Teachers are human

Being a public school teacher is a lot to take on.  The expectations are very high, and the appreciation and salary are low.  In my 25 years teaching, I would say the vast majority of teachers try very hard to do everything in their power to help students succeed.  But it’s a lot.

I teach middle schoolers.  If you are a parent of a middle schooler, or even if you’ve Been in middle school, just take a moment to think about that.  Perhaps your child has: rolled their eyes at you, given a big sigh, acted out of character for no reason, told you they hate you, etc.  middle school teachers get this treatment every. Single. Day.  From children that are not their own.  When you were in middle school, think of the things you said and did.  Think about what was most important to you.  Odds are it was not “cooperating with the teacher.”

Teachers are certainly expected to be experts in their subject matter.  They must also be highly organized, keeping grades for over a hundred students.  Many teach different grade levels or subjects.  They must research and implement new curricula, creative instructional strategies, differentiated instruction, and multiple opportunities for authentic assessments.  On top of that, teachers are sometimes custodians, counselors, food service, public relations, politicians, student advocates, mandatory reporters, first responders, human shields, and virtual punching bags for students and parents.  As a fine arts teacher, I’m also expected to be a sound engineer, a director and producer of concerts and shows, a manual laborer dragging set and staging pieces around, a music arranger, an accompanist, a conductor, a cheerleader, a lighting and set designer, a seamstress, an accountant, a travel agent, an event coordinator, etc etc etc.

It’s a lot.

So, the next time you are upset with something a teacher did, just take a moment to think about the fact that they are human.  They are probably doing the best they can that day.  Yes, maybe they were in the wrong, but, instead of shouting your complaint to the principal, or trash-talking them among other parents, give the teacher a chance to explain.

If your student came home with a story that got you upset, remember that students have selective memory.  It is a part of normal adolescent development to be self-centered, and that affects their perspective with teachers and peers. It might take a little bit of discussion to get all the information you need.  You might need to calmly ask your child,  "what did you do to make her say/do that?"  "and how did you respond?"  "did you take any part in the situation?"

I would venture to say, that if you keep your cool and reach out to the teacher directly, you'll get a thoughtful explanation, and sometimes, an apology.  And you've used a teachable moment with your student, and avoided future conflicts, by keeping the teacher-parent-student relationship respectful.

Student Leadership

Early in the school year, some students express interest in taking leadership roles in class.  For the 7th and 8th grade choirs, this could include being a class officer (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer,) acting as a section leader, or finding other opportunities as they arise (creating the concert program, creating spreadsheets or google docs to help organize the class, file music, organize classroom space, etc.)   In show choir, students get a chance to create choreography alone or with a partner, by volunteering and working with me to find a song or medley section in the repertoire that they're interested in.

In music theater class, there were students who arranged with me, during auditions, to be stage manager and lead choreographer.  Other students stepped in along the way to take on the jobs of costume manager, hair/makeup committee, set design, props, and other necessities.

Middle school is a great time to develop this kind of leadership and ownership in the performance classes.  Students are capable of being creative, working with their peers, and developing skills to communicate clearly.  All students learn how to respect each others’ different leadership and learning styles, performance abilities, and supportive strengths to make the show come together.  Sometimes, students have difficulty receiving direction from their peers and have disagreements, but this is yet another opportunity to learn how to compromise and build necessary life skills.

Student leadership is also logistically very beneficial to classroom efficiency.  I am a one-person team as the middle school choir and drama teacher.  There is only so much one person can accomplish in the couple hours a day allotted for each emphasis.  Parents are busy with their own careers and family lives—it’s unreasonable to expect a huge time commitment from them.  I have invited parents to participate in the process, and have had some success with it, but scheduling is difficult when most of the work gets done during the school day.

When it comes down to it, I'm more focused on the learning experience than producing a professional-level show.  We of course strive to do both, but this is a year-long class in a middle school setting.  Many of the students enjoy taking part behind the scenes, and can take initiative to have a bigger part in our success.