October. Really?

Once again today I observed at WHS due to Whitley being closed through the end of the week. I must say, I miss my own students -- not that there is anything wrong with those at Williamsburg. For the most part, WHS seems to be a teacher's dream -- small class sizes, quiet and studious classes, involved parents. But, in the end, they are not mine. I am sure I could express that in a less possessive manner -- what I mean is, I feel like (for what ever reason) I fit with the students and the general situation far better than I could have anticipated.

That said, something I am constantly aware of is brokenness around me in school. Students often reveal more about themselves than perhaps they intend in they way they speak, write, dress, and carry themselves in general. I have seen girls clearly throwing themselves at boys (more often emotionally than physically), athletes just trying to get by until Friday, students burying themselves in and stuffing their ears with iPods and other devices that insulate them from their peers and surroundings. Others express brokenness in actions less benign.

For example in one of Mr. H's classes today, he assigned a journal prompt entitled, "The one thing I am most looking forward to about getting old is...." I was floored by the students' responses. The students who shared their answers (which seemed to be sincere) fell into one of two camps -- looking forward to nothing about being old under the assumption that worth-while life does not extend past around the age of 25, or looking forward to sleeping all day, and buying lots and lots of stuff. One student even mentioned that Mr. H had nothing to look forward to because he would have to "raise his grandkids." I assume that student was referring to teenage mothers leaving their children with their own mothers while they finish being kids, which is happening at a heart-breaking rate. Again, I was floored.

A portion of the class reading for the week deals with the importance of pain, consequences rather than punishment, and the role of the teacher being a positive influence toward growth. One of the suggestions is to foster student involvement in discerning fitting consequences for inappropriate behavior -- when pain and conviction comes from within, it has a more positive impact than externally applied or coerced guilt. And in general, I think the suggestions presented in the chapter are logical and helpful. However, it would also beneficial if the writers explored pain more deeply; yes, an inner sense of guilt can be effective in transforming behavior; however, they do not address the fact that the initial inappropriate actions or attitudes are the natural overflow of pain and brokenness on various levels. Addressing the behavior alone is concerned only with symptoms of more deeply-rooted issues of the heart, soul, and mind.

This is not to say I believe it is the teacher's responsibility to be a psychologist, parent, or pastor. I believe that despite the best efforts of many (and perhaps the worst efforts of others), the heart can be changed by the Holy Spirit alone; at the same time, I think it is important for teachers to see and understand that more is happening than they realize so that while addressing particular behaviors and attitudes, they will acknowledge the weight of the complex root systems that produce them.