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| Sending Students Off with Words of Encouragement |
| posted by: Ruthie | May 23, 2013, 06:57 PM |
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You've had these students in your class for a year or more and the time has finally come – graduation day! You might be secretly thinking, "another year, another graduation;" However, to your students your final words of encouragement will mean more to them than you may know. When I graduated from high school, I had a fair share of teachers who gave me an incredulous "I can't believe you made it." However, one teacher gave everyone in his class a handwritten note with a verse from the Bible especially applicable to each person. Now, I did not go to a Christian school, nor did I go to a small school. Yet, my teacher took time to write every one of his 100+ students a note. I'll never forget it. Every year, seniors graduate and students matriculate to the next grade while you remain in the classroom. I can imagine for teachers it is bitter sweet to see so many students come and go, while you remain. With the growing emphasis on evaluations, testing, and new standards and technologies, there is a temptation for teachers to approach their work with the "get in, get out" method, without truly getting to know their students. In a recent TED talk, Rita F. Pierson, an educator whose 40 year career encompasses elementary, junior high, and special education, stressed the importance of forging relationships with students. She spoke about one teacher who told her, "They don't pay me to like the kids. They pay me to teach a lesson." Pierson responded simply, "You know, kids don't learn from people they don't like." "Every child deserves a champion — an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be," Pierson continued. "Will you like all your children? Of course not. Teachers become great actors and great actresses, and we come to work when we don't like it and we listen to policy that doesn't make sense." Why? "We are educators and we are born to make a difference." While the teaching profession will continue to evolve, one thing will never change – the importance of relationships. You can do the bare minimum and simply rattle off a lesson, or you can go above and beyond to form relationships with students. While you might not remember every student that comes into your classroom, they will remember you. Don't underestimate the power of showing how much you care. Pierson concluded, "For every student that finally 'got it,' for every rookie teacher that said, 'you inspired me to stay,' I get the raise that never quite made it to my paycheck." How do you strive to form relationships with students?
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