Rita's dynamic and moving Ted Talk (posted below) is based on the idea that "every child deserves a champion." She speaks from 40 years of experience teaching students, and one of the most important aspects of education for her is the relationships we build with our students. For many students, their teacher is one of the few people who takes and interest, who care about them, and who advocates and believes in them. Pierson gives a number of examples from her own teaching experience, but there is one that is particularlly striking. She gave a 20 question quiz to her students, and one student got 2 out of 20. Pierson says she wrote a "+2" and a smiley face at the top of the student's paper. When the student came up to her and asked if he had received an F, Pierson responded yes. The student, exasperated, asked "then why did you put a smiley face?" Pierson's response is a powerful one: "-18 sucks all the life out of you. +2 says I ain't all bad." Pierson's anecdote, if nothing else, speaks to the importance of how we make students feel. Giving them hope, giving them something to work toward and the resources to reach their goals can literally be life changing for students. How do your students feel in your class? Do they feel empowered? Do they feel that you believe in them? These questions are so important to consider. There is so much that goes into teaching, and it can become overwhelming at times to balance all of it. But your students well being should come second to nothing in your classroom everyday. Teachers have a tremendous amount of accountability; make sure you develop the relationships with your students so that they feel they have a champion. You don't need to be a champion to every student, but you certainly need to advocate for and care about your students. If you don't, there is a possibility that no one else will.
1 Comment
Rob Swift
12/4/2016 08:03:54 am
Students can walk away from any classroom feeling either empowered or emotionally drained and disengaged. The teacher isn't the only variable in the classroom, but we're one of the largest, and we can be the key difference. As you say, "You don't need to be a champion to every student, but you certainly need to advocate for and care about your students. If you don't, there is a possibility that no one else will." Good advice
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AuthorI'm currently a teacher candidate in pursuit of my English Credential. Archives
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