~Educators value the success of all students. Educators care for students and act in their best interests~
There were several students throughout the course of my three practicums who needed more support and attention than their peers. These students seemed to have been marginalized within their classrooms because of their disruptive behaviour and limited social skills.
One particular boy in my grade 12 English class stood out to me as a student with so much potential if he saw that an adult or teacher truly cared and was invested in his success. He had lost interest in his studies, sitting at the back of the class, usually on his phone or simply with his head down on the desk. He had become disengaged with the material in a highly academic class and was attempting to coast his way to graduation. Although he was quite lifeless in class, he was extremely pleasant to talk to one on one. I made a point to talk to him at the start of every class, asking him about his job, about his plans for after graduation, or simply how his other classes were going, showing him that I cared about his well-being and success. Slowly, he began to open up more about his experience in the class and why he was struggling with the content. After realizing that he had become apathetic about school because of his past experience with teachers passing him for the sake of moving him through to graduation, with little effort on their part to make sure he understood in the material, I then decided that I needed to utilize different strategies during class time like A & B partners. This would give the student a chance to talk with their partner in a “safe” way before then sharing out with the class. The structure of A & B partners holds students accountable and responsible for their own participation and engaging with the material. Along with other activities like small group discussions where a mini-presentation was the expected afterwards, or even exit ticket, the student slowly became more engaged and willing to try things out of his comfort zone. After a few weeks of being “needed” in the group he was in, I could see him start to become more social with his classmates as well, realizing that they had more similarities than differences.
Although by no means am I claiming to drastically improved this students’ academic standing, I know I made a difference his everyday classroom experience simply by showing him that I cared about him. At the end of the quarter, he thanked me for making school “not the worst”, which coming from a 17-year-old boy, seemed to be a good achievement to me. Sometimes, I think, as educators, our influence and ability to make a difference in the lives of students is forgotten. Even simple actions of caring and kindness can make a world of difference in the lives of students who need it most. The students who otherwise fade into the background.
I will continuously dedicate myself to upholding standard 1 throughout my career because even though it may seem like a basic, “given” responsibility of an educator, when implemented continuously and effectively, it can change the lives of many students in a positive way.