Teaching With The Heart

Teaching the curriculum is what they teach us in college. Getting those lessons across to our students in a meaningful way that will leave an impact is something we learn through experiences with our students...@DJCE57

Teaching the different communities to my 3rd grade students...I get all eyes on me for the first five minutes, then one starts to stare into space, the other starts to doodle, another fidgets with something on his desk...we have all been in this scene at least once in our teaching life. To get their attention back, fast, I told them a personal story regarding my experience in a suburban community, a funny one. There you go...I got all eyes back on me, I got their undivided attention. 

I just opened up a little about myself and that meant a lot to my students. They laughed when they realised, 'hey, my teacher is human too' or 'my teacher is like me'.  I was no longer the teacher who lived at school => "I saw you at the mall yesterday, what were your doing there? Wow! I thought you just stayed in school" (with eyes beaming, smiling from ear to ear).  When you become relatable to students, when they see you in a different light, they start to put their walls down and become more comfortable with you.  'The Teacher' is no longer from an arms length, you have let them in on your personal life, they, in turn, will let you in on their world. 

I can remember year after year, when I get each new batch of 3rd graders that I had to learn the latest in toys, games, movies, etc. Yup, I researched and learned about them all - 

Pokemon, Digimon, Ben 10, crystal bubbles that will grow over time in water, Chinese garter, jackstones, pick up sticks...  I can go on and on...these things didn't matter to me but they meant the world to my students and that's what counts. The second I suggest adding Pokemon in their journal drawing section, eyes lit up. The time I shared my own cup of crystal bubbles, the excited chatter spread across the room. The moment I showed them a trick or two in playing Chinese jackstones, awe and admiration was evident on their faces. I connected with each and every one of my students, in their language, and that, made a world of a difference in our classroom learning environment. Because I took the time out to get to know each one of them, they took their time out to listen to me, I earned their respect. They wanted me to teach them....and I did.

All these amazing experiences with my students have taught me life lessons that they never teach us in college. They made my teaching experience richer, more meaningful and most memorable. I have a book full of these memories in my memory bank, intact with details as if they happened just yesterday. Why have these teachable moments remained with me after all these years? Why can I remember student names and a story or two about them? How can I possibly remember each teaching modification I made for each of my students? It's because I taught each and every one of them in the way they needed to learn and I did so with my heart. I didn't keep them in learning boxes, I gave each of my students a voice, after all, it's their learning. I may have the most expensive textbooks, the coolest & latest gadgets, or the most fun filled activities...but its those lessons I taught with the heart that made a difference and impact in my students' learning.