Good morning, every- are we still on? Good morning, everyone. I'm Jeanette Malone the
Krzewinkski was because I couldn't let go of that after I had to learn how to
do that in cursive in second grade and it was really difficult. I remember
crying with my father and so it's it was really difficult to give up when I got
married. The Malone is much easier. I was honored when I received this email to
come and speak amongst all of you all. Oftentimes, I still think of myself as
just that student- that grad student from 20 years ago and I don't think of you as
peers and colleagues. So I'm just a little bit nervous and I don't know why
because I speak in front of 200 plus students on a regular basis and I'm
never nervous in front of them, but I wanted to share with you my story. And
when I first got this email, I was excited and I shared it with my husband
and he read it and he said, "three to five minute story." He said, "does this man not
know you very well?" And- because I'm pretty chatty, and those
in the room who know me I could talk for quite some time, but I wanted to start
out my piece with this particular quote that I actually just included in an assignment
for my students in Sociology is Sport. I'm
always trying to encourage them as we look at youth sport, and gender
inequality, and racial equality, and all the things that go on with this crazy
world of sports. Athletes, and assault, etc. You know, how can we make a difference?
How could we make a change? And that every single one of them can- can make a
difference. And I included this and I'm gonna start this piece this
morning, "Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the
round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see things differently. They're not
fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them,
disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only things you can't do
is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward
and, while some may see them as crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people
who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do." And
that's Apple incorporated. That's their motto. No shocker,
but that's what I try to express to my students every day. Be different. Make a
change. I can think of two classes. My very first of 220, my very first time
ever to teach a large section, was the best class ever. I took a photo with them.
I posted it on Twitter, on Facebook. It's in my office in a couple of places and
it inspires me every day. That group, I could go in we could talk about anything.
They were grown up. We could kind of have a little camaraderie and banter back and
forth. We had those who were always for things, and those who were always against,
and it was just the best. And I left every day of that class going back in
the hallway, telling my my colleagues in the hallway, "that was just awesome, I just
love this class." Fast forward a year later, same classroom, 220 different
students, and it was not the best class ever. And I was thinking about having a
couple of photos. One would be the one where I was with that group and the
other would be blank. That group challenged me in many ways, but in
different ways. In a matter of seconds, when we started talking about gender
inequality and title 9, within a matter of seconds, it took one gentleman in the
room- who obviously had a bad relationship experience- to make a
comment that wasn't the best. And then suddenly, about 20 other young students-
also a little bit immature- rallied around him. And within a matter of 30
seconds, I felt like the class was imploding on itself. And I stood there at
the front, very calmly raised my hand and said, "Okay, let's bring it back to the
front." Which is usually my signal and I stand there quietly. A few seconds
go by, and they calm down and we come back, and I said, "Oka,y so moving on to the
next question." And what I what I learn from those two
scenarios is that we can have the best laid plans and, with some groups, it will
be the best feeling ever and you feel like, "Yes, I got to them. I made a
difference. I helped them understand they could make a change in the world if they
want." But then you can walk in with a whole other group of individuals, and
it's not gonna be the same. So you have to have a plan B, and a Plan C, and
sometimes a plan D. In your lesson plans, how am I gonna
still make this meaningful? Because even though there was a few small individuals
in that class trying to take away from what we were trying to discuss, there
were so many others that wanted to have this conversation. So we go to small
groups, and I'm running around the classroom engaging, and I've got a couple
of student teaching assistants helping me that have been in these classes
before so that, you know, we can still make this a meaningful conversation, and
we can still engage, and still make a difference, and still teach regardless of
the consequences. So I must be flexible despite what I initially had in plan.
Each group of students brings a different mindset, level of maturity, and
willingness to participate. My role, I think our role, is to find ways to
continue to make that experience meaningful regardless of the
aforementioned characteristics and the size of the class. And I have this in
really really big font that you can't see so I didn't need my reading glasses
this morning, "I must keep- we must keep our passion alive and spread the
fire of enthusiasm for education no matter what the day may bring. My role is
to educate, enlighten, and inspire. To help them realize that within each of them is
so much potential. Even the negatrons in the room, who want to shut you down
and because they don't necessarily agree with what you had to say." Another quote
that I found that I included in my assignment for today, "Every great dream
begins with a dreamer. Always remember you have within you the strength, the
patience, and the passion to reach for the stars, to change the world." And that
was Harriet Tubman. Finally, in closing, I want to leave you with these simple
words that I say at the end of all my classes, "Peace, have a great day, be kind
to one another, and most importantly, as Dory says in Finding Nemo, 'just keep
swimming, just keep swimming, or just keep teaching, just keep teaching.'" Thanks.