15 Things I've Learned From My Students

99.999% of helping a high school student is basically letting them know that you really care about their success and who they are as a person.  In a high school classroom, it can be chaotic sometimes.  I teach business and my student population is diverse in many ways.  Academically, culturally, racially, socio-economically, religiously and more.  This can present a huge challenge for a teacher.  

In reality, diverse classrooms are a huge opportunity for a teacher!

I personally get excited when I have diversity in the classroom.  The reason being that I can learn so much from my students.  A teacher has to be humble in order to learn from students.  I have to give up some control.  I have to ask questions.  Most importantly, I have to listen.  A few interesting things I’ve learned from students in my tenure as a teacher:

• How difficult the process is to become a citizen of the United States of America

• Academic intelligence isn’t everything

• Students are stressed out for many reasons beyond homework

• Students often don’t want others to know they are smart

• How strong many students are just for living life with the cards they were dealt

• How we all need to learn and understand implicit biases

• How much they actually care - which is a lot ‍

• ‍How we can improve the educational system‍

• ‍Understanding the neurological development of the brain is essential as a teacher

• The differences and similarities of the world’s religions

• What it is like to have parents who don’t speak English

• What makes a great teacher

• School needs to happen outside of the four walls of a building more often

• How we need to teach them to use their phone and not be used by it

• How much we are all alike in our search for happiness
  

I sometimes admit, I have a love / hate relationship with teaching.  It is an extremely demanding profession.  The moves from class to class. Learning about 150 new students a semester.  Being there for so many in need.  It is truly difficult.  When times get tough in the school, I remind myself that I have the privilege of learning all these things about my students while I get paid.  I get to understand each new generation as they walk through the halls and attend classes at the school I work at.  I get to see a lens not many people can see.  

It all begins with me letting each students know that I will learn as much from them as they will learn from me.