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Teacher of the Month – March 2015 – Nathaniel Hardt
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17 thoughts on “Teacher of the Month – March 2015 – Nathaniel Hardt”
Nate’s an articulate and smart guy.
I always look forward to reading his bullet-pointed lists of insights (see his primers for examples).
And he’s trying to spread this change, recently organizing a presentation featuring Laurie at his school.
And we both teach in MA, where I haven’t heard much from FL teachers as far as TCI goes . . . we will be the change!
Congratulations, Nathaniel. You have truly been given by God to the teaching profession. (FYI, “Nathaniel” is a Hebrew name that means “God gives” or “Given by God”.) As Ben says, it is not just your professional expertise and acumen that set you apart but your courage to stand for what is right.
I enjoy reading Nathaniel’s contributions to the PLC. This group has some amazing people in it, and Nathaniel definitely stands out in any crowd.
I agree with Eric & Robert’s comments, congratulations Nathaniel! I read your comments with great interest.
At the last PLC NY meetings, your name came up Nathaniel. We all shared how much we enjoy reading and learn from your clever, profound and insightful posts. Congratulations!
Right on Nathaniel! I remember that letter to the parent that you wrote awhile back and posted here, the one I think Ben was referring to… certainly made a lasting impact! Glad to hear you’re out there in MA with the Hermanator (I didn’t realize that).
Nathaniel and his colleague Scott are a SOLID force to be reckoned with. My greatest thanks to Nathaniel for speaking to his district’s PD folks about organizing a workshop in his district. The district made the workshop available to other districts as well…so a number of teachers had the opportunity to explore TPRS and CI-based instruction as well as literacy.
If you ever get a chance to sit down and have a chat with Nathaniel, do it! He is so on fire and en pointe about this approach. He is all about the students, so it is so incongruous that this young lady would put up a fuss. Nathaniel, I love that you realized that this was about her…and didn’t take it personally. AND keep encouraging your colleagues to stop in for a visit. You and your students will make a lasting impression.
If you are in the NE, connect with Nathaniel. Those folks in MA are opening doors. I saw it last Friday. There is support in numbers!! I’d love to see a CI presence at MAFLA in 2016!!
with love,
Laurie
Congratulations!
Woot!!! Of course! Nathaniel is yet another wise warrior in this tribe! His insights and understated strength are inspiring! Way to go 😀
Thank you for your kind and encouraging remarks, all.
Courage? I feel like Gideon who, due to the marauding Midianites, threshed his grain at the wine press to avoid detection and loss of crops. My own natural tendency is to avoid conflict and thresh my grain in secret. It may look like prudence but it feels like fear of a crop loss, fear of a loss of traction in student gains. Gideon’s apparent fear was not not recognized as such when he was addressed by the messenger of the Lord. Incongruously, he was addressed as “might man of valor.” There was the affirmation of a future competence, but also the recognition of a current courage. He was brave enough to thresh his grain in the wine press.
Courage? Sometimes it is a matter of just keep standing. Saul of Tarsus once wrote that after you have done everything you can do in the battle, keep standing. It is the difference between the boxer who gets up and the one who doesn’t. A now retired colleague was an affirming presence. She was one of three of us who had been intimidated into backing away from TPRS to differing degrees. She always pulled out her “il y a” story every year because TPRS was the only thing that worked for “il y a.” Myself, I would find myself drawn back from time to time to doing a story with the students, despite my lack of confidence and ability to do so. From time to time my colleague would encouragingly say (her room was across the hall), “I heard your class last period and their enthusiasm. I am so glad you are still doing TPRS.” Even though I did not feel that what I was doing did justice to those compliments, they had an influence on me to stand again.
Courage? When I joined this blog, I felt like Rip Van Winkle. TPRS was not TPRS like I remembered it or understood it (in many ways I never really ever understood it). In fact, it seemed, TPRS was out and TCI was in. That Blaine was a bygone–just a part of TCI. So much had happened since 2004-05. But I kept reading, finding strength and courage in the interchange of ideas and practices and the discussion of a variety of topics from a TPRS-TCI point of view. As the discussions continued I could see that TPRS and Blaine were here to stay. Everything is open to question and everything is allowed to be tried to see whether it works in the interest of personalized and comprehended spoken and written messages.
So, thank you, fellow wise and courageous warriors.
This passage again reminds me of the power of your posts, Nathaniel. I am drawn in by your humility and enlivened by your grace.
…everything is open to question and everything is allowed to be tried to see whether it works in the interest of personalized and comprehended spoken and written messages….
This is a very rich phrase.
I know we are all fighters, but it saddens me that battle and war metaphors are so apt for our situation.
Ironically, we are fighting for all the love and play we know/see engages and encourages our Ss to keep listening!
Keep on keeping on. Invite and encourage curious colleagues and other members of the profession.
We are on the crest – ride on….
Ben- Is there an easy way to email PLC members? Can names be linked to emails? I thinking of reaching out to Nathaniel b/c I’m not too far away in Southern VT, and I often feel like I want to send an email to someone. I remember there is a list somewhere, but wonder if there is a way to communicate more easily… Thanks!
Hi Elissa yeah just go to the categories and click on Group Members – Alphabetized by Emails. I try to keep it up to date.
It was great to meet and share with Nathaniel in Maine this fall. He’s as kind and thoughtful in person as he is in writing. A quiet, intelligent and passionate presence. This is such a rich and wonderful community. Congrats, Nathaniel!
Congrats!
I totally forgot to add my congrats to Nathaniel. Well done! Massachusetts in the house!