I've been thinking a lot lately about my job. I have had a series of really good days at work and I've been reflecting on why that is the case. The truth is that I get an amazing amount of personal satisfaction in being a teacher, and I am fortunate to work in an environment that fosters strong relationships and a deep respect for the humanity in everyone, regardless of behaviors that might be deemed socially suspect or outside of the normal ways of doing things. The staff appreciates one another's skills and hard work as well as respects each other's differences. The teachers appreciate the students in all their various shapes and forms, and I think, at least by the end of the school year, the overwhelming majority of students appreciate the teachers. We are an eclectic bunch, but with all our individual idiosyncrasies notwithstanding, we seem to work well as a unit.
I like to think of my school as The Island of Misfit Toys visited by Rudolph that one Christmas. Every student that attends has some broken pieces or rough edges and the staff does as well. Nonetheless, we are all pretty special in our own ways. I think because of the culture of tolerance and acceptance that my workplace strives to create and maintain each year, our students are met and welcomed where they are currently positioned in life and then motivated to progress academically, socially, and emotionally through each teacher's unique style.
One of the things I like best is the freedom to be me in my classes. I like the fact that I can be a real person with my students. I am always professional, but they often hear stories about my life, my experiences and my kids. They have seen me upset, happy, goofy, and even hurting and not once have I been embarrassed to allow them to see and know me, not just as their instructor, but as a genuine and flawed person. Being authentic with the students, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to develop meaningful relationships that allow for a host of opportunities for success on both academic and personal levels. It creates an environment that is safe and that fosters growth.
Today, in casual conversation with some students in my US History class, we got onto the topic of discipline and how a person moderates behaviors through self-control. Ultimately, the goal is to have students be cognizant and responsible for their own behavior because they are self-motivated to make good, healthy decisions. Often times this can be a really slow progression that needs external reinforcement and support. One of my students piped up and said, "You know what keeps me from making a lot of bad decisions lately?" And I asked, "What?" He said, "You do. I'm afraid to disappoint you." That made me smile. Why? Because it means that I'm on the right track in regard to relationship building. I'm headed in the right direction in helping these kids mature into productive and thoughtful adults. They respect my opinion enough to allow it to influence them in how they are choosing between what's right for them and what's wrong for their lives. To me, this was a huge compliment and one of those moments you hold onto when you're feeling low and ineffective after a really hard day.
When I got home this afternoon, another nice surprise awaited me. I had a former student thank me for support and kindness I had shared with her as her teacher. She thanked me for helping her graduate and giving her a really good experience in my classes. It was the icing on the cake of an already good day. Thank yous can be relatively rare in the teaching profession because most of the time students don't recognize a teacher's effort and attention until they've grown up a bit. That is one reason why they are so special and meaningful when they happen.
I like days like today. Not just because I received validation for what I work so hard at doing, but because the energy was good. I taught well and the students learned a little something about some things. In addition, I acknowledged to myself how really blessed I am to have a career where I can make a positive impact.
I'm happy. I love it when I can say that and really mean it.
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