Reflecting on Student Teaching at J.C. Harmon High School
I have to take a moment to share about my student teaching experience. J.C. Harmon has been everything and nothing like I imagined when teaching in the classroom. It has been more challenging, yet more rewarding than I could have imagined, and through my cooperating teacher Crystal, and my incredible students, I now see the teacher that I want to be, and what’s possible in the classroom.
On a day in March, Ms. Yakel and I led an open forum on gender stereotypes by having students craft a mind-map of topics on the white board before asking questions anonymously on #todaysmeet. These high schoolers then took part in one of the deepest and most dynamic discussions on gender inequalities I've ever experienced. Before this class, I admit I would have been too nervous to bring up this topic with students. I’ll admit, I was worried that the boys wouldn’t take the topic of gender discrimination seriously, but by the end, the boys in the class were outraged about the lack of access young women had to menstrual pads, and talked about how eye-opening this lesson was. It made me realize that had my hesitancy over this lesson won out, then I would have deprived the young men of my class from the opportunity to learn about this issue. If there’s a day where Crystal Yakel receives the recognition she deserves for the content she’s creating in the classroom - the field of education - and the educators in that field, would be able to help make this world a better place. Already I’m thinking of the lessons I’ve learned from Crystal and how I can apply those to conversations in my own classroom, and in the work I do for Open World Cause. Structural violence against women is all too common in rural Nepal, imagining how our organization could help young women in Nepal find their voice is something I will be reflecting on for a long time.
Crystal leading the Human Rights discussion.
Crystal also helped me design, request, and get permission to go on a field trip to the Harry Truman Presidential Library. I was unaware about this trip until Crystal told me about it and urged me to sign up our students for it. It was one of the most incredible days I’ve been a part of - experiences like this are why I want to be an educator. I watched my students role play as President Truman and his advisors at the White House Decision Center. After participating in staff meetings, press conferences, and analyzing primary documents, my students came up with a viable and well-thought out plan to end the war.
When asked if they would use the “bomb” to end WWII. The students had a clear answer “No. But we will end the war.” Afterwards, the staff at the White House Decision Center said the plan was very creative and could very well have ended the hostilities. I am so proud of my students at Harmon. Shoutout to Ms. Yakel for making this trip possible!
My semester at Harmon ended with Crystal and I’s students presenting about projects and volunteering efforts they’ve made in their community. These projects, inspired from Crystal’s curriculum, have given me an idea for how to curricularize a Digital Legacy Night, and made me realize what students are truly capable of - honestly, if students have the opportunity to make positive change, they’re going to do it, and go well beyond our expectations. It gives me hope about our future, and reminds me about the kind of teacher that I one day hope to be. I could not be more thankful for my experience working at J.C. Harmon, with Crystal Yakel, and my incredible students this semester.