Last week at a teachers' conference, the mantra seemed to be "No matter how good I may get, I can always get better." It was a good time for me to reflect on ways some of my students, like Brandon, made me want to get better.
Dear Brandon,
I really enjoyed having you in class this year. That may come as a surprise to you, for which I apologize. You taught me a lot this year, but not about what was in the American History syllabus.
Some days watching you face the challenges of middle school nearly broke my heart. Truth be told, there's probably never been a kid who sailed through middle school without getting frustrated or hurt, or both.
Dear Brandon,
I really enjoyed having you in class this year. That may come as a surprise to you, for which I apologize. You taught me a lot this year, but not about what was in the American History syllabus.
Some days watching you face the challenges of middle school nearly broke my heart. Truth be told, there's probably never been a kid who sailed through middle school without getting frustrated or hurt, or both.
But those hard days had value. You taught me the difference between tolerance and acceptance. Most of the time, the social obstacle course didn't seem to bother you, but our chats at the end of the day revealed your concerns and hurt.
I learned that tolerating the behaviors of others didn't necessarily mean you accepted them. I began to wonder if tolerance was a survival strategy for you.
As you sought ways to cope with the daily aggravations of middle school, you also taught me the difference between discriminating and distinguishing. At first, I thought you were ignoring, or discriminating against, certain classmates being part of conversations and interactions.
I learned that tolerating the behaviors of others didn't necessarily mean you accepted them. I began to wonder if tolerance was a survival strategy for you.
As you sought ways to cope with the daily aggravations of middle school, you also taught me the difference between discriminating and distinguishing. At first, I thought you were ignoring, or discriminating against, certain classmates being part of conversations and interactions.
Eventually, I realized you had distinguished between your kinder classmates and those who didn't seem to respect anyone. I can't say that I blame you for figuring out who was safe to hang out with, and who was better off being avoided.
Brandon, I think most teachers have a goal of empowering their students to grow academically. That may be a worthy endeavor, most of the time.
After sharing a classroom with you this year, I will always be grateful for what I've learned from you. Of course, I still hope you are a better student, what teacher wouldn't? But, I also hope, because of you, Brandon, I am a better teacher.
Brandon, I think most teachers have a goal of empowering their students to grow academically. That may be a worthy endeavor, most of the time.
After sharing a classroom with you this year, I will always be grateful for what I've learned from you. Of course, I still hope you are a better student, what teacher wouldn't? But, I also hope, because of you, Brandon, I am a better teacher.
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