When I first started teaching, I had a student-teaching assignment out in East San Jose. It was a difficult semester for me, to say the least. I got stress rashes and cried in my car almost every day after teaching, and I can totally see why there’s a lot of teacher burnout in low-income areas. If you’re one of those teachers, I wish I could personally give you a high five and sincere thank you for serving this demographic!
In the meantime, I share with you a poem. An encouragement, and a reminder of who we are caring for as you dive into this next school year. I’m not sure it qualifies as a poem, actually… but I used to tell my students they could just change up the spacing and call anything a poem.
Almost anything
can seem
poetic.
…Right? =D K maybe not, hope I didn’t offend anyone out there. Well, whatever it is, I wrote this while I was in the thick of this challenging student-teaching assignment. Dr. Shierling, our Reading and Writing Curriculum instructor, had given us mini notepads and instructed us to write about “an unforgettable moment.”
I immediately knew what I was going to write about, because just the day before, I had experienced a moment I never wanted to forget. So I started writing…
Yesterday, I was brave. I was daring. I took a risk. A big risk. I let my students show just how much more they knew, than I did. I showed my students how little I knew. I let them laugh at me, and I did not get upset.
And, I realized just how brave they are– every day.
I chose Gary Soto’s Neighborhood Odes, with the intention of connecting the literature in our class with the authentic experiences in my (Spanish-speaking) students’ lives. I didn’t realize that parts of it– okay, just a few words– were in Spanish.
I don’t speak Spanish. I just don’t.
But I tried, and you know what? I couldn’t do it. La Larona? La… La… what? La Yolona… La…
Then one student piped up: “It’s LA–”
“…La”
“-YA”
“Ya”
“-RO”
“Ro”
“-NA!”
“Na. La Yorona. La YARONA!”
I stumbled over the words. The students tried to coach me– giggling, laughing– delighted that I couldn’t do it… but so eager to help. I was uncomfortable. What is it called– flipping the r? Was I doing it right? I’d never done it before. Did I sound funny… unnatural? I must.
But I did it. They erupted in thunderous applause and cheered, like I had just made the winning shot of an important, close game. And I was so proud. I did it. They were beaming. I bowed. We laughed… and we were all happy.
Then I realized.
They do this
every
day.
But nobody claps for them. No one patiently coaches them through each new word. They just risk, try, and try again– sometimes doing it wrong, not always sure when they get it right.
Some give up.
It’s my job to clap for them. It’s my job to beam at them. It’s my job to make them proud of every little baby step.
It’s my job to make them love to try, help them feel safe to fail, and applaud every success.
That’s my job.
I would come back to this piece again and again in the years to follow. It was a reminder that as hard as I think my gig is, they have a pretty tough one, too. As much as I wanted them to give their best effort and work hard, I had to appreciate what they were already going through just to be present, sometimes. I had to remember that “simply” trying can be scary for them, and as effective as tough love can be, I also need to remember the power of patience, encouragement, and celebration.
So teachers, look at your students and see them– not just as hard-working or unmotivated, gifted or struggling, cooperative or challenging, focused or distracted. They are like you: better at some things than others, but almost always appreciative of warmth and support. You can provide that in a way no one else can! Go teachers!
Share this with a caring teacher you know!
10 responses to ““Yesterday, I was Brave…””
Meet JoEllen
Subscribe via Email
Top Posts & Pages
Categories
This is one of the BEST written examples of what our ATTITUDE as teacher MUST be. Thank you SOOOOO much for this. I am a member of an international sorority of women teachers (Delta Kappa Gamma), and I am going to share this with my chapter as we participate in the welcoming of new teachers to Evanston’s elementary school district. Your posts have been so spot-on and positively helpful to me, it is time to share you with all the other teachers in my life. Keep on trucking’! You DO make a difference – in the lives of children AND teachers. Thank you!
Wow, thanks, Barbara! I hold this memory close to my heart, and I am so thrilled that you appreciated it, too! Thanks SO MUCH for sharing it with other teachers! =D And thank you for the encouragement!! =D
I want to add that we need to strive to be brave every day. Our students brave looking foolish EVERY day. We, as their leaders in learning, must both approve AND model this behavior every day as well. Our jobs are not easy and never finished, but Lord knows they can and should be be inspiring! Go for it!
I agree. Taking risks in front of kids and letting them see you brave it and sometimes fail can be hard, but so empowering to them. Hope you have a fantastic start of the year!
Oh gods, yes, what a reminder!!! Thank you so much for this. Even as a parent, we need to remember this.
I agree!!! It’s much easier to be overwhelmingly encouraging to a baby (“WOW! YOU PUT SOMETHING IN YOUR MOUTH BY YOURSELF! AMAAAAZINGGGG!!” …what we’ve been saying for the last two days haha :)) , but it’s something I’ll have to remember when they’re older, too!
This is an amazing post! I agree that this point of view is incredibly important teachers and also other service fields. As a future physician, I know that I’ll probably burn out, but I will keep your story in mind to stay inspired!
That is totally true! Anyone who serves other people can benefit from trying to see things from their perspective, too! I am so glad you are finding other ways to apply this.
Teachers like you are what every parent dreams of for their child. Thank you!
Aw, thanks!