As I go about my work as a Dean of Students it could be easy to lay down the law and assume all students have to abide by a particular set of rules. That is simply not the case. These are somebody's children. My mom learned early in my life that I have to have more meals in the day or I would become a whiny baby. She didn't know that when I arrived, she learned that through trial and error because, as my mom, she made it her mission to figure out what I needed. Our students have a unique set of needs we need to consider as well. We mustn't assume they are just being bad to be bad. We have to get to the root of the problem because, after all, they are somebody's child. What would you want if it were your child?
This isn't something I knew going into teaching. The rules of school worked for me. I lettered in academics, had opportunities to be challenged and opportunities to be successful. But what didn't work for me was three big meals a day as a child. I needed snacks, and that's ok. Nobody wants a hangry Jessi! The same is true for students in our classrooms, hallways and communities. As a Dean, my line gets drawn at safety and the integrity of the classroom; I make that known to students. If you are making a class unsafe, making classmates feel unsafe, or if you are inhibiting the learning of others and compromising the integrity of the classroom, then something needs to change. Additionally, it behooves me to ensure that while demanding safety and the integrity of the classroom that I find a way to educate the student. They deserve an education too. What would you want if it were your child?
So, when constantly thrust into the world of a couple of students who I find myself interacting with daily, I remind myself that they are somebody's child. Somebody loves them and wants the world for them (and if that is not the case then it is my duty to show them I want the world for them). As their educator, I have a duty to find a way to educate them and prepare them to have a prosperous life despite their need for an extra meal (or two) in a day. What would you want if it were your child?
