REFLECTION ZONE: Danger of a Single Story

The Danger of a Single Story

As a new school year begins, it is important to remember the danger of a single story.  Sometimes teachers like to share their story and their opinions about a student they had last year or in summer school. Sometimes a teacher who never even had the student will share the version of the story he/she heard from another teacher about a particular student.
I do think it is important to be informed on students' IEPs and 504 plans.  I think it is important to hear what strategies worked well previously and helped students find success.  However, I need to keep in mind when I hear these stories, that they are single versions, and there is a level of danger there. It is not fair to the students if I start the year with preconceptions and judgments before I even meet or get to know them.   I need to let each student start the school year with a clean slate and a fresh start.  I need to let each student write his/her own story in a new classroom with a new teacher, in a new school, during a new year.