This slice is real-time today.

For part of our social studies, I have the students draw maps. Nothing hugely technical or anything like that, but enough that they can see where the places are that they are drawing.

#youcannotdrawastraightline

Oh, I know, and my students let me know, in no uncertain terms, that they are NOT artists, and how dare I expect them to draw a straight line?!

#inserteyerollthesizeofTennessee

I believe that students lack the spatial awareness of the world around them, especially these students. Our school has a high rate of poverty, and because of that, they don’t go very far away from the community. This is not, and never will be, a problem with me, but it does present a problem when talking about places. So, the next best thing is to have them draw those places out. We reached a point where we are going back and starting over with our drawing, giving the world a shot.

#yikes

Naw, it’s all good. Along with the world, they label the continents, the oceans, the Prime Meridian and the Equator, and this week, select countries in the news (China, Russia, Mexico, Canada, Argentina, and Brazil). Nothing too difficult, nothing mindblowing, but just so they physically see and draw where these places are located.

Now, I do have artists, and they do an excellent job. If I were to do this, it would look like a random group of lines, scribbled on the page. I know this about myself, which is why I take each map with that student’s work ethic in mind. Did they sit down and try (a majority, yes)? Did they complain about the activity (a few, but most got right to work)? Did they annoy those around them (not really)? But mostly, can I look at their map and see the world?

#seemsfair

However, I’d had many boys in the other class mad because “they aren’t perfect”. Well, why not?

#insertanothermonstereyeroll

Their reasoning, I won’t allow a map to be turned in where the Prime Meridian and Equator meet IN Africa. If you look at any map, they meet south of Ghana and west of Gabon in the Sea of Guinea, so the eastern Atlantic. If you are drawing into mainland Africa, you are wrong, no doubt. Their claim is that they have both lines, so what difference does it make where the lines meet?

#areyou*******kiddingme

Ouch! Language! And no, I’m not, thus my title? Why do we expect less than a student’s best work? I know: “I was sick” “I was gone” “I had to pick my nose” “I had to watch Netflix” and on and on and on! We’ve become a place where the best isn’t expected, and the fact I’m attempting your task should be a source of celebration. Absolutely not!

#preach

We should expect a student’s best ALL THE TIME. If their best is using a calculator to add 5+5, so be it! If their best is using speech-to-text because they can’t write well, bring it on! But bring that effort! We’ve lowered the bar so much that many of us are tripping on it, and they want it lower yet!

The creation of a hand-drawn map, highlighting countries, is a much-needed skill so studnets know their world. Why would I let them cheat themselves by creating something that isn’t accurate and doesn’t represent themselves or their ability to work?

You can’t draw a straight line? Join the club, my friend, but you need to bring me that full moon energy (lord they’ve been on a tear), and do your best. I cannot ask for any more, nor can you give more than your best. If you do that, we’ll be fine. If you start slacking, then I’ll be there to help guide you back. But under no circumstances will we allow you to give anything but your best, period.

EDIT: Just had a student bring her map of “the world”: no continents, not all things labeled, and is now furious that I am having her fix it.

*sigh* This teaching gig, I love it, but damn, it ain’t easy.

#somanyfacts