Responsibility

Teachers have a huge load of responsibility. This cargo comes in a number of different forms.

First, we have the responsibility to educate our students. We want to see them be successful. When they fail, we take it personally. Even after thirteen years of school, if they struggle, we may see that one year we taught them as the critical moment.

When I say we, I really mean me. I worry about my students' future every day, both on an individual level and a global level. People tell me I shouldn't take it personally. Yeah, uh huh. I challenge you all to work with children every day and not take their struggles personally.

Another area where responsibility applies is safety. Teachers must be aware of their students whereabouts at all times they are in their charge. If two students together equals a safety issue, teachers must be sure they are never together unsupervised, such as in the rest room. Tipping back in a chair may seem inconsequential, but my student teaching supervisor didn't think so twenty years ago, and I don't tolerate it today.

We are responsible for our students' self-image. We should be constantly building on their strengths and successes, and minimizing their shortcomings. The human psyche is a fragile thing. One teacher, saying one thing at the wrong time can crush a sensitive child's ambition to succeed. Who wants to be responsible for that?

Teachers must care. It comes down to that. We can't afford not to.