Teachers, I have good news for you. February is almost over! February Fever used to get to me every year. It's been a while since Christmas, and spring break is a way off. There are unexpected interruptions to your routine. You may have a little Seasonal Affective Disorder, and so do the kids.
What I always found helpful during these doldrums of the year was to remember my purpose and my impact. Rather than focus on the day to day grind in front of you, remember the long term. You walk into a classroom every day, expected to equip, challenge, and inspire every student. There are kids who will be able to read because of your work. There are people who will go into medicine because of your inspiration. You have students who will carry a love of art, theater, or literature because of you. If are being discussed at dinner tables, and you may continue to be discussed years from now when your students tell their own children about you. You build up students into people with a broader view of the world than they would have if you hadn’t been their teacher. It’s an awesome thing to consider.
One of the reasons I know this is true is the memory of my own teachers. You'll find stories of them in this blog because I write Thanksgiving posts about them. I was a nerd who loved school. I never viewed it as utilitarian, a way to get into college, or job training. I did, of course, love some subjects more than others. History was my least favorite. Yet, I had a middle school history teacher named Mr. Watkins whose passion for the story of Czar Nicholas and Alexandra of Russia was so strong that I couldn't help but be drawn into it. A decade later, I found myself in a Tulsa art museum with tears streaming down my face as I stood in front of Alexandra’s crown and a desk used by Nicholas. I don’t normally have emotional responses to furniture and jewelry, but a teacher inspired me in a way that made me care (and had nothing to do with getting a job).
Students don't always tell you the impact you are making, so when they do, hang onto it. If you get a nice email from a student or parent, keep it in an encouragement folder so you can revisit it when you need to. Keep a box or drawer for the random little tokens of affection you get (random drawings, silly inside jokes, end of the year notes, etc.). When someone does tell you how you affected them, hold onto it, and remember that there are likely more of those stories you don't know.
I occasionally run into former students of mine in public. I have run into them at movie theaters, grocery stores, and even airports. There is nothing quite like the feeling of hearing "Miss Hawks?!?" from across a room. Since I began working at the YMCA, there have been a surprising number of encounters with those I once taught. Some are there to get their lifeguard certifications. Others are there to work out in the gym or play basketball. Some come in to bring their kids to swim lessons. Whether I had them last year or two decades ago, they stop by the desk and remind me that there is impact beyond the year I taught them.
Quite some time ago, I was in a restaurant. A young man excitedly said my name. It was a young hot head a taught in a school where I only stayed for one year (a year I often gloss over when thinking about my career). He turned to his friend and said, "This is the teacher who put up with all my crap." Yep, that's exactly what I was. I don't know what impact that had on the man he is today, but I hope it had some.
The only reason I had an influence on any student is because my teachers influenced me. It's a chain reaction, and you are part of that chain.
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