Care Before You Teach (Week 9)

I've always been bothered by the fact that people think teaching is easy or that it requires no skill. Anyone in education knows the amount of dedication, training, knowledge, time, skills, and passion it takes to really make an impact in the classroom. This week, however, I had an experience with a student that really reminded me how much is asked of us as teachers. I truly came to the conclusion that teachers do so much more than they are given credit for.

"But you just teach kids"... Sure, we 'just teach'. But here's the thing. Most days, our students come to us under conditions that prevent them from learning. According to our pal, Maslow, the students cannot truly learn if their needs are not met. When my students walk through my door every day, I can't ignore the fact that they are not all reaching the top of that pyramid, they are not all ready to learn. But it is my job, to teach them, so what can I do?

Every day, teachers across the country teach to rooms full of hungry students, of tired students, of students who are afraid to come to school, students who are more worried about helping mom and dad pay the rent than they are about passing their math test. We have students who feel unloved and unworthy. Students who face awful circumstances beyond their control. As teachers, we must recognize the fact that our students have lives outside of school and sometimes those lives can be pretty rough. How can I expect a student to care about learning my content if all they can think about is the abusive parent waiting at home? How can I demand the attention of my students who haven't eaten all week? How can I ask a student to stay awake in my class if they are staying up all night to care for their younger siblings?

The fact of the matter is, our students face a lot. They are people too. And so many times, that tough stuff doesn't lift off of their shoulders when they step into this building, they carry it with them. As teachers, we are asked to teach students who are not ready to be taught. Maybe it's unrealistic of me to think but I think that it is up to us to do everything we can to help our students overcome the challenges that prevent them from reaching that self-actualization stage. Maybe we keep an emergency stash of food for days when a student missed breakfast. Maybe when a student tells us that they have had a really long week, we aren't so hard on them for drifting off during class. And maybe when all a child wants and needs is someone to care about them, we tell them that we do. We tell them that they matter, that they are important, that they are capable.

I am surely not a perfect teacher, nor will I ever be. But this week, I had a realization that changed the way I look at my students. Will I ever be able to give every student everything they need? Absolutely not. But I can do something. Maybe all I can do is offer them a home for 43 minutes each day where they feel like they matter, where they feel safe and welcome, and where they can finally put down the burdens that they have been forced to carry.

Sure, all I do is teach. But before I teach, I care.