Educated to Death

0069: A reflection on a humanizing moment in #teaching

#edchat

Amidst the hustle and bustle of education reform, curriculum changes and concerns, focus on the problems of education, my bleak twitter feed, and world turmoil I forget about the here and now. I forget that I’m in a classroom within a school working alongside brutally devoted teachers who deal with the same concerns. We don’t get to chat too often. Many have been in the field for years and have stood strong not because they believe in the education system, but because they believe in humanity— and believe in the children they teach even more.

One of these veteran teachers who is now an academic coach and former principal in another district visited my class today just to impart some wisdom to a group of teenagers who seem to be pissing away some opportunities. She devoted much of her talk to the importance of self-discipline over having others enforce their behavior. She was kind and patient with these student. She amazingly humanized herself before them sharing that while teachers are adults, and perhaps an opposing force, that they are human as well. She shared some of her own recent troubles she had endured. She spoke with the students, not to them. It was a beautiful moment. They were shocked to make such a connection with someone who seems like a distant figure. I am grateful for the lessons I learn from my fellow educators in kindness and humanity.