Focus through the tough times

Hello everyone,

I'm back. I had a nice, though brief, vacation. It's good to see those of you I've seen.

Teaching is a multitude of things, and teachers are judged (often harshly by outsiders) for the things they do or do not accomplish. Teachers in East LA regularly teach their subject, counsel their students, appease parents, prevent violence, prevent drug abuse, prevent pregnancy, increase literacy, prepare students for life, prepare students for careers, acculturate non-citizens, herd cats, and lead horses to water.

The last two were figurative. The rest are real.

Teachers in East LA also frequently fail to accomplish some or all of the things they regularly attempt. It can get discouraging, but East LA teachers stick it out, gain experience, and find much success.

Sometimes, in our discouragement, or in the difficulties of our profession in this little corner of the world, we don't always keep things in focus or perspective. There are a few things that have been going through my mind lately. Maybe naming them will help with focus. (Maybe, also, I'm planting more trees in an overcrowded forest, thereby obscuring the forest with the trees. I hope I'm clarifying, however.)

First, we teach people not subjects. "I teach children, not math," someone once said to me, and I love the beauty of the philosophy. This doesn't mean that we don't teach the math; it just means that we use the math as a vehicle for creating the full human being. If we keep the full human being in mind, then we are able to work occasionally on the counseling, prevention, and preparation that are also part of our job.

Second, we are contracted employees. Read the contract; know it; don't take it on hearsay. If you have questions about it, read the text with someone you trust. Fulfill your contractual obligations.

I do not believe that the first and second points are exclusive of each other.

Third, we are role models. It may make you uncomfortable, but you must realize that you are the most powerful role model your students have apart from their parents. True, many of them may seem to prefer Kobe, but they really know you better, and you really do have more influence. Use that influence well. Be careful not to further your personal, political, or religious agenda at their expense. I'm not saying to stop being yourself; just remember that your job is not to pour your imperfections into the minds of your willing students, it is to free their minds for the mature, considered, educated inquiry that is necessary for American democracy. You have not failed at all if, after mature, considered, educated inquiry they disagree with you. However, you have failed horribly if they agree with you always, but are immature, inconsiderate, and uneducated, and never make inquiry beyond believing in you.

As a role model, you should model the best behavior of which you are capable. They will not hate you for it if you don't include sanctimoniousness with your best behavior. This includes knowing your subject better every time you teach it, but remaining patient with even those who don't know it at all yet.

Don't forget that your students' most important role model is (really) their parents. Do not try to usurp that; augment it rather.

So: teach the whole human being; follow your contractual obligations; be a role model. Believe it or not, falling back on those things has given me much satisfaction--not to mention better focus.

Jeff Combe