Following "Stump The Teacher"

  In our Internet for Educators class, we were given a list of popular Edu-bloggers, and were asked to give a few of them a read as to expand our network.  I came across a few, read the blogs, liked what I read, and then added them to my reader.  Then I came across a blog name that just stood out, and that was "Stump The Teacher."  I added this to my reader before even reading anything, because the name was just so unique.  I saw it almost as a challenge: as in "try and get me on something," or "stump me... if you dare!"  So I finally went into the blog.  What I found out was this.... his name is Josh Stumpenhorst.  So, a very good play on words, and that more than got my attention.  He is a grade 6 teacher from Chicago, Illinois, as well as a techie, basketball coach, and a very big Star Wars fan (got to love the Star Wars).  Follow his blog at http://stumpteacher.blogspot.ca/.




  I began to read his posts, and I immediately became intrigued.  The first one I read was called "A New Hope," which obviously grabbed my attention (it's the first Star Wars movie title: first movie made, 4th in the series if you want to get technical).  His post was on the topic of empathy and compassion in the classroom, and how it seems that there is a growing concern for how it looks like it is disappearing.  He then mentioned how he still sees evidence of its existence, and that he as a "New Hope," for it.  I believe that there is still compassion in the classroom, but we just only hear the bad stuff.  So often we see the good things in a classroom, but no one talks about it because it is the expected norm.  Everyone always hears about the bad stuff because (in a sense) its a conversation starter.  People would rather talk about a bad thing a student did over a good thing a student did.  There is more intrigue in that right?  There is a problem with that.  If we miss talking about the good stuff, then the notion that there is no compassion in the class is just going to grow.  We need to make an effort to acknowledge the good.  I'm not saying that every time a student says thank you or is nice to someone they get a cookie or a hall pass, but we should let them know that we appreciated the kind behaviour.  This will only spread the word around and make it known that students do actually care for one another.

  His other posts have included thoughts on many things: public education having to make it's first change at the university level; does asking questions make someone a troublemaker?; and a very heartfelt and meaningful post about the horrible shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  His thoughts are amazing, and his style is classy and sometimes humorous.  Please, please give him a read.  You won't regret it.  At least follow him on Twitter at @stumpteacher.  Until next time...  CHEERS!!