So after a wild weekend where I was able to go to Chicago and spend time with some fantastic, very nice friends, I neglected my blog. I told my friends about my blog but I neglected it. For the 4 people who viewed my blog today, I apologize for the lack of content. Having said that, the view was amazing.
More importantly, we are back to wrap up the video portion of the Hester Classroom Management series that we started. The final class that was documented on the youtube channel centered around a different classroom. Here, he teaches the 4th period class rather than the 3rd and the connection I felt watching the students is just not there. Because of this, I lost interest in the series on the youtube site and decided not to invest a blog post into it. I swear, it’s not because it is an hour and a half. Click the link to watch.
Rather, I’d prefer talk about the interview segment where students reflected back on Hester as a teacher and his work. I find this video to be particularly more interesting because the teacher talks about his views specifically in teaching rather than just simply teaching while we watch. It’s a different perspective than the teaching system.
This video appeals to the emotions of the viewer immediately by displaying the Richmond area. He shows his own intelligence… not untypical as we discussed before. He could have had a PHD and not taught but rather, taught teachers how to teach without experience. He goes against that and “gets some skin” in the teaching game to truly relate and enjoy the field while experiencing it. With a degree from Stanford, the ceiling was unreachable and he could have became anything. He went to education because he believed it is the “civil rights issue of our generation.” An interesting perspective I’d love to jump into at another time. Remind me to do just that.
He expands into his classroom and community shortly later, discussing the reality that before he was the teacher, students currently with him had no interest in doing homework. Students claimed that now, two or three students don’t do homework regularly, but before that, those numbers were reversed. With increased expectations, the children begin to take his approach head on and embrace it. Fact is, these children need Mr. Hester’s class to have success elsewhere. These new expectations will help them and they believe them.
My problem with Hester from the initial blogs where I critqiued him for being rude and too strict haven’t altered. I’m not so sure that the strict level is that necessary. But, when the results are shown and are occurring with the rate Hester has them achieving, it’s hard to question. Student testimonials embrace his strict nature. The student he holds after class from the first day, says how they “need” that strict nature. I again, believe it relates to the nature of the environment.
An element with this management nature is that passion may be as required as confidence. Students throughout the video comment on his passion, saying they don’t care if teachers don’t care. I think the idea of a non caring teacher is overplayed in student’s mind and a certain attitude conveys to student’s that some teachers care less or more. Reality is, it is apparent that this teaching style displays passion and faith in himself. Students will recognize that as caring about the profession itself and serves as motivation.
My favorite part of the video, biased as possible, comes from his admission that he was a bad teacher his first year. The idea of Hester not having control of a classroom, needing to call the dean and requiring help in management is fun. It is literally fun for me. Misery loves company? Perhaps. But I can see myself having certain struggles my first year. Being able to grow from those struggles into a teacher of Hester’s caliber is exciting and is something I absolutely intend on doing the same way he does.
And with that, the Hester video aspect is done and we have no more left to cover. However, I found through his website resources he uses to make a lesson plan and manage his classrooms. I plan on taking an extensive look at these and reviewing them as needed!
What about this video most impressed you? What changes would you make in the classroom and what critiques do you have? Comment below!
LetMeTeachYa By Anthony Forte 