Emotional Connections

For those who are unaware, teaching is a career built on relationships with students. Successful teachers are mentors, advisors, and all around supports for students and their families. We are emotionally connected to students, sharing the joy of success and feeling the pain of failure. We are filled with pride when a student demonstrates citizenship and we are filled with disappointment when a student demonstrates foolishness. The roller coaster of emotions is felt by all teachers, and we only ever want to increase the positive experiences of our students.

I have been recently working with a former student who is on the road to dropout. His poor choices are depressing to watch, but I am involved because I know that the positive relationship we took time to build in the past can redirect him. It is difficult to watch a student fail, but I am hopeful that my support will lead to more positive emotions for this student and myself. This is the center of being a teacher. Reaching out and providing help while looking in the face of likely failure, because I know he is worth it. I'll let you know if he gets back on track.

Teachers, please share your stories of helping students to become more than they have believed possible.

Investing in our future

Our students are our future, and we need to invest the time and resources now so that our future is bright. What should we do to ensure that our communities, schools, and businesses are all working together to invest? I think we need lots of mentors from the business community who are in the schools weekly (human capital), and I think we need to raise funds and create a large "pot" of scholarship money that is presented to 8th grade students (12th grade is too late). The mentors can help set students on a path based on any career interests, and the scholarship money will be set as the reward for any student who successfully completes all predetermined requirements throughout high school. What do you think? I need lots of help and lots of ideas. Thanks.