Delta Days

I have appreciated the Delta landscape from my first entry to the fabled land of cotton. My favorite time to drive is during the evening sunset or morning sunrise when the watercolor skies indiscriminately blur the colors of dawn and dusk. Route 1 is by far my preferred travel route when heading either North or South through the Delta. It is the great river road running parallel to the mighty Mississippi. When I happen on the chance to drive the expanse of cotton fields, levies, dilapidated shacks, and farmhouses surrounded by both crumbling and new equipment, I always choose this route. The sense of isolation and mystery feel so much more severe than traveling Route 60, the major four-lane highway that connects the primary Delta towns.

I spend the hour and a half drive to Arkansas reflecting upon recent occurrences in the classroom, the tenure of my time in the Delta and the opportunities that the future may hold. Yesterday evening while heading north I contemplated the outlook of teaching a third year. Keep in mind I have no intent to stay in the classroom, but the thoughtful reflection was intriguing.

If I could be guaranteed a spot as a fifth grade teacher and teach my same kids again I would be fully aware of their skill deficits. I have spent so much time the past two years catching kids up on missed basic skills and always rushed to meet benchmarks that the possibility of getting ahead is constantly muted. Looking at my classroom I can see how high performing schools get ahead. If the children are successfully taught each year there is plenty of time to delve deeper into the curriculum and broaden the expanse of the academic experience. Having taught fifth grade and knowing where my students stand now, I believe implementing the fifth grade curriculum would be relatively smooth sailing. I would be afforded additional time for enriching projects that incorporate benchmark skills with less worry of painful catch up.

My classroom systems are developed and functional. So little time would be needed to teach and acclimatize the students to the functions of my room. I have been running a system of math centers for the past few months that practice basic skills. I have over 10 games (and growing) that produce no work and all the kids are fully accountable for their productivity. When they finish required class work they jump into the rotation while I continue to help lagging students. (This fluidity is a huge advancement in my professional growth as a teacher.) My classroom is brimming with class sets of multi-colored and multi-functional manipulatives. I could again fundraise to support my academic year providing freedom from constrained resources.

The opportunities for growth would be phenomenal and while many of my students would claim not to like me, they are cognizant that out classroom operates differently from all others in the building. The sunset coincided with the closing of my trip and reflection…beautiful thoughts in beautiful scenery. The skies melted into darkness as I pulled up to the smiling welcome of my destination. Delta life is good.