Every few years, I get forwarded the same sappy email meant to re-affirm all that we do as teachers, a shameless self-promotion of sorts reassuring us that we are indeed doing good work. Mine came yesterday again in the form of a movie telling the Teddy Stoddard story (any teacher with any experience knows this story and all its cheesy glory!). If you haven’t, then check out this link: www.teachermovie.com. In a nutshell, it reminds us (as teachers) have that unmistakable power to touch our students and change their lives forever...
Well...
I really don’t know why I feel so powerful about this. On the one hand, I have to stifle the immediate gag-reflex, overdosing on the saccharine-sappiness of it all. My God, get a grip! We are teachers, not UN Ambassadors/Mother Teresas/Doctors Without Borders!!! We have it pretty good and don’t need this shameless self-promotion. On the other hand, choking back tears, I so easily slip into the role of humanity’s savior: I can indeed change this world!
I do know that part of my resentment of how simply I was "got" - and how easily I am overcome with emotion over my job, my passion. I liken this to my resentment of Nicholas Sparks. A few years back when I still rode the bus to work, I would devour novel after novel. In desperation for something, I grabbed The Notebook by Sparks, and even though I could see how cheap and obvious it was, I could see it coming a mile away, I was still weeping openly on the bus on my way home. Damn you Sparks!
So it is this feeling that I direct towards Teddy. But I am also comforted in my decision to care.
I have always been really program-focussed. My teaching is amazing, as I am always tuned into my student success, squeezing every possible moment of "time on task" out of my kids, all in the name of success. However, I have been lacking in the caring department.
I went to a workshop this year on successful schools, and the speaker (Wayne Hulley) spoke of effective schools setting two types of goals for their kids: success in competence, and success in character. I rock in the competency area. Character, not so much... that is, until this year. I have vowed to teach this year from a caring perspective. I look deeply within each of my students, and regularly tell them how special they are. Interestingly enough, it is this year that I have seen the greatest growth and change throughout my whole career. I have a couple of "Teddys" in my room, and I can honestly say with conviction that they are successful because of me - not parents, not development, not any other outside factor, but simply because as their teacher, I care deeply about them.
Teddy, thank you again for your message and your reminder of how important our work is. Even though you got me again, I forgive you.
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