Open Letter to Teachers

Last year, I wrote a letter to my students--past, present, and future. It was at a time I felt overwhelmed, wanted to throw in the towel. At the advice of a counselor who read it, I actually handed it out to my students and posted it on the bulletin board. Some hugged me after class. Some thanked me. Some wrote me letters back. And, of course, some left it right on the desk where I placed it.

I don't have students of my own at the moment. My role as a professional development specialist has me working more with teachers and coaches, although I do have the pleasure of teaching model lessons and interacting with students. Sometimes the teachers are at their wits' end, feeling the same exasperation I felt when I penned that letter.

Here's a letter for them:

Dear Teacher,

I hear you when you say you're exhausted, frustrated, ready to quit. I do. I know your bosses, parents, and students expect a lot from you. Many times, too much. They want you to be a superhuman who can morph into a thousand different roles on demand. Some days, you're on. Others, you feel like you're herding thousands of feral cats.

Often times, you're looking to me for the fix, the one thing that will turn your classroom around into the one you dreamed of when you decided to become a teacher. Or, in some cases, the one you had years ago when "children were more respectful and parents cared more."

I will concede that behaviors allowed now were totally unacceptable when you and I went to school. But, there are still respectful students who want to learn. There are still parents who care. And, it's so easy to focus on those who please us and ignore or punish those who don't.

That needs to stop.

Those kids who are acting out are sending us a message. They need us. And, as tempting as it is to have them promptly removed from the room, that doesn't solve anything. It just guarantees that you will be repeating the same cycle the next day. Together, let's look at ways we can build a positive classroom culture where all the students feel safe and respected and nurtured--even when they make mistakes. It's not going to work overnight. Maybe not even in the course of a week. It may take weeks, months. You will still have bad days here and there. Don't give up on yourself. Or the kids.

Other times, you're looking to me to make the technical side of your job easier to manage. I know you have a ridiculous amount of paperwork and reports to manage. And, more is being piled onto your plate every day. Your cup runneth over, but not in the way you want it to. I won't tell you to manage your time better because I know I wanted to throat punch every experienced teacher or administrator who said that to me when I was overwhelmed. If only we could add a few hours to every day and a few days to every week, you'd finally have the time to get it all done to the standards you hold yourself to.

This is when prioritizing and letting go comes in handy. In my current role, I too face a crazy amount of demands and deadlines. Some real, some artificial. I have learned--admittedly through trial and lots of error--to discern between the two. All I can do is what is right in front of me at the moment. And, when that is done, I move to the next thing in front of me. If I thought about what was behind each curtain all at once, I would surely give up.

My best piece of advice, take it or leave it:  Instead of focusing on all the impossibles--the things you can't (or won't) do--ask yourself, "What CAN I do?" Then do it. Then ask again. And do it again.

We are all in this together. Reach out when you need help, but do so in the spirit of wanting to make things better for yourself and others. Bitch sessions--while therapeutic at times--become poison when they're allowed to go unchecked. Let it out. Then let it go. Then go do what you know you can.

Sincerely,
Someone who is on your side