I learned over and over again that I didn’t have to have all the answers to teach detention center kids. I learned I wasn’t there to fix a single one of them. And I learned sometimes what seemed like my most meager efforts uplifted these kids’ souls. 

Our states and capital lessons started this way.

At detention, I looked for activities appropriate for the varying ages and academic levels of my students. I wanted lessons to draw them together despite their different backgrounds. I wanted them to learn at least one thing, hoping they would feel some benefit from their time in class at detention.

Honestly, I didn’t always have a big plan. I just tried new ideas here and there, and once in a while they worked out even better than I could have hoped.

Javon was a tall, gangly boy who struggled with reading and math. He held a pencil awkwardly, and his penmanship resembled that of a first-grader’s. In the beginning, he could only name Texas and Illinois.

Stating the facts

Let’s back up a bit. Here’s how these lessons worked.

One day each week, I passed out a blank U.S. map and gave the class 10 minutes to label as many states as they could. Later in the week they had 10 minutes to write the name of the capitals they knew.

I told the kids I didn’t care if they knew any or just a few as long as they tried to improve each time. When they mastered all 50, we ceremoniously placed their name on my classroom’s “Wall of Fame.” 

So how could it be that in just a few weeks I was holding Javon’s quiz in my hands, staring with disbelief? 

Every state was labeled, all with his now-familiar scribbling. Surely, this student had just gotten lucky with a few of his guesses. He didn’t really know his states, did he?

We stepped outside the classroom to find out what he really knew. I pointed to each state. Sometimes he struggled with the pronunciation, but there was no mistaking he knew every single one. 

This floundering student learned what weeks before seemed so unlikely. Incredible!

Flash of brilliance

To reinforce the learning and add to the fun, we sometimes played “Around-the-World” with flash cards of the states. The game involved one student standing next to another. As soon as I flipped each flashcard – usually with a flourish to let the suspense build – the two competed to name the state. Whoever said it first went head to head with the next student. 

The goal was to go around the room and beat every student.

After he’d learned all the states, Javon was eager to play. Because he stuttered when he got excited, he couldn’t always get the names out as quickly as he wanted. When his voice finally cooperated, he nearly jumped out of his skin, leaping and pointing as he bellowed the answer. 

I saw with Javon and many others that their schoolwork overall improved once they learned their states and capitals. 

I believe once they learned something specific like that, they realized more of their own capability. They took pride in what they’d accomplished, and often it spurred them on to learn more. 

A united state

These simple mainstays provided the added bonus of bringing people together. 

Sometimes the staff joined in to sharpen their own skills, and even visiting probation officers took the quizzes alongside the kids. 

And although the students were competing against each other, they also tutored and encouraged one another.

Perhaps that was because of my standing promise to buy pizza and pop whenever everyone scored 100 percent on either the map quiz or the capitals quiz. In truth, this probably only happened about a dozen times in all the years I taught at detention. But when it did, the rare treat thrilled my group. 

More than the food treats though, the students were understandably quite proud of what they’d accomplished.

More than meager

Years ago, as my husband and I walked down the street toward a movie theater, a young man approached.

“Mrs. Kidd!” he called. “How are you?” 

We continued with a few pleasantries, and then he offered, “I haven’t been in trouble in three years. I’m in the Navy now, and I still know all my states and capitals!”

This changed young man wasn’t Javon, but I believe to this day he could have had a similar experience.

States and capitals—simple activities with, admittedly, little forethought. Even so, they carried far greater potential than I’d ever imagined—potential to motivate and potential to unify.

So many experiences with so many kids taught me sometimes the answer is simply reaching out to one another in any way we can. Then – even though we don’t have all the answers – we stand feeling both humbled and exhilarated by the awesomeness we just witnessed.