Anger

 What makes me angry?

I feel the angriest when someone is unable to defend themselves and have no one in their corner to support them. I like to think about my students that I have worked with in the past. They were battling their own home issues, school issues, and health issues. I remember the only people that were in their corner were their teachers. 

For some of the students, I was their teacher, and for some, I was not. I was the angriest when I was not their official teacher and just another adult in the classroom. I saw their battle in their eyes and how much comfort their classroom was. I felt heartbroken during holiday breaks or long weekends when their comfort was taken away from them. My worst pain was summer vacation. During that extended period of time, I could only imagine what those students were going through. I tried to think positively for them and hope that their summer was a distraction from their issues.

I often get asked about my philosophy of teaching and why I want to be a teacher. My response when I was still going through the teacher education program to become certified was because I lived for the aha moments. I lived for the moments when a student suddenly understood a concept that was difficult for them. Now, my philosophy of teaching is advocacy. Students, especially those who cannot speak for themselves, need someone to be their cheerleader, therapist, or someone to be present.

I am angry when teachers get hired and they are not the voice for their students. They come in at their contractual start time, do the least amount of effort for teaching, and leave at their contractual end time. They repeat that cycle every day for their 20-year career in teaching. I do not believe that teachers should come in every day before school starts and stay every day after school ends. However, they should be available for their families even if that means staying 10 minutes after school to talk with a worried parent to reassure them that every decision you are making is in the best interest of their child.

My anger comes out of a place of love. I am not someone to stoop in misery and constant anger unless there is a just reason. I only want what is best for my students when there is no one in their corner helping them fight their battle.