Amidon Planet Podcast: E006 How to Help with Carissa Chandler
Helping without Hurting
Is helping always helpful?
I thought the answer was “yes”. Why wouldn’t it be? But then I had an encounter where I told a student how to do a problem, but then just a few seconds later his hand shot right back up into the air, looking for help. And then I look around the classroom and see there are many hands in the air. What was happening?
It took a while but I realized that by continuing to tell them how to do it I wasn’t teaching, I was telling, and the “help” I was giving was merely robbing my students of the opportunity to learn. They needed to struggle, they needed to think, they needed support, not relief.
The featured book for this episode of the Amidon Planet Podcast is When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself, by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. This book gave me language and a mindset in order to thoughtfully consider the help I give both inside and outside of the classroom. As this is the Haiti Edition of the podcast, I am joined by my service trip co-leader Carissa Chandler to discuss the book and share the story of our parter community in Haiti, Camp Mary.
In addition, I attempt to help a new teacher, by answering a question. Enjoy!
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Opening, Purpose, & Overview – 0:00
Question from Sarah, What are good resources for a new teacher looking to address the achievement gap in her classroom? – 1:02
Disclaimer –
Conversation with Carissa When Helping Hurts –
Carissa’s Background – 14:10
The 410 Bridge – 15:25
High Five (key learnings) – 17:04
1. Not all help is helping.
2. The goal is to help, not to accomplish.
3. It is not about stuff.
4. Four foundational relationships everyone needs.
5. Three categories of help.
The more you know (what would you have done) – 35:36
Imagine this (apply learnings to a scenario) Story of Camp Mary – 43:42
Sum for 7 year old (sum up the book in simple language) – 52:55
Wrap Up the Conversation –57:30
Support the Podcast – 59:28
Links
Square Books
The 410 Bridge
The 410 Bridge Camp Mary
The 410 Bridge Child Sponsorship
The Orchard Oxford
Shop your local indie bookstore
Become a Patron!Resources for First Year Teacher
I sequenced these resources in order of (what I consider to be) their ability to be put into practice the fastest. Some are books which need to be read, pondered, and then incorporated into what you do in the classroom.
Success from the Start: Your First Years Teaching Elementary Mathematics
Success from the Start: Your First Years Teaching Secondary Mathematics
For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… and the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education (Race, Education, and Democracy) by Christopher Emdin
