Poverty-Ch. 6

The final chapter of the book follows our hero to the completion of his journey as a successful differentiator. The strange title of Instructional Light & Magic, while remeniscent of Lucas, does nothing to entice the interested reader, as it is frustrating to a teacher to read how a fictional teacher magically is a master at his craft after studying the idea in this book. I found myself wanting to throw my book at Veteran Teacher Chris Hawkins rather than wanting to take a page out of his.
However, after reading A Day in the Life of Mr. Hawkin's Classroom, I have decided that this book has failed merely in the same way as most other educational books fail. Rather than giving specific idea and grade-level or even subject approaches to change, we are given a snapshot of how it might be done in a completely other setting, and then told to go and do it in our own. Perhaps if I was Veteran Teach Chris Hawkins, I might have specific ideas on the approaches I might take and choose few things each week/month/year to incorporate until I felt that my new classroom resembled what it ought to. As a teacher in the real world, the very idea of overhauling every moment in my classroom into a new one with no explicit plans or suggestions on how to do so is laughable. Or is it deflating?
The chapter breaks Mr. Hawkins day (was anyone else completely frustrated at the approach to this book??) into segments where we see glimpses of things he does with surprisingly little detial considereing we are supposed to be following his example. The following is a list of the segments along with some choice "activities".
1. Before class: He listens to music that puts him in a good mood so he can then be in a better place to put his students in a good mood. Perhaps we can play calming or soothing music as the students come in in the morning. This might give them a reason to be shouting, as now they have something to be shouting over.
2. The first 10 minutes of class: Students sit with their teams where they sing their team song, do their team cheer, and keep track of their progress on their team chart on the wall, and follow rules for points to win absolutely nothing but bragging rights. Yes, I can see this as a stragetgy... for first graders...maybe...well maybe not.
3. Core class time: Now that the fun is over, the class begins. But is the fun really over? Not according to Mr. Hawkins who now uses dripping sarcasm and physical response activities to interest his students. For those hyperactive teenagers just set loose in the room? Simply take one minute of mediaitation and deep breathing and they will be putty in your hands. I don't know about Mr. Hawkins but I feel like this should come with a "Don't try this at home" label. Have you ever tried to lead a class of overexcited teenagers in deep breathing after a physical activity and had them instantly calm down? Anyone?
Last 10 minutes of class: According to the book, Mr. Hawkins "wisely" sets this time aside for things like recitation, cleaning up (what have you been doing in a room that takes 10 minutes to clean up?), or a mental practice, such as picturing success, which the book assures us is not "New Age". Thank you for clearing that up, I was worried!
OK in all seriousness, as great as this book was, and as important as these things are to a poverty-stricken child, where is the practical solution? I think these students need early intervention, and I'm not talking academically. Afterschool is great in middle school, but they need to be staying after from grade 1, and not just because there's no one at home to watch them. They need to be doing these types of activities and learning those skills they need like team-building, striving toward success, and interacting well with both peers and authority figures. We don't need to be told that children in poverty need help, we're already onboard with that!