5 Things Students Wanted From You Yesterday

by Guy E. White on 15 October, 2014

The best teaching strategy is to be a great human.

In the course of a school year, I’ll spend 1260 hours with students face-to-face. What they need most from me is not the latest standards or the newest tests – though those are important. Most of all they need my heart.

Think back to the teachers that had the greatest impact on you. What made them so impactful? Was it the content standards from which they were teaching? Was it the awesome mandated tests that they put on your desk? Chances are, what made the greatest impact upon you was that they were an exceptional human being in some way. What made them exceptional to you? Think back to the last day you were with your students. Are you giving something exceptional to them?

Here are five things that your students wanted from you yesterday:

1. Your Story

People connect most with people. Be a human being and tell students about your life. You don’t have to give every sad detail, but do tell them about that which challenged you and made you grow. Chances are, they can relate!

2. Your True Self

Students can see a fake a mile away. There is a big difference between being “appropriate” in your classroom versus being fake. If something rattles you and the time is right, be open and honest about how you are impacted. I remember once when one of my students died: I did not hide my grief – and that became one of the most important moments for me as a teacher as it allowed the students to grieve too.

3. Your Non-Judging Ears

Some behaviors require our definitive, immediate judgment – sometimes, students just need to be listened to without judgment. When a student is having a hard day, I first listen. Second, I ask myself, “What does this student need from me today?” This move allows for the best of us both to shine through in the classroom.

4. Your Strong Opinions

In the end, there is only one “you” in the world – and students need that you to show up when it’s the right time. How often do you see a student going down the wrong road? How far do you allow them to walk down that road before you say, “HEY! Don’t you see what’s going on here?” Sometimes, you will be the life-saver your students need.

5. Your Emotions

Emotions have been given a bad rap by teachers. Negative emotions, in particular, seem like these “forbidden things” that teachers can never bring into the classroom. However, disappointment, anger and sadness, all in the appropriate context, can be immensely impactful teaching tools.

What do you think? What should we add to this list?

Image Copyright © 2014 Lightstock, LLC and is licensed by Triumphant Heart International, Inc. and is used with permission. Photo is for illustrative purposes only. Any person depicted in the photo, if any, is a model.