My part-time job as educational consultant in several states lets me see and experience every type of teaching situation imaginable. Often it’s not so good. Oh, the stories I could tell.
On the other hand, I occasionally work in schools that make me glad that I have this job. Case in point is Columbus Middle School.
A few months ago in September, I worked for four days with the 6th-grade science teachers and students. In October I did the same sort of thing with 7th-grade, and last week was my last visit of the semester, working with 8th grade. It was my charge to share with them reading and writing strategies and to help them become more engaged with hands-on activities in the three new state-of-the-art labs.
First of all, the school is absolutely beautiful, a showcase for sure. If you haven’t seen the inside of the school, you should. Standing in the lobby, school staff can see down every hall, which resembles a giant “half-wheel” with five spokes.
The performance arts hall has a dance studio, a chapel-like chorus room, a band hall, and a beautiful multi-functional auditorium. The cafeteria makes you want to eat there with its bright-yellow booths, the tangerine tract lighting, “clouds” that hang from the ceiling, and the three or four food stations what allow the students to have a choice. The media center is inviting and rivals any library on any campus in the country.
Even though the physical appearance of the building blows my mind, there is something else there that is more important: the people.
The office staff is courteous, helpful, and professional. (We all know that the individuals in the office can either make or break what happens in a school.) The principal, Cindy Wamble, is a no-nonsense leader who loves the students but who, at the same time, demands, through a mutual respect, that the students toe the line. She, along with the assistant principals and staff make the students accountable. The adage “dynamite comes in small packages” is ever so true.
The students….well, let’s face it. They’re middle-schoolers, sort of stuck in the middle, and they sure aren’t perfect. Who among us was at that age? Barring copious amounts of hormones, the students, for the most part, were well-behaved and treated me with respect. I could tell that they love their new environment.
It was a wonderful three weeks at Columbus Middle School, and I wanted everyone to know what it was like. It’s a wonderful place to teach … and learn. Thank you for making me feel at home.
John Dorrah is from Columbus.
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