Today I want to address a group of students who often go unnoticed. These students enter an ever changing school environment, maintain and relate with peers that are difficult to interact with, are pressed on every side by peer pressure and constant scrutiny from their teachers. These students have deadlines to meet, and have survived many storms, all while maintaining their home responsibilities.

These students are forced to adjust to new standards and teaching methods and are infiltrated with new technology; all while forced to master the district benchmarks. While others have faltered, these students have excelled while others were in the principles office and or in danger of failing the grade. The student I want to address today is YOU!!!

Follow up:

In this life, we are always in a state of learning, thus, we are always students. One of my favorite sayings came while at a luncheon I arranged at my church called “Pearls of Wisdom”. Our Education Pastor said something profound. His Pearl of Wisdom to those assembled was “Always remain teachable”.

Isn’t it ironic that to help our students, we have had to learn a fresh material not reviewed for years, and then relearn the material based upon new teaching methods? Now, I won’t speak for the masses that read this blog, but honestly, wasn’t it uncomfortable, and often discouraging? Didn’t you find yourself thinking “I didn’t work on these types of problems for another 2 grade levels!”

Here’s what I have seen; the way you respond to the material will impact how your student responds to the material. If you find yourself rebelling against the teaching methods, or (like myself) saying “Why do you have to write all of this stuff down? The answer is 86!” This, only to see my daughter not writing down steps because her dad said that it wasn’t necessary :(! I have learned that there are many ways that we can impact our students learning, and one big player to their success is our attitude.

Furthermore, I have learned to be more empathetic towards my students by learning the material with them. Honestly, it was a little much with my other classroom responsibilities, so I hired a tutor (thanks Yolonda!!!!) This empathy has caused me to be more understanding towards the work my students do in the district, and my struggle in my own classroom, keeps me aware that learning can be difficult and stressful at times.

Today, I am here to call a truce. I am writing to call all parties to move from tension to peace. I am calling for parents and educators to review their personal policies and approach to their classroom (we are all learners remember) and to the classroom of others. Let us support all learners in their plight to excel by providing encouragement and resources to help them become their best. Face it; if we need extra training, they need it too :)! Lets work together to ensure every student reaches their full potential.