Wednesday, August 8, 2012

It Takes a Village

Students have not even stepped foot in my classroom, and already I learned something in school.  I’ve always heard the cliché “It takes a village,” but I’ve never really bought in to the notion.  I have always tried to take responsibility for myself and my family.  I have always thought that I can raise my child on my own; thank you very much.  As a teacher, I’ve been trained and taught that it is solely my responsibility to ensure students are learning the intended curriculum with purpose.  That is my responsibility without regard to their background, their socioeconomic status, their family life, their intelligence, or their culture.  No whining; no complaining; no excuses.  No child left behind; that is my responsibility.  However, today I learned it takes a village.

This school year, I am moving from a “business department classroom” where I was blessed with computers for every student, to a “regular math classroom” with good old fashion desks.  I am excited by the new challenge, but I was not looking forward to moving all of my things (again).  Even as I labored to move my collection of books, folders, cabinets, and teaching supplies to my new room, there were some things I just couldn’t fix.  My new room had only one small board on which to write.  I had a projector, but no projection screen.  I had an EXTREMELY LARGE podium that I could not budge, let alone fit through a door, sitting in the middle of my room.  I needed help.

I don’t like to ask for help, but I sent two short emails.  I sent one to my principal and one to the head custodian.  A few mornings later, I walked into my classroom, and like magic, there were two new boards on my wall, and the enormous podium had vanished.  I was just about to complain to myself that I still didn’t have a projection screen, but just then my door flew open, and in walked two custodians carrying two ladders and a perfectly timed projection screen.  I wanted to stand up and hug those custodians, but I wasn’t sure they would have understood.

My two new boards!  Our school mascot is the Red Demons, so I have strategically placed the "all seeing" demon head above my boards.

Anyways, I could not have done those things by myself.  I needed help.  I needed the “village” to lend a hand.  Perhaps I could have survived without the new boards, or the projection screen, or a giant podium in my way, but I couldn’t have taught to the best of my ability.  I would not have been able to give these students my finest each day.

It got me thinking.  How much do we rely on others?  Is there anyway I could do my job without my principals, the counselors, the custodians, the lunch ladies, the paraprofessionals, my colleagues, the librarian, the nurse, the secretaries, the workers who built this beautiful building, the school board, the coaches, the parents, the tax payers, the police…?  The short answer is no.  It takes a village.  This entire village is working towards one goal.  We are all working together to give these students a chance at living a meaningful and fulfilling life.  We are all trying to make good on the promise that this is the land of opportunity.  No one has promised happiness, but these students have been promised the right to pursue happiness.  We ALL want to set them on that path.

Now that I understand that it takes a village, I can’t help but think about the victims of the recent tragedies which have taken place in Colorado and Wisconsin.  I am a student of statistics, and I fully understand that there will always be outliers in society.  I also understand that as a population grows, so too does the number of outliers.  However, as a human and an educator I wonder where “our village” went wrong with these violent gunmen.  What influences were missing from these sick peoples’ lives?  I’ll probably never know the answer to that question, yet it still haunts me.

I heard someone speak recently, and he talked about how a leader is someone who has influence.  I like that thought.  It’s simple.  Do you have influence over someone?  You’re a leader.  In our village, we all have influence over someone.  I think a good mantra to live by would be, “Be a positive influence.”  I am reminded that I am a part of this village.  My words, decisions, and behaviors have influence.  I am a leader.  I better be a positive influence.  After all, it takes a village you know…

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