The Way Back

When I was a kid, every family in our neighborhood had a station wagon model of vehicle….every single family.  The rear of the interior had an area referred to locally as “The Way Back.”  This was a seat that faced the rear of the vehicle so that the occupants had a view of what happened behind. In essence, you were sitting backward.  “The Way Back” was a popular seat to claim.  I can’t remember why. That’s where the windows weren’t; unless you had that really cool electric window that Dad didn’t let down. How could he?  After all, that is where the fumes from the tailpipe came up.  Then again, there was no ventilation back there so you sweat like a kid anticipating their first kiss.  Plus, the seat was retractable so it sat lower, which put your rear end right on top of the undercarriage.   Awesome design…so was the Hindenburg.  We took a few vacations in this vehicle as a family – all memorable, but not necessarily on the same side of the number line.  I do know this:  the kids who sat in the Way Back had an entirely different vacation than those riding in the front.  A lot of time was spent wondering what the billboards read, where the “Welcome to...” signs were, and how my brother’s feet could smell so incredibly bad…or was that my own feet?

While we may not have a “Way Back”, we do have kids who have an entirely different experience at school. While our intention is to reach every kid, the reality is that to do that requires considerable planning and carry through. Buzz words like “differentiated instruction” and “cluster groupings” come to mind.  There is nothing wrong with either of those.  The bottom line is that not every student learns the same way.  That is why we need to use a variety of engagement and instructional strategies throughout each lesson.  Not every kid has a sincere interest in learning about what it is you’re trying to teach.  That is why we need to make instruction relevant to the kids.  If they can see the connection, your chances of succeeding increase exponentially.  When the teacher is excited about what is being taught, the kids will follow.   Not every kid has a clear view of the concepts.  Like “The Way Back” the skill is past them before they know it and then you’ll have to back-track.  That is why RtI period is so important.  That is another opportunity to recapture what was missed and/or to challenge kids to even higher levels of understanding.  Make the most of every opportunity.  In this station wagon that we refer to as school, remember that not everyone is riding in the front.  Some are in “The Way Back” and it is our task to get them turned around.