Making a Difference

I was never going to be a teacher. My father was a teacher. I knew at an early age what was involved in being a good teacher. Plus, as already noted, my father was a teacher… Three years ago I retired, following 46 years as an educator: teacher, administrator, consultant. I could not have asked for a better, more fulfilling career. As each new academic year begins,  perhaps especially as I no longer carry school responsibilities, I stop to honor the teaching profession.

Our culture does not, as a whole, respect or appreciate teachers as they deserve, and, frankly, that ignorance plays out in ways that too many people never stop to consider. I vividly recall a conversation twenty-five years ago with an international demographer whom I was to introduce at a major conference. When I wondered aloud what the impact on prison populations might be if all children in the United States (and their parents) had access to early childhood education, he was stunned by the question. To his credit, his response was thoughtful, but this man, who had studied national demographic trends for several decades, had never even considered an educational perspective. 

Good teachers impact the lives of thousands of children over time. They make a difference in the ways young people learn to look at others and themselves. They teach children to think and communicate thoughtfully and critically, how to discern news that is fake from that which is real. Good teachers consistently and supportively insist that students be their best selves. They recognize and celebrate the uniqueness of each child and work extremely hard to develop the strengths and interests and ameliorate the weaknesses. Classrooms are microcosms of the societies around them. They should stress personal and group responsibility. 

The teachers who create those positive, interactive environments benefit their charges at the moment and far into the future. I am amazed when students I taught long ago share the effect that some experience had on them. Sometimes it was a specific lesson plan. Much more often, their memories center on bigger, ongoing conversations. They recall when a classmate’s father died unexpectedly and how we talked about it as a class, while their own parents didn’t know what to say. Neither did I, frankly, but when kids ask, teachers must respond. Former students refer to simulation exercises during which they were exposed to exclusion and its impact on everyone in the class. They laughingly remember learning how to diagram sentences, wondering how such drudgery (or delight, as some of them experienced it) would ever help them in life – then discovering the huge advantage they had when learning a foreign language or that their English grammar and writing skills were so much more advanced than their peers’ who had no clue about a participial phrase.

My classroom was my work, my playground, my joy, my challenge, my fulfillment. Hundreds of thousands of teachers around the country are assiduously planning for the school year ahead and the children for whom they will deeply care. The most significant way to help them is to give them our trust, support, and gratitude. The best educational experiences for children occur when parents and teachers share a partnership. Parents have insights into children’s personalities that are unique. So do teachers. Youngsters usually act differently at home than they do at school. And they know how to push parental buttons. If your child comes home with some fantastical account, stop and consider whether it makes any sense at all, before responding. If there is a legitimate problem, ask your child what s/he wants you to do about it. Frequently, they simply want you to listen. Most important, remember that teaching is a profession. A career that requires careful training and ongoing education. Educators deserve the same respect as doctors, lawyers, and CEOs. They make a difference.

Author: Glass

I retired in July after forty-six years in independent school education. I taught students in classes from PreK-12, was a middle school head for many years, and a head of school for 17. View all posts by Glass