The above poem was given to me while I was teaching at a rural junior and senior high school in Illinois. As teachers, it takes you back to thinking about school and how the teachers that influenced you to go into the profession. I remember the teachers that were kind and generous and willing to give the shirts off their backs. I also remember those teachers that did not understand and would not listen to my mom not being home and working. This poem was thought to have been written by a student in Baltimore City Public Schools, that is not the case. 

Cause I ain’t got a pencil was written by Joshua T. Dickerson who is actually from Atlanta Georgia and 41 years old. As you research this poem and Joshua Dickerson his motive for writing it was not one of his own experiences but one of something he saw and reflected on. He tells a story of watching a student ask for a pencil from his teacher and they only agreed if the student traded it for his shoe. The student was then made fun of by his classmates as he had dirty socks on. Dickerson writes this poem based on what he thought happened prior to this moment. 

When I read it reminds me of how we can get caught up in the little things in education. We want our students to learn and how can we do that when we aren’t letting them have the things they need to learn. As a special education teacher, I have found that working with a variety of students and teachers day in and day out I am constantly fighting for the rights of my students to have a level playing field. Then I read this poem and think of all the students that have bigger fish to fry than remembering their pencil. Reflecting and realizing that the one thing on these children’s minds is not your class only. They are dealing with everything they possibly can. 

Being fortunate enough I know how annoying it can be to see a student take your pencil and break it right in front of you out of spite. However, we have to teach and show respect, compassion and build relationships so they understand their actions. Not only is it important to understand the child’s perspective but think about how many times the student this poem is base on had to fight for their education. It would have been easy for the child to just not show up. Be grateful they are at school day in and day out. Not every student is going to be perfect and as a special education teacher of behavior students, the students that aren’t perfect and fit the mold of school are the ones that need us the most. Show them you care and as a team, in their corner, we can get them to realize that there was someone out there willing to give them a pencil.