/guest_column_nick_gregory.html
• M-Live - MLK Legacy Lives in Flint & Detroit as both cities Face Injustice: HERE http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2016/01/mlks_legacy_lives_as_detroit_a.html
• This Blog has a lot of my ideas too. The most popular topics include my writing about teacher evaluations, the role of mindfulness as an educator, symbolism and the Confederate flag and Teachers who changed my life.

Resources:

• Mind/Shift blog
• Edutopia
• America Achieves
• In Colorado? Chalkbeat, Denver Post, local media

The last bell of the day

Finding your voice in a stagnant culture

The issues raised in this blog are not specifically motivated by the policies within my own school or within my district. I write about many topics that are often related to discussions with educators who do not work in my school district. This blog in no way is intended to reflect solely on any specific leaders or my place of employment. 

In my new role as the administrator for summer school I asked one of my students *Tanner, "What's your favorite part of school?"

The 13-year-old boy stopped jumping over a hand railing for the three seconds it took to answer.

"The last bell of the day," he responded with a dead stare.

And with that, he jetted back to class, leaping to touch every banner hanging in the hallway.

A desk I found at summer school begs the question,

"Why continue your search for career satisfaction 
despite your lack of influence on a dwindling 
school culture?" 

I expected this boy who failed multiple classes would say gym or lunch. I naively figured he might call out his favorite teacher or say something about the girls in art class. But Tanner had something else in mind and the way he answered my question, serious and without hesitation, made a profound impression.

His words hung in the air.

"The last bell of the day."

A simple response from a boy who told me middle school was a place for good students, not him. He said he was smart enough (and his test scores this summer support that finding), but he just quit caring. With a slight grin, Tanner told me that it doesn't matter because he will probably transfer to another school next year.

All of this got me thinking about how we deal with people who fall out of touch with school and may feel that they do not belong. What about when that sentiment about not wanting to be at school is shared by teachers or staff members?

The school culture should support adults as well as students

At times I have felt professionally isolated and believed that if I left the profession I would not be missed. From time to time I have even thought that my absence would go largely unnoticed by school leaders in my building. Sometimes my frustration had to do mostly with me, but like many teachers my sense of belonging is strongly correlated to the culture of the building where I teach. For the most part, I have felt less control and influence on our building culture in recent years and it has pushed me in new directions.

Unlike Tanner, transferring to a new building or a new position is unlikely for teachers so how can we make the most of a challenging school environment?

Framing the culture challenge  

We should be mindful of a couple important questions as we examine school culture. Keeping these questions in mind can help frame the challenges existing in your school culture.

• Do school leaders in struggling environments want to know the truth about how teachers feel about the culture of the school? Is your boss challenged by the same constraints a struggling teacher may feel?  

• What can you do as a professional when you work in a culture where there is an unwillingness to face tough questions about employee satisfaction and professional empowerment?

• How should you balance maintaining your sanity at work with a growing sense of wanting to change the culture for the better? 

Here is my advice for educators seeking more career satisfaction despite feeling powerless to change their school culture.

Claim your expertise 

You are an expert and that expertise needs to be claimed by you. Education is one of the few professions where masses of talented and accomplished people seem to think that claiming expertise translates to arrogance. Humility is an awesome quality to have when your professional life is spent serving others and claiming expertise is unrelated to humility. When I say to claim your expertise this means taking ownership of what you have to offer students and colleagues and putting yourself out there to share your ideas. Take action to amplify your voice in our profession and engage in highlighting what you know works while investigating new approaches with enthusiasm.

Being really good in a particular aspect of your job is something that should be celebrated and shared. Collaborate without an invitation from others and do not bother seeking validation from school leaders who seem too busy to realize your value. When the culture of your school doesn't encourage sharing, your success is not a threat so do the best you can without worrying about what others think. We do not need permission to be experts. Most importantly, take your ideas somewhere else to grow. Your expertise will benefit other people and ultimately your ideas will reach students which is the goal.

I earned the role of a Lead Fellow with America Achieves 
so that I can help educators amplify their voices on 
education and policy issues. I feel connected to so many
pros who continue to help me improve as a teacher.

Outside of my daily interaction with students, claiming my expertise as a teacher has brought me more satisfaction and enjoyment than any other aspect of my professional life. Accepting a fellowship with America Achieves launched me into the 2015-2016 school year with new professional relationships and a network of pros to learn from on a regular basis. If you can find an organization with professional values that match your own, go for it. Do not wait for an invitation. Find a way to be involved beyond your school. Twitter chats are another great extension to branch out professionally.


Whatever your particular strengths, keep in mind that the expertise you bring everyday adds value to your school and to the experience of hundreds of students. Your confidence will grow by leaps and bounds if you put yourself out there and choose to present at conferences or take a role as a leader within your building.

You did not get into teaching to be on the sidelines. We all bring a different personality and dynamic to this profession and when you go all in and claim your expertise, no one can take that from you. As an expert you continue to learn and grow professionally and even in a school that may not appreciate or recognize your talent, it is okay to seek validation elsewhere. Personally, I feel most accomplished and excited about the potential of our profession in my roles outside of my school. I used to be resentful about leaders who fail to recognize my talents, and I am now liberated because I have moved on and found my own place to shine. My school represents a part of who I am professionally, but certainly not everything. Go claim your expertise and branch out - it might be the best decision you make for your career.
    

Elevate your voice with ideas, not complaints

Perhaps the biggest lesson I have learned in the last few years is to bring ideas and solutions to the table in the face of adversity. Some school cultures are set up in a manner where ideas are not valued, but that does not mean that you should stop bringing those ideas. Even if your ideas do not take flight today, you can become a person on the staff who is viewed as creative rather than simply a griper. Your colleagues, the real pros, will recognize you as a leader even if the principal may not notice. Leaders who are not interested in new ideas have already lost the confidence of the staff so it is imperative that others pick up the slack. Be a "slack picker-upper" who knows the limit of his reach. One day it may be a trusted colleague who earns a leadership role and seeks your advice because of your track record of good ideas.

Twitter chats are a tremendous

source of professional development. 
Click HERE to check on great 
chats coast to coast. 

Keep in mind that principals and other leaders often move on to new roles and many will change and grow just as the best teachers do. Your ideas may take root eventually so keep generating new ones to meet the challenges of teaching. Each idea could be a springboard for something down the road so don't think of it as wasted time.

I have embraced the fact that most of my ideas will live on this blog because to this point I am in an environment that has not made room for my ideas yet. (Did you catch the yet?) Maybe someday. Regardless, having ideas and sharing them will provide positive energy. A great post on the #COLchat Twitter chat, "Your vibe attracts your tribe" reminds me to stay mindful of who I attract. The ideas
and goals I share with others are my magnet.

Be the leader you wish you had 

Hopefully you are able to find strengths in the leaders you work alongside and it is important to recognize those strengths. I am fortunate to work with caring and compassionate leaders with a wide range of talents. When I say to be the leader you wish you had, it is important to note that I am not coming at this from a place of judgement. This is more of a challenge and it has helped me grow as a leader.

Rather than becoming mired in disappointment about the weaknesses in your building leaders, turn those perceived weaknesses into personal tests of your own leadership. For instance, if you think your principal does not communicate well enough how much she values teachers then choose to show your appreciation of teachers in your own way. If your leader struggles to hold people accountable, find ways to influence your sphere and create a learning environment with more personal accountability. If you are like me and get frustrated about the priorities building leaders hold then work through the proper channels to address the issues you can influence. If you make your leader's weaknesses your personal challenge, you will a.) likely appreciate how difficult it is to do some of the things you value and b.) you will be more fulfilled taking action and leading by example.

Once I decided I was done waiting for leadership in the areas I value most, my learning accelerated and new opportunities have added value to my career to make up for what's missing in the school culture. As teachers we also need to remain mindful that there are a lot of aspects of building leadership we're not aware of so being the leader you wish you had is a positive way to build a better culture. Teachers share in the responsibility of creating a positive building culture.

  

Mentorship & Collaboration = Growth

At the heart of teaching is our desire to help others. We all need help and the best way to help ourselves is to share our ideas, experiences and hardships with colleagues. If the culture around you promotes isolation then the best way to push back is to muster the energy to reach out to like-minded people and help one another. If you are feeling bold, reach out to someone you struggle to understand and see what you can pick up from that person. This school year I chose to reach out to a couple colleagues whose style and personality are very different than my own. This simple exercise made me a better teacher and gave my work more meaning. Along the way, I also began to appreciate a different way of doing things.

Expert teachers benefit from mentorship as do inexperienced teachers. I got tired of waiting around for my district to re-commit to a formal mentorship program so I began to seek mentoring from some of the pros right down the hall. Mentorship does not require official documentation and evidence of growth. It can simply mean that you are choosing to make guidance part of your professional diet. Somehow we got so caught up in data and evidence that doing simple things that make work fun and meaningful got lost in the shuffle.

As an aspiring administrator, I appreciate that my assistant principal has taken an interest in my
career aspirations. She has my back. I have reached out to school leaders in my district to learn more about their respective jobs. No matter what the culture is in your school, you are surrounded by people who got into this profession to help others. You may need to look for those people if you are in an environment where everyone seems to be in hiding, but it is worth your time to search. Trust me.

Feed the Beast 

The beast is your natural curiosity. If you are a teacher, you are hard-wired to have a love for learning. You must feed that curiosity. Whether your passions have a link to your profession or not, they deserve more of you. For me, my passions are photography and writing. For you, it may be knitting, reading or gaming. Regardless, we are happier when we find balance.

Happy people make better teachers.

On this occasion my passion for photography included 
taking pictures at the GearUp2Lead Conference in 
Flint, Mich. for heroic student leaders in mid-Michigan. 
This photo was from Bullycide, a production of 
Trust Theatre Ensemble, directed by Lori Thompson. 

It is tough to be happy when all of your eggs are in one basket from August to June. At work, I do my best to remain mindful of all the aspects of this profession that are meaningful in my life so I can weather challenges better.

On a personal level, this is an area in which I have grown considerably. I still have a long way to go.

I will openly admit that my growth continues to be the result of me taking responsibility for my attitude and finding ways to make a positive difference in education. When I was feeling discouraged about my role in my school, I chose to stop waiting for things to change. I have talents and interests that continue to leave me wanting more influence so I continue to seek new outlets for my ideas. I have forged a positive professional identity in spite of sometimes feeling held back within the culture of my building. As a result, I have never felt more motivated and optimistic about my role in education.

Concluding Thoughts

When motivated educators finish the school year feeling discouraged, we have a responsibility to unpack the challenges of the school year in order to work toward improvement. Teachers and administrators have to take ownership of the culture we perpetuate in our schools. More than anything, children cannot afford to have teachers feeling diminished or professionally handicapped by fear and anxiety.

If educators cannot examine issues related to school culture honestly in the summer then I am not sure how we can truly tackle the threat a negative school culture poses for students.

When I have felt stunted in my role as a teacher, it is only when I reached out and took some risks that my situation began to improve. Writing and talking honestly about important topics in education has made a positive difference for me. Professionally I am on a trajectory that has me poised to keep learning and growing in a pursuit I love. Quite frankly, I got tired of waiting around for things to improve and I have dedicated my energy to ideas that carry my passion. I am grateful I can explore my professional interests in a public forum. I hope this advice is helpful.

* Tanner is a made up name used to protect the identity of the student

ABOUT THE AUTHOR of CIVICS ENGAGED: Nick Gregory has been a social studies and journalism teacher at Fenton High School since 2000 and he has been a National Writing Project Teacher consultant and a junior varsity basketball coach since 2002. Gregory is a Michigan Education Voice Fellow and he has exhibited photography related to Detroit and social justice causes since 2011. Gregory, who has a Masters degree in Educational Leadership, believes that building positive relationships helps students find their passion for learning. You can follow him on Twitter @CivicsEngaged.

DISCLAIMER: This blog includes ideas and topics serving as a composite of issues from various sources. The issues raised in this blog are not specifically or solely motivated by the policies within my own school district. I have chosen to include many topics here that are also related to my discussions within my fellowship about teaching in general, not just in our school district. This blog in no way is intended to reflect solely on our school or our school district.