I just spent a week in the woods with 14 teenagers who used to be my students.
As a former Baltimore City classroom teacher, I was constantly reminded—not often gently—to adhere to district, state, and federal standards. Though given a decent amount of freedom to tweak the language arts curriculum, I was first and foremost responsible for student mastery of MSA material and student discipline. This was a less than compelling use of my energies as a teacher. I tried to jazz up the curriculum, introducing creative options for my unbelievably gifted middle schoolers, and partnering with Writers in Baltimore Schools, an education reform outfit aimed at bringing creative writing to an underfunded, overcrowded district burdened by state and federal mandates to shape up despite a deeply strapped budget.
