Fires In The Bathroom

Kathleen Cushman is the author of Fires in the Middle School Bathroom(The New Press). As a writer for What Kids Can Do, Inc., a national nonprofit organization, she works to bring forward the voices of student writers around the nation.She lives in New York City.

Contents


Preface ix
“And then they set fires in the bathroom,
while she was trying to be so friendly.”



Introduction by Lisa Delpit xv
“Wanted: One teacher. Must be able to
listen, even when mad.”



1. Knowing Students Well 1
“If you pay attention, you can see it.”



2. Respect, Liking, Trust, and Fairness 17
“If you see the teacher respect students,
you’ll follow that role model.”



3. Classroom Behavior 36
“A lot of people are afraid of teenagers.
They think we are these freak humans.”



4. Creating a Culture of Success 62
“He just pushed me to keep my head outa them boys
and into the books.”



5. Teaching to the Individual, Working with the Group 85
“One job of a teacher is to be fair to all.
Don’t expect the work of one student from another.”



6. Motivation and Boredom 100
“Just saying you need to pass math isn’t enough.
Show me how knowing pi is worth something.”



7. Teaching Difficult Academic Material 123
“She snatches history from the past and
puts it in my backyard.”



8. Teaching Teenagers Who Are Still Learning English 145
“Sometimes I don’t know how to express who I am.”



9. When Things Go Wrong 162
“Try your best, don’t give up.”



10. Going Beyond the Classroom 175
“It was more fun than in the classroom—
and we learned it, too.”



Afterword: How We Wrote This Book—and Why It Matters 184
“Has anyone ever asked you questions like this before?”



Resources for Teachers 191



Acknowledgments 193



The Students: Brief Biographies 196



Index 199