For Teachers: "See" our children

When we take the time to “see” and “breathe life” into our students, we experience their greatness. 

When we kneel down to them and listen, we build their trust. 

When we praise and also correct them in love, we get their respect.

When we inspire students, we help to give birth to their brilliance.

Below are my teacher and administrator revelations (from my own good & challenging experiences):

1) Culturally competent teaching matters. Diversity representation is important. Cultural competence and diversity make a difference!

2) Stop “labeling” and “judging” and start understanding and “seeing”. Start listening and respecting the voices of children. Observe them and “hear” them... respond to them. Be aware of your own biases/prejudices and teach with love for all students regardless of race, gender and/or ability.

3) Teach consciously. Teach with empathy, respect for differences, and with patience.

4) Take the time to get to know and bond with your students. Show them how you care about them as a person (not just what they know).

5) It is easy to work with the “smarter”, more focused and well-behaved students. But we must consciously show the same care and regard to the students who may be “struggling”. We may need to teach them differently. We must do/learn what we can to reach every child.

6) It is not always the fault of the parent. Sometimes we are at fault as teachers. We must be creative and innovative in the classroom. We must create an environment that inspires and motivates the child. We must make learning interesting and fun.

7) When one student fails, we all fail. It is not okay to be complicit with children falling through the cracks and/or social promotion. We must find holistic ways to help our students thrive.

8 ) We must learn ourselves and teach children how to be able to manage through difficult moments and with different people. They are not too young to learn about conflict resolution, respecting others, empathy and diversity.

9) Instead of doggedly focusing on following the structure and standards, (it is important to know and understand these regulations and teach to meet them), we must be careful about only trying to meet the “requirements” at the cost of losing the beauty of teaching and being with the student.

10) Students feel energy. They know when you authentically care and are invested in them. Students will thrive and be successful regardless of their home/community environment when you believe in them. They will learn when you build them up and give them real hope. So do what you need to do to improve yourself, so you can make the world a better place by educating our future.

Teachers have critically important roles to help make America great, just, equitable and safe for all people.

Thank you teachers for all you do! 

I know it is not easy, because you all do a lot and we need so much from you. Thank you!

- Dr. Tarece Johnson, The Global Purpose Approach 

Global Purpose Academy

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