My last blog post examined how teachers are often the brunt of societal attacks. The article concluded that we are so lucky that we get to make a difference in the lives of so many young people, that we should ignore the white noise. Recently on my Australian Early Career Teachers Facebook page I asked members to post the stories of teachers that had inspired them. The purpose of this discussion was for the members to reflect that in some small way the teacher and person we are now is influenced by a significant teacher from our past.
Some of the responses were beautiful and included;
– Mr Asher in Singapore. He was a retired Army guy, and such fun. He told us the truth about life after school, and really made me think and want to explore new horizons.
– There was ‘Aub’, an older Maths teacher who made me feel that if I continued to try, Maths was within my capability. I’m not a whiz, but he made me believe that with patient instruction, I could do trig, cos/sin,tan etc. I passed Math, and when I left school, I missed using that part of my brain – something I never expected.
– My home group teacher Judith Burnell. She was my accelerated English teacher as well. She never gave up on me and always encouraged me to try hard and strive for the best. She had faith in me when I didn’t and no one else did. Wish I was still in contact with her to show her what I’ve become because she believed in me.
– Mr Jelonek, English teacher Years 8 through to 11. Very knowledgeable, good humoured and highly capable in all aspects of his teaching.
– I had a teacher in Year 6 who cared so deeply for everyone and had a passion for doing good things in the community to inspire learning. My other teacher was my Year 8 core teacher. She also was my prac teacher in my final year at uni. She had a passion and way with students I can’t explain. The relationships she has with her students and her drive to reflect and do better with everything is what I loved the most. Both teachers though, were there when I needed it the most and saw me even as a shy and quiet student. I never felt like I couldn’t do something or like I wasn’t seen in their classes.
My post said; A man called Geoff Kay. He was my 8-10 Geography teacher and just had a way. He was gentle, and yet firm. His knowledge was incredible and what he did not know about Indonesia did not exist. His manner is something that now I aspire to be. Firm but kind, serious but fun, knowledgeable but not arrogant. Sadly he passed away several years ago in tragic circumstances but I will always remember him as a teacher worth emulating.
One thing that was clear through the responses was next to no comments stated that the inspiration came from content. Sure, a lot of posts focused on the knowledge the teacher had, the wisdom they imparted, but there was a lack of focus on specific knowledge and not one comment on an inspiring lesson. Teaching is a human profession, one of the few that deals specifically with human to human relationships in an intense setting every day. So it comes as no surprise that it was relationships, patience, understanding and empathy that come to the fore. Further, each post highlights that the teacher showed an investment in the students, the person they were, the needs they had, and the emotions they were experiencing. This is the heart of our profession and one that time and again is what is portrayed.
Movies like Dead Poet’s Society (Mr Keating) portray the relationships that Mr Keating builds with the boys juxtaposed against the tradition and honor of the academy and the academia. The audience laugh, cheer and cry alongside Keating because it is he they connect with. Mr Holland’s Opus focusses on the teacher, the way he nurtured students and the respect he gained from the students for not only his knowledge but his wisdom. Even Ms Wheatley (Learning Support Teacher) from Summer Heights High gains the respect from Jonah simply by the way she made him valued and supported.
It comes to reason then that what matters most in what we do is the way we treat our students. There is the saying that floats around social media often; a student will not remember what you taught them but will never forget how you made them feel. I learnt that very early in my career when in class I didn’t handle well two Year 9 girls who had not done their homework. A long story, but let’s just say they remembered it for a long time and still to this day probably can. It took a long time, for something seemingly innocuous to be repaired, but the lesson I learnt was evident; relationships come first.
So what will your legacy be? Will you be the teacher that in years to come your former students look back on and remember. Are you the teacher who they will say “this teacher made me feel like I could”? It’s hard! In an age where curriculum is packed, schools have high expectations, the parents expert the world, putting relationships first is difficult. But, it is truly the most rewarding aspect of our teaching.
Finally a quote: “Some teachers teach curriculum, other teachers teach students”. What teacher do you want to be remembered as?
Tell me what you think…
Australian Early Career Teachers Association 