A teacher is the one who listens to the “strange” boy talk
about his fascination with dragons or guns and not judge. He listens intently to the very animated
child and might not understand what he is speaking of, but he listens.
A teacher is the one who listens to the 7th grade
girl complain about her over protective mother and how she wishes she could
wear what clothes she wants. She calmly
tells the child that her mother is just being a good mom and taking care of
her. She watches the teenager roll her
eyes and inside cries because she worries about what trouble that girl could
get into one day.
A teacher sits next to the small boy, even though his clothes
and he smells. She wonders of the last time
he bathed or his clothes were washed for him, but he can’t add two digit
numbers so she sits by his side and helps him.
A teacher will call home even though she gets a message
machine over and over again trying to get through to the parent of the child who
has been missing from school for days at a time without any reason.
A teacher will take her lunch time to call home and speak to
the parent of a gifted child who again has done brilliantly on a class project. She wants to recognize the hard work each
child has done even though it is expected and understood from them. She makes phone calls for the “good” kids as
well.
A teacher believes there are no bad students, just challenging
ones.
A teacher stands in the cafeteria and watches certain children
waste food, throwing away what they don’t eat while others have been given a
free lunch and ask for people’s extras because they know there is nothing at
home. He thinks of his own lunch in his
classroom and knows he could go with less.
He looks at the students who do not have that choice.
A teacher pulls apart two girls bigger than herself while they
try to rip out each other’s hair for no better reason than one supposedly said
something about the other. Even though she might get hurt. she doesn't want them to hurt each other.
A teacher puts extra pencils and notebooks in her cart at the
back-to-school sales because she knows there will always be someone who needs
them.
A teacher gets angry.
He gets angry when a child has such potential and wastes it. He looks at the children who want nothing
more than to be able to “get it” but they do not have that gift.
A teacher wipes the nose of the little kindergartner who fell
on the playground and everyone laughed at him.
She cleans him up and lets him sit in her room while recess
finishes. He’s too embarrassed to go
back outside.
A teacher will question why those students who cannot sit
still must sit still through hours of state testing. She knows a better way of assessing this
child’s knowledge, but she must do what the state says. And have a positive attitude about it.
A teacher will stay up late grading papers and projects,
writing comments and giving suggestions.
A teacher will step in front of the intruder to protect her
students or his students.
A teacher will accommodate for a child’s needs so that child
can be successful in the way he or she needs to be successful.
A teacher will be patient and remind himself that the student
is only 9 or 13 or 17.
A teacher will be a mom or dad if the need is there.
A teacher will put a child against a wall and put him or her in their place if need be.
A teacher educates every student to her best ability and if
someone or something impedes that process of learning, she will make it go
away.
A teacher often comes to work when it is still dark outside.
A teacher goes to graduation and hugs the student who called
her names, wrote bad things on the internet about her, lied to her face, and disrespected
her. She whispers in her ear, “I am so
proud of you. I knew you could do it.”
A teacher thanks the parents for their support.
A teacher doesn’t get exasperated with a learning support
student. He doesn’t tell the student to “try
harder” he simply says “try again.” The
student is already trying hard.
A teacher can never leave their work at the office.
A teacher’s day does not end when the busses pull out.
A teacher is a gift.
May 7th, 2013
