I invite you to contribute your comments again to my blog, so that more people can continue to share in our dialogue.

For the students who have found teachers , like you, who are there to support them on their educational journey, I say, press on! These students are the fortunate ones because it is their teacher who must dream for them before they can dream for themselves. It is the teacher who prepares children for a future which is not his/her own.
These exceptional teachers are fortunate because for every ounce of energy that they use to invest in the child, they will see the rewards of their investment in the child’s continued growth and development throughout the year.

Not so long ago, I asked several students to define the word “teacher.” This was not a difficult task for them because after years benefitting from instruction by master teachers, they knew what being a “teacher” was all about. And of course the genre used was sheer poetry.

WHAT IS A TEACHER
>
> Written by Bibana ~Ashanti ~~Jamal~~Ellenah
> ~~Diana ~~John Henry ~~and Mohammed
>
>
> A teacher is a symbol of learning: a leader of learners
and a miracle to education.
>
> A teacher is an educational god that leads us to goodness
> while caring for our learning spirits.
>
> A teacher is the captain of our educational journey; Exact
> about everything.
>
> A teacher has the courage enough to teach; And knows
mostly all the answers.
>
> Teachers become our heroic inspiration.
>
> Teachers educate us with all of their knowledge. Smart and
> spirited, teachers can make our brains work like computers.
> Yet, our teachers can also hold our hands when we need it.
>
> Teachers reach to the sky to get what we need; And exit a
> subject just at the right time.
>
> A teacher possesses the academics and grace that we all love. Teachers care for us in every imaginable way.
>
> Our teacher is the hero in our learning lives.
>
> Education is the key to success. That is what our teachers have taught us.
>
> Teachers are a class struggle in liberty: Believing in kids; Reaching out to kids; And instilling pride within all of us.
>
> Our education is important to our teachers. Therefore our teachers struggle hard to teach every student: Checking exams after school; explaining things so they are easier;And reading to us or teaching us how to read.
>
> Each one of our praises we give. And for everything our teachers do, we will thank them today, tomorrow and always.

Now, you say “it is imperative for all teachers to do their homework,” that, in fact, “it’s elementary.” As I wrote, I knew I handled the situation with Gladys incorrectly because, when I came to my senses, I remembered I was dealing with one of my most motivated, eager students. So, I know her in that regard. It wasn’t a case of me not having done my homework, but rather a case of me becoming caught in the moment.

The other ways of knowing a student you mention, well, these are things (many of them), that emerge over the course of a year. I don’t know my students’ learning styles the second they walk in the door on day one – how could I possibly? We all evolve over the year, and even today, as we stand on the doorstep of June, I am still getting to know my students and what makes them tick academically, socially, and emotionally.

I feel one of my greatest strengths is that I allow each student a clean slate when they come into my room. I listen to what former teachers tell me about students, but I always make my own assessments of individuals. (Case in point: supervisors and colleagues marvel at the progress one of my students has made in my room, considering how many times he was suspended last year and how often he was removed from his room. I don’t have those issues with him.)

So many of those other points you raise do come to me by way of the guidance counselor, who, more than anyone in the building, knows what goes on. You know, kids are often pressured by their parents to stay quiet on issues in the home. It’s amazing sometimes that I’m even able to have the frank discussions I do have with them. That speaks to the trust my students have in me.

I know my students. If I didn’t, I would not have given a second thought to this whole Gladys situation. But since I know her so well, I gave it many thoughts, and it made me very uncomfortable. I feel that, given the situation I created, I did a fair job of rectifying it.

Had I not known any better about Gladys, I would have never recognized the error of my ways. Since I do know her, though, I could proceed accordingly. In the future, should any similar situation ever occur, I am confident that, with the sensitivity I have toward my students, I will be able to handle it appropriately again.

Surely, teachers cannot provide all of the students’ needs. However, teachers must be able to find the professionals who have the answers.

So how can we change the culture and climate of the school so that everyone feels safe?

It has been said: “Teachers’ want what children need.” Certainly, we must look to educators first to maintain safety in the classroom: Physical safety as well as emotional safety. When we try to transform the classroom, into a community of learners, the first challenge is to know each student. What is the child’s learning style; its cultural needs? Are their physical challenges? Who is the child’s caregiver? How does the community impact on the child? Is there an IEP; a prior history of violence, a guidance record? a portfolio? There are so many questions to be answered. And since teachers do not have all the answers, it is imperative for all teachers to do their homework. It’s elementary.

Phyllis C. Murray
UFT Chapter Leader P.S. 75X