What Is the Name of Your Dog?: A Moment in Time.

By Doug Hawkins

This book is a tale of the first male elementary teacher in a school district in Southern California. The author takes the reader along a journey from the first day of teaching in a 6th grade class to the end of the first year as an elementary school teacher. The story shows the relationship between a mentor teacher and new teacher as he maneuvers the daily struggles and celebrations of teaching in a public school system. The story revolved around a teacher, his guide, and the students that taught him to become the very best teacher he could be. The story showcases how doing real world activities with students impact their curiosity to learn and deepens a teachers drive to love to teach.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Nov 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781663247827

Doug Hawkins

Douglas Hawkins taught elementary school for 31 years at a variety of schools in Southern California. He writes this book to highlight his experience as a D and F student in K-12 schools that went on to become a schoolteacher impacting lives of kids like himself. His practices as a new teacher and being the first male teacher at an elementary school site, shaped the story about the people, places, teachers and student experiences that are memorialized in this book.

Book preview

31315.png

ONE

U nlock the door and step into my very first classroom. Glance around the room. In the center of an enormous pile is a proper desk with drawers and a piece of paper taped to the top with the word teacher scrawled in black crayon. Dragged it out and placed it right in front of this giant blackboard. That’s where the teacher’s desk should be. Right in front where all the action takes place. Sat down in my teacher’s chair at my teacher’s desk and twenty-five years would pass before I ever sat there again.

On my first day of moving students’ desks around the room, an old teacher walked into my classroom and introduced herself. My name is Burl and I teach sixth grade. I’m retired this year and returning to the Indian Reservation where I was born. Perhaps, you may need another teacher’s help as you begin your first year. If so, call me. Oh, do you think children are bad or good? My answer, I really haven’t thought about it. As she started leaving the room, she paused, looked back, and said, You will! Later that day teachers told me that her Indian Name was Keeper of the Faith. What a strange moment!

Principal told me they would line students up at the door at 8AM. Sounded great to me and I was ready to go. Opened the door. Students came in, 31 of them found a seat, 17 of them were sitting on the floor. I introduced myself as the new sixth-grade teacher and had a list of their names. Checked off names of students in the classroom and notified the office of students not present. Simple! I had 48 students enter the room and had thirty-one chairs. Called the custodian and asked for chairs. He said, The kindergarten teacher has similar issues and as soon as possible he will come to my room. Major problem. He never came to my room.

Recess bell rings. Classroom doors slam open, and children race for the playground. I have fifteen minutes to come up with an answer to the seating problem and I run over to the teachers’ lounge seeking help!

The distance to the teachers’ lounge is three hundred yards or the length of three football fields. When I arrive at the lounge, teachers are flying back-and-forth, gathering stores of materials, and heading back to their classroom as quickly as they can. Only one teacher is sitting down drinking coffee and it’s Burl. I told Burl, I need chairs and I’m searching for the custodian. She replied, He just left for home. He wasn’t feeling well. Burl continued, you have bookshelves around your room, put students on top of the bookshelves until the custodian comes back. Ask for volunteers and hint that kids on the bookshelves will be the first ones to go to recess. I left the teacher’s lounge thinking that at least I have a plan. I told the kids the plan and every one of them volunteered. I picked seventeen students and put them on the bookshelves. Never got the chairs we needed. Rotated the entire classroom onto the bookshelves over the year.

After recess I handed out the books we were going to use in our class. There was a Social Studies book and an English book. There was a Science book and a Math book. Followed by a Spelling book and a Health book. The students made book covers; wrote their name on the covers and attached them to the books. We finished just in time to go to lunch. Escorted the class to the cafeteria and then supervised the students on the playground.

The afternoon didn’t go as well. Poor planning made me look ineffective and dismissal time turned into a nightmare. I could sense the kids’ disappointment in their new sixth grade teacher. After the students went home, I started writing lesson plans for the next day on the chalkboard. As I’m writing Burl pokes her head into my classroom, How did it go today? Before I could answer she said, It gets better every day. I’ll see you tomorrow, and off she goes.

31315.png

TWO

A s the next day began, I arrived early, almost pre-dawn, and discovered Burl already in her classroom. I knocked on her door and she waved me in. She said, I hope you’re an early bird. I told her I was born an early bird, two in the morning, and then proceeded to ask her. How do you start your day? She began, The bell rings at 8am. The students enter the room, put their belongings away and sit down. I take roll and then ask everyone to please stand for the Pledge. We recite the pledge and that is the opening of the day. I asked her, When do we sing the National Anthem? You can sing? she stared at me, puzzled. Yes I said. Let me hear you. She replied. At dawn I sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow in a sixth-grade classroom in my colleague’s room as she stared at me in disbelief. When I finished singing, Will you sing the National Anthem with our classrooms each morning? she inquired hesitantly. Yes. I replied. Perhaps, we could do both, the pledge and sing the Anthem outside on the lawn in front of our classrooms to start the school day. Think about it! She suggested.

As I was leaving her room, I noticed that there were no name tags on the pupils’ desks. Every room I visited had name tags on the desks but not Burl. That’s weird, I thought. I was halfway out the door when Burl said, Take the name tags off of the desks. Make certain you memorize students’ names tonight using your roll sheet. You need to know your kids’ names. You need to learn parents’ names, grandparents’ names, even the dogs and cat’s name. The more you learn about your students, the more effective you will be while planning what you will teach, as well as what methods you will use. The positive relationships developed between you and your students is the driving force that allows children to learn. Relationships are everything in education. Curriculum is secondary.

I retreated to my classroom and removed the name tags from the student’s desks. I was thinking about what Burl had said about relationships. The university where I received my teacher training stated over and over that Curriculum is all that matters. I began hearing Indian drums in the distance.

Friday morning, I took roll and began the pledge. After the pledge I sang the National Anthem and one kid feeling sorry for me joined in. Not good. Thursday, they felt I might be ok after changing bookshelves into seats. Friday morning, after singing, they were sure their new teacher was not ok.

I introduced the new spelling book and had everyone open to page number one. A boyish young man interrupts the lesson before we got started. Tommy says, Where are our name tags? I replied, As your teacher I should know your name. Tommy instantly asked me to name every student in the room. I call out all forty-eight names without a roll sheet. Burl had told me to memorize their names. Almost instantly after I had finished with their names I could sense what they were thinking. That was really cool. This guy might be OK after all.

Lunchtime told Burl about the name tags, and she says to me, Oh that’s nice, but did you know that teaching is a subversive activity? I responded with a loud, What! as the principal walked into the teacher’s lunchroom. He said, Hi to everybody except me. He has forgotten my name. Should have had a name tag on my jacket. After lunch the entire student body takes a fifteen-minute rest break. Heads down on the desk, eyes closed, rest break. How does that work when you’re sitting on a bookshelf? I’ll bring that up to the Principal as soon as I can.

Instead of a rest break I told the students that we would have a Town Hall meeting. I explained the concept to the class and asked the following question. What concerns do you have about your school and your classroom? Two and a half hours later, after discussing at least a hundred issues, it boils down to four major concerns. First, it’s not fair to keep us after school when dismissal time is 3PM. Second, lunch recess and morning recess shouldn’t be used as punishment when assignments are not completed on time. Third, homework requirements keep us up until bedtime. Fourth, there are never enough balls to play with when we are out on the playground.

I dismiss the students at three, gather my materials, and Burl pops by as I’m locking the classroom door on my way out. She asks, How did it go this week? I began with, The lessons I prepared for the students were interfering with demands from the office staff. Secretary needed information. Health clerk wanted shot records. Custodian came back to work and wanted me to lend him chairs for the Kindergarten class. Parents wanted lunch menus for their child. Bus driver wanted rules posted in the room. Superintendent came by my room and said, I’m hiring you because I want men in elementary schools and you’re the first one! I’ll be watching how you do this year. Don’t let me down!

Week two began with our classes outside on the lawn. We did the Pledge; I sang the Anthem and two kids who were feeling sorry for me joined in. Later, I discovered from my pupils that they detested it when I was singing in front of their peers. They thought it was unmanly and many members of the community agreed, apparently.

As we headed into our classrooms, Burl says, This is our testing week. We test every student in Math, Reading, Spelling, English, Geography and Writing. They added Physical Education testing this year as part of the curriculum. I may need your help on this one. I tested students all week and discovered in my sixth-grade classroom kids who read like they were in the first or second grade and others who read as well as any college instructor. Math was surprisingly similar. The pupils ranged from students that could add but not subtract to those that were young Albert Einstein. How do you teach 48 kids, all at different levels, out of books written for sixth graders? I asked my colleagues if they had similar issues. of course, we do! Then they recommended Get a math book from every grade level and a reading book from every grade level. Divide the kids into groups and match their skills and testing scores to the book best meeting their needs. Sounded great to me!

Burl was not there when I had asked my colleagues the question about teaching kids out of multiple textbooks but when I ran into her at the ditto machine, I asked her the same question. How do I teach reading when most of my students read at different levels, and I only have sixth grade reading books? Burl said, Meet me after school. I can help you solve this problem. As the school day ended, I walked over to Burl’s class. She set me at her desk, leaned up against the chalkboard and started my teaching career. Before she started talking to me, I realized I had never seen Burl sitting in her classroom. Odd, I thought!

She began, So you and other teachers think giving a sixth-grade boy or girl a second graders reading book to read in their classroom, alerting their peers they are a poor reader will help him or her become more proficient in reading. Right now, it doesn’t seem like a good idea, I whispered back. She continued, At your teaching college, where you learned how to teach, you were taught that a child’s self-esteem is directly related to his or her success at school. Wanting to crawl under the desk I cowardly said, Yes. She asked, Then why would you use a reading method that would be harmful to a child’s self-esteem? I didn’t know how to respond to her question. She walked over to her desk where I was sitting and said, Find another way to teach reading. I said. I have 37 reading books. I need 48 so every student would have a reading book. She responded with, I have forty-eight sixth grade reading books in my room. You may use them anytime you need extra books."

As I got ready to leave Burl’s room and head back to my classroom, I noticed her walls were covered in bookshelves filled with books, magazines, newspapers, letters, almost like a library. I stopped at the doorway on the way out and asked her, Where did you get all that stuff? She replied, It’s not my stuff. It’s the kids. They love to read when I give them a chance. Started to smile and then started laughing. It’s my reading program.

She continued by saying, Reading programs we use in our classroom, designed by specialists, use a list of vocabulary words to create stories. As teachers, we create stories first and later insert needed vocabulary into the story. I mentioned to you once before that sometimes teaching is a subversive activity. I use the books for reading that the state has designated for us and make sure students learn the vocabulary designed for their grade level. We, you, and I, it is our job to teach students to love to read. Therefore, I start my reading with the state textbook. Bore the kids to death with it then switch to my reading program which allows them to read anything in this room. I fill bookshelves with new volumes, have daily newspapers delivered to the school, but best of all, I allow the students to bring books and reading materials from home, which the children want to read. There are hundreds of choices. They can read whatever they like. Anything I said, Anything she replied. Every single day they look forward to reading. I increase their reading time by 50 percent and I’m the only teacher that has issues with students because they just want to read. Many times, in your teaching career you will find a need to redo or redesign educational materials to meet student needs. She finished with, Subversive activities, it’s on the second page of your teacher plan book. You may find it useful!

I head back to my classroom. My mentor just told me that an effective reading program requires me to be subversive. Perhaps a good reading program is stuff and more stuff. I’m confused. I had 37 reading books given to me by the state a couple of weeks ago and now Burl’s is saying I need lots more stuff! After our conversation on how to teach reading, I decided I was going to follow Burl’s recommendations and would begin collecting a lot more stuff to read. I keep hearing Indian drums.

Three weeks into my teaching career with Burl as my mentor. I realize teaching, or what I thought was teaching, in reality, was more complicated than I had expected. A lot more complicated. Burl had said to me teaching was sometimes subversive. She asked if children are bad or good. Relationship with your students is the only thing that counts. I now understood why teaching was sometimes a subversive act. However, I had no clue about bad or good or where she was going with the statement. Relationships, according to Burl, are the driving force that allows children to learn. I had questioned her, What do you mean? What relationships? In a childish voice she replied, That’s for me to know and for you to find out! she started laughing. Six months from now, I will ask you about teacher-student relationships. In time, provided you are a teacher not an educator, you will discover an unseen force in your classroom driven by relationships that will determine how effective you will become as a teacher. You will know when that force is in your room. I’m going crazy now, I hear drums and there is an unseen force in my room.

31315.png

THREE

T he principal calls out over the intercom on the first Monday of every month. After school there will be a teachers meeting in the cafeteria. Bring your plan book and the agenda in your mailbox. The major topic for discussion is a Halloween Carnival.

On the way to the meeting, I stopped by Burl’s classroom. Walking over, she says, This is your first staff meeting. You sit next to me. If you have something to say, remember there are consequences for speaking at staff meetings. Like what? I said. She did not have time to reply as we sat down.

The principal opened the meeting with an agenda that was two-pages long. I learned a great deal about how diverse we were. Every grade level appeared to have problems that were only relevant to that grade level. Burl whispered in my ear, Pay close attention to the first and second-grade teachers. They lay foundations for children that last a lifetime.

The principal introduced me as the new sixth-grade teacher. Not by my name, but by my position. I knew he had forgotten my name again. Later I asked Burl what grade he had taught when he was a teacher. She replied, He was an educator at a high school. He is a good administrator, but he is not a teacher.

At the bottom of the agenda was a long list of activities that needed our attention. The first item was to select a person to organize the event. The word EVENT was in capital letters. The principal asked for a volunteer. Immediately everyone was looking at the floor except me. I should have looked at the floor, but it was too late. As a general rule the last person hired handles the carnival. Young man will you take on this responsibly for our school? At that point Burl kicked me under the table but she was too late, I had already said, Yes.

I’m into my second month of teaching and I find myself in charge of putting together the Halloween Carnival for the entire school. I need help fast, so I go ask Burl. How do I put on a Halloween Carnival? She replied, That is a question you need to ask the principal.

Monday, at the end of the school day, I met with the principal. The first thing I asked him was, How do you put on a Halloween Carnival? He began by saying, The first and second-grade teachers always put on our Halloween Carnival, but since you volunteered, He was smiling when he said that. I think it is time for a change and I should give someone else an opportunity to grow as a teacher. Begin by talking to the teachers who have done the carnivals in the pass. If I see you need my help, I will make myself available to you. However, I would like you to go as far as you can on your own.

Tuesday, I cornered a first and second-grade teacher in their room, How do I put on a Halloween Carnival? In unison they walked over to a small file cabinet, pulled out this giant manilla folder. We are so glad that you took on this task. We’ve done the carnival for six years! With sparkling eyes and ever widening smiles, both teachers chimed in simultaneously, Everything you need is in this folder. They handed me the folder, I thanked them and headed out the door. Laughter followed me across the lawn, down the hallway, even into my classroom. I was thinking primary school teachers are always happy. That evening, at home, I opened the manilla folder. The first page was an outline. I studied it. One thing was certain. I was in over my head, and I didn’t swim.

The next day, on the way to school, I stopped at the closest grocery store and bought two pumpkins that were on sale. I put them into the classroom, went outside and did the pledge, sang the anthem, went inside, and took the roll, sent Paula with the attendance sheet over to the office. Picked up a book off my desk titled, Ichabod Crane, stood in front of the class and Tommy says, Mr. Hawking, What’s up with the pumpkins? Tommy took me off guard with his question. For a time, I went silent, unusual for a teacher. Tommy, teachers use motivators to create interest in what we are about to do. Today I’m using the pumpkins to catch your interest because I need our class to write a paragraph about your first memories of Halloween. Basically, you write them. I read them. You vote on the best two paragraphs, and I give those winning writers a pumpkin to take home. I hated writing when I was in the sixth grade. I don’t want you to hate writing. It’s really a useful skill. Any time we do writing in our classroom we will have a motivator to create interest. Our next writing assignment will be about dogs or cats. Guess who’s coming to school.

Paula walks back from the office and on the way to her spot she says, I heard it through the grapevine that you’re in charge of the Halloween Carnival this year. Us sixth graders have attended five carnivals at this school. Some were good, others not so much. We want to help put on the carnival this year? I paused for a minute before I responded. Without thinking about the consequences. Paula put together a group of kids that would want to help with the carnival. Write out your ideas and form a planning committee. Tommy yells out at Paula, Count me in! The rest of the day we turned our attention to reading and math.

I bought pumpkins at the Vons Grocery Store just down the street and met the manager on the way out. He asked me, Are you the new teacher at the elementary school? Yes I am I replied. He continued, My son and daughter both attend that school and if you need anything special call me. As school ended, the two teachers who gave the manila envelope stopped at my door. Would you be willing to give us two of your best students to help tutor first and second graders in the morning? That’s when we read, and they could tutor the little ones that are having issues? I remembered Burl saying first and second-grade teachers lay the foundation for future learning in our schools. I said, Should I check with the principal? Once again, with sparkling eyes and ever widening smiles, they chimed in, it’s unnecessary.

I was late leaving the classroom. Saw the lights on at the cafeteria, poked my head inside the door and saw six ladies coloring an enormous banner with a Halloween motif. They saw me and motioned me in. They introduced each other and said, Mr. Hawking, welcome to our school. We are the PTA board. Parent Teacher Association is our full name, and we help teachers in their classrooms and other school activities. Paula came home today and told me you are in charge of the Carnival this year and you are going to let kids plan this event. We could help. Just let us know what you need.

They asked me to join them for coffee and cookies, and I helped with the coloring. As we finished, Paula’s mother gave me an application to join the PTA. I immediately filled out the form, paid my dues, five dollars for the year, excused myself, and headed home.

The rest of the week turned into a madhouse. Paula and Tommy got the word out to the other sixth-grade classrooms that they’re going to plan the Carnival for the school. They commandeered our classroom, changed it into an art gallery, and started painting signs. The planning committee met every day at lunch time. They needed twenty-two booths. They would ask parents to construct the booths. Kids at the sixth-grade level would man booths, along with parent helpers. Prizes, they needed zillions of them. Prizes would have to be appropriate for different grade levels! Hot dogs, hamburgers, peanuts, popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream, coffee for old people. Costume party with parades, prizes at each grade. Tickets for entry. No older kids. It overwhelmed me.

By Friday, the full class had been working Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on our Halloween project. All lesson plans were on the desk. Was I doing my job? So, I went and talked to Burl. So, you feeling guilty about not following your plan book. As far as you not doing reading and math for a few days it’s not that big of a deal. Working on the carnival requires us to work across the curriculum. The students will use their writing, reading, and math skills to complete projects. This is actual work. Kids know the difference. Twenty years from now most of our students will not remember our name but they will remember the carnival they built. Lighten up, cupcake! In fact, I bet we will enjoy the evening. One other thing, You have the opportunity to develop positive relationships with ninety-six, sixth grade students. Don’t let this teaching moment slip by. As teachers we know better than to restrict learning to books!

Halloween Carnival was to be on Friday night. Starting at four and over by eight. I had fifteen days to bring everything together. The students were still planning various games to put into the booths, but much of the adult participation needed was not in place. I called Paula’s mother and she set up