Heart4kidsadvocacyforum's Blog

What does it take and whom must you be to serve children as their teacher?

You must be compassionate.

This is one are of character development where there is no room for compromise or being a teacher that does not hold compassion as a natural intuitive part of their being.  To be able to be compassionate to and compassionate for your students -children in your classroom is a mandate in order to be an authentic teacher.  This ability to be compassionate towards others, especially children is not something that can be taught, but it can be ignited and nurtured in our teaching programs. So many times, we forget that those people that go into the teaching profession are human and have had life experiences that have molded and crafted them to be who they are as adults.  Unfortunately, we do not have a window to peek into their lives to see what experiences and sometimes traumas have impacted their lives to a point that the gift of feeling and giving compassion has been shattered. 

We are as human beings susceptible to events and situations that we have no control over and if we are not conscious enough in our life to realize that we don’t deserve or have to care the pain of those negative experiences, the opening and accessibility to our heart space becomes closed and shut off to the process and tools for healing.  We owe it to ourselves, and the children we have been called to serve to check ourselves and always on a daily basis feel how we are feeling in our spirit.  We cannot drag our dragons of fear, disappointment, lack of self-worth, anger, frustration, and the pain that results from these triggers, to encompass who we are in the midst of children.  We mandate professional development for teachers, which is important so that they stay current and relevant in their knowledge bank and enhancement of their teaching skills, but what we leave to chance is the spiritual or personal development of our teachers.  This personal development needs to be done in alignment or in concert with their professional development.   

It is so easy with the mandate to teach children the assigned curriculum centered that feeds the  data and statistical requirements to show student cognitive success, that teachers don’t have time to create an environment that is child centered so there is a huge imbalance that ultimately impacts a teacher’s ability to be in relationship with their children in a classroom that is their “daytime save space” that belongs to them.  We need to find ways to support teachers in being their full potential as a healthy, happy, and whole human being, because the welfare of our children depends on a healthy, respectful, compassionate relationship with the person we hand our children over to 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.  We are not in the classroom so building a relationship with your child’s teacher is crucial.  Remember to share your ability to be compassionate with all the people that your child will encounter in that school environment.  Remember to also be authentic and sensitive as you engage and interact with the personnel in your child’s school.  Healthy school personnel hep to secure the wellbeing of your child and that child’s experience with school and learning.   WE need for our teachers to demonstrate compassion with our children as mentors that are modeling for our children on a daily basis.  Remember parents and teachers, compassion begets compassion.