Eric Berman
Special-education teacher and minority achievement coordinator
Swanson Middle School, Arlington
Years teaching: 5
At the start of the poetry unit in my English class I always ask, “What do you think about poetry?” Usually the answers are “that’s boring” or “I hate poetry.” Every year, by the end of the unit, we’ve had to extend it; they don’t want to stop.
Spoken-word poetry is all about finding a way to express yourself—to share your own story and your own truth. My students latch onto it in a way they don’t with anything else.
I try to incorporate things into my classroom that aren’t part of a regular [general education] setting. They’ve been doing the same thing over and over and it hasn’t worked. Why deal with the same strategies?
One of the main goals as a teenager is just not to be embarrassed. I need to build a relationship with the kids before they will let themselves feel vulnerable and be okay putting themselves out there. It’s all about finding what makes that kid click. Every day there’s an aspect where they have to share a part of themselves.
From my students, I’ve learned that every day really is a new opportunity. Just because Tuesday is the worst day in the world doesn’t mean you can’t come back and start over the next day.
In May we organized a field trip to see congressman [and civil rights activist] John Lewis. He introduced himself to every single kid. They were glued to him and his story. They all found a unique way of connecting with him.
Everyone has unlimited potential for growth. The power of knowing that another person believes in you is huge. If I can spend five minutes talking to a kid and seeing the progress they’re making, that easily makes up for the extra paperwork or meetings I don’t enjoy.
I want my students to know that their voices matter. They have something to say and people want to hear it.
–Madelyn Rosenberg