Love Me as a Person First

The greatest thing a teacher has done for me was treat me as a person first, then a student. My student leadership teacher changed my life, teaching me lessons of character, motivation, and equality. When I had troubles at home, he offered the resources I didn't know about, and he told me to put off schoolwork and helped me focus on getting back on track. - Jeremiah

Once we get on the conveyor belt of the school year, sometimes it is hard to see completely around us.  We just see what is next in the line. We don’t take the chance to look back at what has happened before, to reflect, or to even see the little humans in front of us.

We often only see the day and the group of students we will lead and sometimes drag through it. It is hard to take a step back and see what is really going on with the kids, if they are off their normal demeanor or needing a little more attention this week.  

We need to push forward with all things curricular, of course, but we also need to slow down just enough, once in a while, and take the temperature of the room and enjoy the kids.  

You might not get to see these kids next year. They might be in someone else’s class or some other school, and you won’t get to enjoy their character, personality, and even their silly jokes.  

You’ll miss that. Even if you think back and can’t quite remember some of the personalities that came through your class before, it doesn’t mean they weren’t worth getting to know. You should not miss the opportunity to get to know the kids, warts and all.  

You should let them get to know you as well, warts and all.  

You never really know what those moments mean to kids. Most of them won’t tell you.  Most of them won’t really thank you, but still, you know it is worth it.  

You might just change a life with those moments.