Sour Patch Teachers
An Admonishment for Veteran Educators
I’m a student teacher. I thought I should put that out there because eventually, if you follow my writing, you’re going to find out anyway. But before you run amok with assumptions that I’m just a barely legal, giddy school girl with rose colored glasses, whose only knowledge of children comes from textbooks, let me stop you. I am wife of eleven years and the mother of six children, all of whom I gave birth to. As I tell my students, I may be “just an intern” but this ain’t my first rodeo.
I feel I have to preface my post with this information because I have received these comments in the literal teacher’s lounge in response to my efforts to be objective, stay positive and be enthusiastic about my chosen profession.
Today I saw a new poster in the school commons area like this one:
It’s a wonderful thought and quite inspiring. In fact, this is how I have lived my entire adult life. Why? Because I care. I care about the people in my life, and the work that I do (whatever it may be); because I wish to be remembered as someone who gave her all in everything she did. So, these words spoke to me personally, confirming that I have the right idea. Immediately, I thought of my students and children. If I could instill in them such an outlook on life, how stupendous that would be! So I was, pondering how I could so inspire even a few. I mean really, how does one do such a thing?? This is how I entered the teacher’s lounge.
For the most part, I keep my thoughts to myself in the teacher’s lounge, respecting the fact that I am not yet “one of them” and even if I were I’d still be the new kid on the block. I listen when I’m in the lounge. It’s amazing what you hear, what teachers are willing to say in front of and even to a virtual stranger. I imagine that partly, they think they are preparing me for the harsh realities of the classroom. Numerous times, various educators have stopped mid-harrowing tale of outrageous adolescent behavior to address me with comments like:
“That’s what you’re gonna have to put up with.”
“I know they don’t tell you about that in college.”
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“What? You didn’t think this was going to be fun, did you?”
and the one time I happened to raise my eyebrows:
“It’s not too late to change your mind!”
and I won’t even get started on all the unsolicited “advice” that has been delivered in the same mid-story fashion.
I sat there today, listening absentmindedly, Patton’s quote floating around in my head and it hit me:
If we expect our students to always do more than is required, then we owe it to them to do the same.
Plain and simple.
This is how we (do you mind if I say we?) inspire children to adopt this attitude, by walking the walk. That poster isn't there just for the children. I know y’all are thinking that teachers are already required to do so much with so little. To ask an educator to do more than is required is absurd when the requirements abound as they do.
Here’s where I admit that I’m an idealist, but it works for me, not against me. It drives me.
Sure I’m only one person, as you are. Yet, we have an impact far beyond what we see immediately. We will never work in an ideal setting, under ideal circumstances, for ideal pay. We knew that when we signed up for this gig. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t offer our students the ideal learning experience under the circumstances. We can still be our best, love our students, teach the hell out of common core like nobody’s business, be creative and be passionate about our jobs. Why shouldn’t we? No other profession touches so many lives and leaves an impression so long lasting.
To all of you who just said, “we’ll see what you say in 3-5 years” or some similar nay-saying, I say this:
Always do more than is required of you.
Try it and you’ll be better for it, you’ll feel better for it and so will your students.
