Farley1

AlexFarley
Mrs.Kusinitz
W104
4April2016
AWildEducation
TheclassfullofrowdystudentssettleddownunderthecalmingvoiceofRobert
Thurston,focusingtheirusuallyfickleattentiononhiscarefulexplanationoftheliterary
conceptstheywouldsoonbecomeacquaintedwithinthefollowingweeks.Asmilespreadacross
hisfacebehindhisiconicsnowybeard,makingitseemliketeachingthisratherboisterousgroup
ofstudentswasthehighlightofhisday.Aroundhisneckhungatiedepictingabeautifulwildlife
scene,thisuniquechoiceofattireasymbolofThurstonsbackground,asetofexperienceswhich
haveshapedhisapproachtowardsteachingandinteractingwithstudents.
Aselfproclaimedintrovert,natureappealedtoThurstoninawaypeoplenevercould.I
lovedthewoods,andhiking,andcamping,andfishing,andhunting,andlikedtobeawayfrom
people.Thisconnectionwhichheformedwithnaturewhilegrowingupledhimtopursuea
careerinwildlifemanagementadegreewhichwouldallowThurstontospendhistime
immersedinthenaturalworld,relativelyremovedfromsocietyIfiguredifIworkedonabig
nationalparkIcouldbeagamewardenslashenvironmentalpoliceofficer,orevenjustan
environmentalscientistinvolvedwithwildlife.However,earlyoninhiscollegecareer,
Thurstonwasforcedtoreconsiderhiscareerchoice.
Ifoundoutfrommyadvisorinthewildlifemanagementdepartmentthatallthe
availablefederaljobshadbeentakenbythepreviousyearsgraduates,Thurstonexplained,it

Farley2

wouldbeunlikelytherewouldbeemploymentforlike20years,untilsomeoneretired.Faced
withlittleopportunityforemployment,ThurstondecidedtopursueadegreeinEnglishand
Education.HisreasonsforchoosingEducationweresimpleandstraightforward:Itwasjusta
choiceImadewhenIswitchedtoEnglish,tokeepmyoptionsopen.Ilikedteaching,Iliked
workingwithkids.Ikindofthoughtlearningisthewaytogo.
Despitethefactthathechosetoreroutehiseducationinadirectionwhichhadnothingto
dowithnature,Thurstonworkedinfieldsconnectedwithnatureformanyyearsbeforeputting
thedegreesheearnedtoanyuse.BeforestartingworkatCumberlandHighSchoolasa
substituteteacherinthe19951996schoolyear,Thurstonworkedwithasectionofnaturehe
hadntpreviouslyconsideredwithhisplanforadegreeinwildlifemanagement:Iwasa
commercialdiver.Ialsoworkedforabiotechcompany,designingandcreatingsystemsto
naturallypurifywaterinsewagetreatmentplantsandsomebiginstallationsandalsojusttotest
things.However,withyoungchildren,Thurstonchosetoabandonhisjobincommercialdiving,
whichhehadtocommutetoNewYorkfor,andtookupteachingfulltimeinRhodeIsland,
whereheandhisfamilylived.
Eventhoughhispathtobecomingateacherwasquiteunusual,Thurstonisabletokeep
hisstudentsengagedandinterestedinhissubjectandmaintainsomelevelofcontroleveninthe
morewildofclasses.Intheminutesprecedingthebell,orduringlullsinclasswork,Thurston
oftencasuallyroamshisclassroom,makingconversationwithhisstudents.Theseconversations
varygreatlyintopic,fromdiscussionsaboutareasofwhattheclassisbeingtaughtwhichthe
studentsfindparticularlyinteresting,totopicsbroughtupbyhisstudentswhichhavelittleor
nothingtodowithclass.However,Thurstonisrarelydiscouragedbythetangentshisstudents

Farley3

aredistractedby,andisgladtolistenorjoininonanyanimateddiscussiontheymightbe
having,gladthattheyareinspiredbytheireducationevenifthisinspirationdoesntnecessarily
comefromhisownclass.Myfavoriteparts[ofteaching]arewhenkidsfindoutstuffthatI
dontknowaboutandshareit.Whichiskindoffewandfarbetween,butthatsmyfavorite
part.Thisattitudeisnotnecessarilyasignthatheisamorelaidbackteacherthansomeofhis
colleagues,someofwhomsquashanystudentdiscussionirellevanttotheirownsubject,butisan
indicatoroftheapproachThurstontakestoteaching.
WhenIaskedhowhewoulddescribehisteachingstyle,Thurstonrepliedwithout
hesitationthathisclassesarestudentcentered.Thisassessmentisundisputablewhenobserving
howhehandlesteachingdespitetheauthoritativepowerhehasoverhisstudentsasateacher,
Thurstontreatsstudentsasequals,listeningintentlytotheirideas,opinions,orquestionswithout
judgement,andisgladtohavemeaningfuldiscussionswithanystudent,regardlessofthetopic.
Hisjobistoeducate,andfromthejollysmilewhichismoreoftenthannotpresentonhisface,
heisgenuinelygladtodoso.Withafocusonstudents,Thurstonencouragesindependent
learning,hopingthatstudentscanlearnmorethanwhatthenarrowcurriculumincludes.Ithat
thinkit'smuchbetterforteachingandlearningifthestudentscomeupwithquestionsthanifIm
justaskingallthequestions.Ilikeitwhenstudentshavetheopportunity,especiallywiththenew
technology,todoresearchandexploredifferentoptionsandthingsfortheirfutureandmake
connectionsbetweenwhat'sbeingreadinEnglishclassandtheoutsideworld.
ThisapproachtoteachingstemsprimarilyfromThurstonsconnectionwithnature,afact
whichhereadilyadmits:Itendtolookatthingsfromabiologicalandenvironmental
perspective.Afteryearsofexploringthewildforrecreationalpurposes,andthenlater

Farley4

continuingtointeractwithnatureformanyyearsinhisworkbeforebecomingateacher,
Thurstonisveryfamiliarwithsuchperspectives,andhasclearlyworkedthemintohisown
teachingstyle,shownthroughhiscalmdemeanorandunderstandingnature.Ifakidishaving
troubleinschool,Idontthinkofitasbeingnecessarilydisruptive,itmightbebecauseof
somethingelsethatisgoingonintheirenvironmentthatIcantsee.Justlikeinanyenviromental
sciencearea,thecauseforsomethingthatisnotworkingissomethingelsethatisintroduced,he
explained,addingwithachuckle,Usuallybypeople.

Rubric: Profile
Distinguished Command

MS 1
Builds
Evidenc
e

MS 2
Convey
s
comple
x ideas
and
concept
s

MS 3
Organiz
ation
of
Writing

MS 3:
W 2c

Develop the topic with

well-chosen, relevant, and
sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other
information and examples
appropriate to the audiences
knowledge of the topic. Field
research is extensive and
thorough; expertly used in
profile.
Student develops the topic
thoroughly by selecting the
most significant and relevant
facts, extended definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or
other information and
examples appropriate to the
audiences knowledge of the
topic (rhetorical situation).
Introduce a topic and organize
ideas, concepts, and
information to make
important connections and
distinctions; include
formatting (e.g., headings),
graphics (e.g., figures, tables),
and multimedia when useful
to aiding comprehension.
Use varied transitions and
sentence structures to link the
major sections of the text,
create cohesion, and clarify
the relationships among ideas
and concepts.

Strong Command
Develop the topic with relevant
facts, definitions, details,
quotations, or other
information and examples
appropriate to the audiences
knowledge of the topic. Field
research is extensive and used
well throughout profile.

Moderate Command

Develop the topic with

relevant facts, definitions,
details, quotations, or other
information and examples.
Field research might need to
be extended or used better
in profile.

Partial to No Command
Student attempts to
develop the topic with
relevant facts, definitions,
details, quotations, or
other information and
examples but provides
limited evidence. Limited
field research or
underdeveloped in
profile.

Student develops the topic with

well-chosen, relevant, and
sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other
information and examples
appropriate to the audiences
knowledge of the topic
(rhetorical situation)..

Student attempts to develop

the topic but some the facts
may be irrelevant or
insufficient and/or the
rhetorical situation has not
been fully considered.

Introduce a topic and organize

ideas, concepts, and
information to make important
connections and distinctions.

Introduce a topic and

organize ideas, concepts, and
information.

Student attempts to
introduce a topic and
organize ideas, concepts,
and information but
provides limited evidence.

Use transitions and sentence

structures to link the major
sections of the text.

Student attempts to use

transitions and sentence
structures to link the
major sections of the text
but provides limited
evidence.

Use varied transitions and

sentence structures to link the
major sections of the text to
create cohesion.

Student attempts to
develop the topic but
most of the facts are
irrelevant or insufficient;
lacks an understanding of
the rhetorical situation.

Farley5

MS: 3W
2f

Provide a concluding
statement or section that
follows from and supports the
information or explanation
presented (e.g., articulating
implications or the
significance of the topic).

Provide a concluding statement

that supports the information
or explanation presented (e.g.,
articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).

Provide a concluding
statement.

MS 3:
W4

Produce clear and coherent

writing in which the
development, organization,
and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.

Produce clear and coherent

writing in which the
development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task.

Produce writing in which the

development, organization,
and style are appropriate to
task.

Demonstrates an
understanding of the
conventions of standard
English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.
Writing may contain a few
errors that do not detract from
the over meaning.

Demonstrates an
understanding of the
conventions of standard
English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.
Writing may contain a few
errors that do detract from
the over meaning.
Attempts to use language
and specific vocabulary to
manage the complexity of
the genre and topic.

Demonstrate command of the

conventions of standard
English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.
MS 4
Langua
ge and
Conven
tions

85

Uses precise language and

specific vocabulary to manage
the complexity of the genre
and topic; conveys a
knowledgeable stance in an
appropriate style to the
discipline and context, as well
as the expertise of the likely
readers.

Uses precise language and

specific vocabulary to manage
the complexity of the genre and
topic.

Student attempts to
provide a concluding
statement but provides
limited evidence.
Student attempts to
produce writing in which
the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task but
provides limited evidence.
Student attempts to
demonstrate an
understanding of the
conventions of standard
English grammar and
usage when writing or
speaking. Writing
contains many errors that
do detract from the over
meaning.
Attempts to or fails to use
language and specific
vocabulary to manage the
complexity of the genre
and topic; provides little
or no evidence of skill.