Do You See What I (Don't) See?

Friday night, my school carried out one of its greatest traditions - our senior dinner.  One of the special things about working in a school with a graduating class of sixty is that we have the opportunity to make this event very personal.  Each student is talked about by a teacher, who has signed up to talk about them (sometimes having to fight for them with another teacher who also wants to) and shares stories about their character.  We know, love, and value our students' and their character, and this is a great night to showcase that.

There are many things that I love about this event, but there is one thing that strikes me every year.  The kid who pushes my buttons is someone else's favorite person.  Every year, I find myself listening to a speech and saying to myself, "I would never have thought that."  I find that students I have only known from the hallway (because I didn't get the opportunity to teach them) are different than I imagined.  I hear stories that make me think, "Wow, I wish I had gotten the chance to know her."  The stories we tell about our experiences with kids are inevitably revelations to other teachers

This night reminds me every year why every student needs a team of teachers, not just one.  If a student only had me, there would be some who would not be reached well.  The history teacher may see something that the English teacher doesn't.  The yearbook advisor or art teacher may have the opportunity to find a gift that doesn't show up in math.  The math and English teachers may have the chance to observe a student's perseverance in a way that others can't.  Each of us gets to see something the others might not. 

When we finish this night each year, we hope that each parent in the room knows that their child is loved and appreciated by at least one teacher.  We hope that each student in the room knows there is at least one teacher who knows them and sees who they are.  That's what we want for our students and parents.  What I hope for the teachers in the room is for us to see how much we are all needed.  You see what I cannot, and vice versa.