Every Child Needs a Champion

This post is not exactly about technology - but just watched this video, so I wanted to share. This is a TED talk by Rita Pierson.



This video reminds me as a teacher that our number one focus needs to be on relationship. All the work we do with Standards, Proficiency grading, and any other reforms doesn't matter if we don't build relationships with our students.

I want to share a few stories (thanks in advance for indulging me..)

A big part of the reason that I am a teacher is because of a math teach I had my 9th grade year. Mr. Potampa was my geometry teacher. He is a teacher that is full of energy and loves what he does. He just recently retired after 38 years of teaching. He was the master of colored chalk and wonderful diagrams. He made the geometry come alive on the board. But more importantly, he took the time to get to know his students. He attended our athletic events, school plays, and know what we enjoyed doing outside of school. When I saw him a few years ago, he still remembered details about me from high school. I don't remember much about the lessons he taught in class - but I remember much of what I learned. Not about geometry - but about life.

I don't know where I would be without Mr. Rainforth. He was my health teacher, football coach for part of my high school years, and basketball coach for 7 or 8 years of my basketball career. He used to tell us that he didn't care what we did when we graduated from high school - but he wanted us to be the best we could be at whatever we chose to do. If you are going to haul garbage, be the best garbage hauler you can be. Don't settle for being average. I remember a time that I made some poor choices in high school - Mr. Rainforth pulled me aside and told me how disappointed he was in me and that I better make better decisions from that point forward. I hate to think about where I would be if not for Mr. Rainforth. He cared enough to make sure that I was on the right path. The subjects he taught were important, but not the most important thing.

Years later - I am now the one in front of the class. I had a student several years ago that really pushed my buttons. He didn't want to follow any rules, he wanted to see how far he could push me. I think I sent him to the office more than all the other students I have had all together. We never built a good relationship (I thought) and that was the thing that frustrated me the most. I didn't think he learned much math that year - because he was too busy being disrespectful. Fast forward a few years. I am shopping with my wife - I see him working at the store we are shopping at. My heart sunk - I really didn't want to talk to this student who had been such a pain... he had other plans... he came up and approached me rather excited. He quickly greeted me and then proceeded to apologize for how he acted in my class. Then he thanked me for never giving up on him. (I almost fell to the ground). He then asked what I was shopping for. He then made sure that I got his discount on the items we bought that day. He introduced me to several others at the store. (Wow... I still can't believe that this was the same young man...)

I know many of you have similar stories of someone who was your champion or that you were their champion. It is too easy sometimes to get over-focused on all we have to do as teachers. But never lose focus of being a champion for a kid.

Still learning...  and lovin' it...