See the Whole Child

Photo by Benjamin Voros on Unsplash

I wrote and rewrote this blog several times. First draft? Too negative. Second draft? Too preachy. Third draft? Negative and preachy. I finally decided on heartfelt honesty.

You see, I've messed up. If you have been teaching for more than a week, you have probably messed up, too. We're humans. I didn't reach every single child that I ever taught. Sure, they learned about literature or grammar or the Dewey Decimal System. But I didn't connect with every student. I saw missing homework instead of a child who needed me to motivate him. I saw overdue books instead of a girl who loved reading but lacked organization. I saw what my own ego was reflecting back to me. I saw a child as somehow not living up to what I expected of him or her. I didn't see the challenge for me to try harder, do better, or dig deeper. I failed. I didn't see the whole child.

But I'm trying to see the whole child now. And as far as weeks go, this one was extremely inspiring in that regard.

On Wednesday, I attended the Student Council assembly. Students in grades five through eight gave speeches as they ran for office. I felt so proud of these kids, many of whom are part of my after school clubs. These young men and women are the leaders in your classroom. See their potential and join me in developing these leaders. It might be not be part of your SGO, but please do it anyway. These kids stood up in front of about 800 people to speak about their dreams for our school. Listen. When the campaign posters come down and the winners are chosen, remember the boundless optimism we saw in the gym. Remember you have leaders in your midst and encourage them.

On Thursday, I had the privilege of being part of the amazing "Kind Campaign" assembly. I saw an auditorium full of girls crying and hugging and sharing real emotions. It was intense, but it was beautiful. We have to talk about the tough stuff, like bullying. We have to see that the students we teach are struggling with more than writing essays and solving math problems. We are teaching so much more than our subjects. We are teaching girls how to be women and showing boys how to be men. You can't write "molding the next generation" as on objective on your PDP, but do it anyway.

I didn't attend the Out of the Darkness Walk this weekend due to family obligations, but I know a group of people came together to raise awareness about mental illness and suicide. Mental illness is real, and it stands to reason that you have a student in your classroom who is struggling with anxiety or depression right now. The greatest lesson you may ever teach is that there is always a reason to have hope. Your support and belief in a child may save a life.

Yes, SGOs, SGPs, PDPs, and UBDs are important. But if you are looking solely for meaning in something that can be boiled down to three letters, you are probably going to come up short in the education business. The meaning is now, always has been, and always will be, in the students. So teach from your heart and see the whole child. See her sadness and her struggles to fit in. See his fear and need for extra attention. See the boys and girls who are waiting every day for so much more than just your subject content.

See the whole child. And teach that child like he or she is your own. That's my mission. Sometimes I will fall short because I'm only human, but I will always keep trying. I hope you will, too.