Back in the day I had the opportunity to student teach at the Point Park College Lab School. It was 1970 and there were a slew of trends in education which many colleges wanted to research. Point Park College Lab School was an environment which housed 1st-thru 3rd grade students in one classroom. My lead teacher and I would plan the curriculum but the intent of this classroom was for the older students to mentor their younger classmates and for the younger classmates to perhaps provide even more innocence for their 3rd grade partners. Subject matter was taught not at grade level but at a level of comfort where students could find their abilities challenged but never overburdened. It was a challenge for me because I now had three different age and skill groups all learning at the same time.One of the areas in which the entire student body was considered a classroom was problem solving. Once a week for about an hour an a half my lead teach and I would present a problem to the students, one which had arisen in the classroom from a previous occasion. It might have been solved by an adult originally, but the goal of this course was to see how the same issue might be resolved by the children who had experienced the situation in the first place. Our students were children of some faculty and an outreach of kids from a near Northside neighborhood which at the time many resident were living in poverty or below the poverty line. We had an interesting demographic from which to observe and learn.
One problem that arose was the amount of Dr Seuss books provided in our in-class library. We had most of his books and for some we had two or three copies. Our kids liked to read and one of the problems was that the 3rd graders would hold on to three of the books at a time telling anyone who wanted one that A) they got there first, B) it will only take a few minutes because I read faster then you and C) you are too young to really enjoy this book. Our kids were not physical about NOT getting their book but lots of verbal accusations arose. We presented the problem to the kids citing the books (an issue everyone knew about) and asked the question if we have enough books for everyone how come everyone is not able to use them? The group came together the 3rd graders trying to be generous would say they are the oldest group so they should have first dibs and since they do read faster then everyone else let them read then share the books. A 1st grader then said how do you know I can’t read as fast as you? A second grader said just because you are older does not mean you should get more! The third graders became annoyed and as they looked at my lead teacher and me and said we are the ones who should get more because we will need this for next year. Then a young girl, actually the granddaughter of the Dean of Education spoke up and said, “why don’t we all get a chance at one book so everyone is equal, then whatever books are still on the shelf you can have after you return that book. A second student of the list grade agreed adding unless you have four eyes how can you read 2 books at one time? I remember at that moment the classroom giggled and shouted “four eyes”, then we asked for a solution and 90% of the students said we all get the same chance with one book and wait our turn for another, because no one has four eyes. Problem solved.
Our country is still debating the have’s and the have nots, and who deserves more should receive less, who is better just because, and who just doesn’t make that being better cut. We have become a nation fearful that our share is never quite enough and want to blame others for our misfortune, or worse set up a scenario for others to never receive at least the same. From health care, to salaries, to food and housing it seems some of us feel we deserve more while insisting others should not even have at least one. If only we knew how to solve problems like first graders!
