"Yeah, I will be at Paul's. A good time shall be had by all.
Hmm, the barefoot/Westerberg story. How did you even know that incident? Okay, here goes.
After teaching in rural North Carolina for 7 years, 3 of them at a wilderness camp for troubled youth, wearing overalls and walking around barefoot seemed like a normal affair. It didn't really occur to me that wearing the same ensemble would be an issue in Denver or Littleton.
After all, Colorado is part of the Wild West, right? What's the big deal! Then again it should have dawned on me that since buying liquor on Sunday was also illegal at the time, that I was in a state that still harbored some conservative ideals, especially when it came to how teachers dressed.
Nevertheless, a couple weeks into my new job at Littleton High School, the weather was warm, and it was obviously the right time to wear overalls and leave my shoes behind in the office.
In the middle of a lesson on Lord of the Flies (another good reason to not be wearing shoes), in walked the principal on one of his weekly visits. I did notice that he looked a bit suspiciously at my attire, but I welcomed him into class as always and worked him into my lesson like I usually do when administrators visit.
Dr. Westerberg had a reputation of being a strong but stern leader at our school for the past 20 plus years. He was also the innovator of the Freshman Academy program where I was hired to serve our at risk youth. Dr. Westerberg's reputation for his "my way or the highway" philosophy was well known throughout the school. In fact, before my final interview with Dr. Westerberg, an assistant principal gave me a flacid pep-talk and let me know how terrified he was of Dr. Westerberg. Well, I never picked up on such an ominous vibe from our school leader, and we always got along quite well.
After a 5 minute visit, Dr. Westerberg walked out of my classroom and never said a thing to me about my professional attire. He didn't even send another administrator to admonish me concerning my fashion sense. We never spoke of the incident.
I think Dr. Westerberg figured that with me he had a teacher who could keep 20 at risk scholars engaged while reading Lord of the Flies. If learning and student engagement was taking place, I guess he figured overalls and bare feet may have just been part of the strategy for keeping things loose while keeping relationships strong.
Just this year, students were walking barefoot at our school in an attempt to raise money and awareness concerning the plight of people who do not have shoes worldwide. It didn't take long before an email was sent to teachers and security was charged with the task of making sure kids weren't walking around barefoot. A health hazard, as it was explained to us.
I don't know, I wonder if Dr. Westerberg would have reacted the same way. Maybe he would have shook his head and smiled. Students were loose, but they were aware and fighting for a cause. Maybe he would have seen apathy and cold, rigid relationships with students as a much greater health hazard than bare feet. I know I do.
In a time when even a greater burden is being placed upon teachers to save our schools and our scholars, maybe the answer isn't to tighten standards; we've been trying that one with failed results for decades. Maybe we need to leave those shoes in the office, or at the very least, loosen the laces a bit." --Thom
Hmm, the barefoot/Westerberg story. How did you even know that incident? Okay, here goes.
After teaching in rural North Carolina for 7 years, 3 of them at a wilderness camp for troubled youth, wearing overalls and walking around barefoot seemed like a normal affair. It didn't really occur to me that wearing the same ensemble would be an issue in Denver or Littleton.
After all, Colorado is part of the Wild West, right? What's the big deal! Then again it should have dawned on me that since buying liquor on Sunday was also illegal at the time, that I was in a state that still harbored some conservative ideals, especially when it came to how teachers dressed.
Nevertheless, a couple weeks into my new job at Littleton High School, the weather was warm, and it was obviously the right time to wear overalls and leave my shoes behind in the office.
In the middle of a lesson on Lord of the Flies (another good reason to not be wearing shoes), in walked the principal on one of his weekly visits. I did notice that he looked a bit suspiciously at my attire, but I welcomed him into class as always and worked him into my lesson like I usually do when administrators visit.
Dr. Westerberg had a reputation of being a strong but stern leader at our school for the past 20 plus years. He was also the innovator of the Freshman Academy program where I was hired to serve our at risk youth. Dr. Westerberg's reputation for his "my way or the highway" philosophy was well known throughout the school. In fact, before my final interview with Dr. Westerberg, an assistant principal gave me a flacid pep-talk and let me know how terrified he was of Dr. Westerberg. Well, I never picked up on such an ominous vibe from our school leader, and we always got along quite well.
After a 5 minute visit, Dr. Westerberg walked out of my classroom and never said a thing to me about my professional attire. He didn't even send another administrator to admonish me concerning my fashion sense. We never spoke of the incident.
I think Dr. Westerberg figured that with me he had a teacher who could keep 20 at risk scholars engaged while reading Lord of the Flies. If learning and student engagement was taking place, I guess he figured overalls and bare feet may have just been part of the strategy for keeping things loose while keeping relationships strong.
Just this year, students were walking barefoot at our school in an attempt to raise money and awareness concerning the plight of people who do not have shoes worldwide. It didn't take long before an email was sent to teachers and security was charged with the task of making sure kids weren't walking around barefoot. A health hazard, as it was explained to us.
I don't know, I wonder if Dr. Westerberg would have reacted the same way. Maybe he would have shook his head and smiled. Students were loose, but they were aware and fighting for a cause. Maybe he would have seen apathy and cold, rigid relationships with students as a much greater health hazard than bare feet. I know I do.
In a time when even a greater burden is being placed upon teachers to save our schools and our scholars, maybe the answer isn't to tighten standards; we've been trying that one with failed results for decades. Maybe we need to leave those shoes in the office, or at the very least, loosen the laces a bit." --Thom
