Shannon Hardtke

ELED 434
A Response to: Breaking the Silence
In this open letter to teaching candidates, I first found myself
appreciative yet frustrated. I appreciated the understanding that the letter
provided, stating that it was reasonable to struggle with the best way to
approach these challenging topics with young students. I thought the author
provided pathos for us as young teachers, nave to being the sole classroom
instructor, responsible for helping students work through tough concepts.
While the thoughtfulness was there, I kept waiting for the letter to provide
me with instruction. The more I reflected on this internal want, the more I
understood the meaning of the letter. There will be no one perfect way to
introduce and discuss challenging issues because the discussion context will
depend on our own unique classroom dynamics. I completely agreed with the
articles stance that there needs to be a large amount of importance and
time placed in creating a classroom community in which students feel safe to
discuss topics that may create strong emotions and opinions. I found myself
asking what I would do if faced with a 9/11-type situation. At first I panicked,
thinking I dont know, I couldnt handle that. Then, thinking about the
articles strong emphasis on a community of understanding and acceptance,
I realized that I would be able to work through it with my students, because I
am confident in my ability to create a network of trust in my classroom. I
may not be prepared with a lesson that will thoughtfully and powerfully
discuss terrorism and the need for peace, but I am equipped with the ability
to thoughtfully talk to young learners and truly listen to what they have to
say. I know I will still be anxious in wanting to be able to provide wholeness
and understanding for my students, but I also realize that I will not have all
the answers. Instead, we will work through these issues together, being ok
with being uncomfortable or uncertain as we are all still learning. This
semesters studies and projects have shown me that I am much more
capable than I would have thought at the start of the year. While I may not

know every content answer to every question on the SOL, I do know how to
make learning meaningful for young learners, and I do this by caring about
who my students are and listening to what they need. This same ability is
what I will use to confront difficult topics in my future classroom, working
together will my students to make sense of the world.