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This week has been Teacher Appreciation Week. Earlier in the week I encouraged teachers to reach out to new colleagues at their schools to show them some extra support. This lead me to reflect and to compose the following note to a new colleague of mine:
As I reflect on Teacher Appreciation Week, I think back to all that I have experienced in my career and especially think about my beginning years of teaching. So, I wanted to share, with you, some of my observations.
I like to describe teaching as a sprint. The pace is tiring and relentless. But it is more than that….it is a sprint while you are trying to change your clothes. There can be so many things happening at once that the simple can become much more complex than it should be.
The joys of teaching are easily appreciated, but also, appreciate the trials of teaching. I have learned from both and have grown from both.
This challenging adventure will present to you students who give you a hard time for no reason. One year the first thing a student said to me when he was in my class was, “I heard you were evil.” He didn’t much relent the whole year. There will be students who groan at the content you’re teaching or the methods you choose or the partners you pair them with. You will experience administrator’s with unclear expectations and unrealistic expectations. And the parents. Some will claim that grades are not important but always harp on the grades. Some claim their child has always been an “A” student, when the first time they got letter grades was in sixth grade. Some actually believe their child does not lie or have misperceptions. And you will experience your fair share of the negative and probably already have.
Despite all this, however, the benefits and pleasure of teaching far outweigh the negative. You will find exhilaration in seeing students learn and do things they didn’t feel was possible. You’ll see students stretch themselves and open their eyes. I once had a student comment to me after working in a group. She indicated that, prior to working in the group with one particular student, she didn’t like that student. She admitted to me, afterwards, that the student was nice and smarter than she thought. Another student, once she was several years in high school, said to me, “I get it now! I understand why you always answered our questions with questions.” And she thanked me for stretching her mind. I’ve beamed with pride when my students have taken on challenges like National History Day and interviewed Presidential candidates and Nuremberg Trials prosecutors. Your experience will be filled with much of the same.
Also, never forget, that the students appreciate when you show them you are human. Middle school students are fun and they want to know that you laugh….and cry. They will listen when you make an important point - just say it the correct way. They know when something is important and will read your cues. The greatest lessons I have had with students have not been about content or skills. No. Instead they are lessons about being human...how we treat each other...how we can make the world better for others. They want to make a positive impact on the world and empowered to realize they have the capabilities to do so. By examining the Holocaust, child slavery in Asia, or other topics, I have seen that our students are called to stories of the human spirit. They will be touched. They want to be touched. And will respond in kind.
Relationships have been the key to thriving in my capacity as a teacher. Connecting with different students in a variety of ways will encourage students to achieve and not “let the teacher down.” They all have that strong desire to fit in, and the teacher has great power to ensure that they have a place to fit. Connections to your colleagues will also buoy your efforts. When in need of assistance, advice, or support, my colleagues have always been there for me. Sure there will be the naysayers who grumble about almost everything and the ones who don’t seem invested in the school. But ignore them and focus on those with positive energy. Those are the people who have given me the courage to take risks, who have encouraged my own innovation, and who have lifted me through the more difficult times.
The people we work with are the foundation of the school, the engine of the school. The teachers will be in the building longer than the students. The teachers outlast most administrators. They are learning’s lifeblood. The teachers are the driving force behind the students’ learning experience. They are what can make a school great. I remember Sally Dunn and Laurel Williams who helped guide me my first year and encouraging me to take risks. Chris Cleverdon helped encourage my foray into National History Day and mock trials. Sharon Jackson complemented my interest in utilizing technology in the classroom. Pam Moore helped me view education and students in an entirely different manner. Kim Nadreau not only reminds me that kindness is not weakness but also reminds me that I need to be aware of my own needs and that the struggles I face are temporary and for a reason.
Inspirational speaker Nick Vujicic has said, “The greater the struggle, the more glorious the triumph.” You will have, as I have had, your share of struggles throughout your career, but, by way of your efforts to continuously improve, you will triumph.
Remember that with your passionate efforts, you will succeed. Remember, too, that we - your colleagues - have your back whenever you need it. We can all get better together.
As you are beginning your teaching journey, I wish you continued luck, inspirational moments with your students, invigorating moments with your colleagues, and great triumphs.
If you have been appreciated this week for your efforts teaching, if you appreciate a teacher, or if this post has generated some thoughts of your own, please share in the comments. I would appreciate hearing from you.
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