2020 has brought to light some forgotten truths. One of them being that we are all human. We all have the capacity to feel and we all have the need to be seen and understood.
As I returned back to the
classroom this September, I was beyond excited to have my classes face to face. Check in with everyone's mental health, and get them back to loving my favourite subjects, History and Classics. But before long, I had fallen back into old habits.
Taking the days for granted, letting the small things consume me, and forgetting the I in Miss.
What do I mean by that? Before I am a teacher or anything else for that matter; I am a person, a human. Sometimes, it's easier for me to function as,
Me the teacher, the firstborn, the big sister, the youth leader, mentor, the singles encourager. And sometimes, it's easier to wear our many hats, instead of letting our hair down, and come as we are.
But as of recently, I have been thinking about the I in Miss.
What do my students gain, by not seeing the I in Miss? Not seeing the person in the teacher. The person, who is their educator but who is also learning how to deal with these new challenges in this season?
As a leader, I fear less of making mistakes, but how am I perceived when I make them? Do I look stupid or incompetent? Do I risk the in
famous words, "I don't know" or "fake it until I make it"? My faith doesn't allow me to be fake. And even I try to be, the Holy Spirit knows how to trigger a conversation in my heart and often asks me, "do these words/actions reflect who I say you are? Is this loving, excellent, kind?" (Galatians 5). I am led to readdress those thoughts and actions and choose His higher ways.
This is definitely an ongoing conversation, but I would love to know what you think? Especially all you educators out there. I think this is the time to present the U in Education. Excuse my English, 🤗 Our student and colleagues alike, have really had to adapt and say goodbye to what we knew as normal, and so in that,
let us allow them to say hello to the person inside. I think this season, we need to be more than teachers, we need to be human.
What does that look like to you?
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