4-+Special+Teachers

Children Full of Life

A Special Teacher

On the fourteenth of February of 2005, while adults were busy shopping and making plans for Valentine’s and the little people were busy at school, an explosion violently rocked the neighborhood. The school safety procedure was established and well known from many years of civil war: Stay put and lock-down until further notice. But for 2 third grade teachers and their assistant, this rule was always broken. While the two teachers would walk in hurried steps (not running to avoid panic) back to their classrooms to ensure that their students were safe, their assistant made a quick round to 3 classrooms: a nursery class(my niece), a Kindergarten class, and the in-school Daycare (R.’s son and daughter) before returning to the 3rd grade class, for even though we knew that the glass was not shattered and that our own children were not out on field trips, we needed that extra __assurance__ from a trustworthy source that they were tucked safely in their classrooms. Then the hard work started: mobile __phones__ and the internet were down, roads were blocked, and panicked parents that rushed to school. As the hours dragged, we took care of children’s fears, set up a pick up system for the parents who were able to get through the barricades, comforted parents who couldn’t find their spouses, and had to leave classrooms and walk down 3 floors to the elementary office to talk to parents on land-line phones that refused to be comforted by anyone but their children’s homeroom teacher (including a long distance call from my brother to check on his own child).

From that year on, a new tradition was created. We started every academic year with a bang. In every classroom, children spent their first day creating cheers, hats, and movements to celebrate the New Year, and parents were invited to attend. The children would sit on the roof play area (the last floor on the 4-floor elementary school building that was turned into a P.E./play area) in rows, while the teachers encircled them. The message sent was for the parents. These fun loving, hat wearing, noise making teachers are your children’s teachers. These teachers surround your children; they are there as a team to protect and to take care of the children, physically and emotionally.



What does it mean to be a special teacher?

It is not about the knowledge and the imparting of it. It is not about competition and extrinsic awards. And it is not about the memorizing details and high test scores. It is about the child, the whole child. Special teachers are the ones that really care; they believe in the child’s potential, they believe in the child’s strength, and they believe in a child’s ability. They believe in growth.

Special teachers love, respect, and listen to the children. They accept children for who they are and love them, they treat children with respect and value them, and they listen to children with their heart. (In one of my favorite children’s books, the main character describes another character by saying *“I could feel her listening with all her heart, and it felt good.” Just like teaching our students to read between the lines, all teachers need to learn to listen between the lines.)

Special teachers help raise kids of character. They model and thus teach honesty, tolerance, respect, trustworthiness, caring, and being responsible.

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Most probably what best describes a special teacher is the following poem by Paula Fox.

Heart of a Teacher Paula Fox

The child arrives like a mystery box… with puzzle pieces inside some of the pieces are broken or missing… and others just seem to hide

But the HEART of a teacher can sort them out… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">and help the child to see <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">the potential for greatness he has within… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">a picture of what he can be

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">Her goal isn’t just to teach knowledge… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">by filling the box with more parts <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">it’s putting the pieces together… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">and creating a work of art

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">The process is painfully slow at times… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">some need more help than others <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">each child is a work in progress… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">with assorted shapes and colors

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">First she creates a classroom… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">where the child can feel safe in school <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">where he never feels threatened or afraid to try… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">and kindness is always the rule

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">She knows that a child <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">can achieve much more <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">when he feels secure inside <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">when he’s valued and loved… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">and believes in himself

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">…and he has a sense of pride

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">She models and teaches good character… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">and respect for one another <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">how to focus on strengths…not weaknesses <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">and how to encourage each other

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">She gives the child the freedom he needs… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">to make choices on his own <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">so he learns to become more responsible… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">and is able to stand alone

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">He’s taught to be strong and think for himself… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">as his soul and spirit heal <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">and the puzzle that’s taking shape inside… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">has a much more positive feel

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">The child discovers the joy that comes… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">from learning something new… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">and his vision grows as he begins <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">to see all the things that he can do

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">A picture is formed as more pieces fit… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">an image of the child within <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">with greater strength and confidence… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">and a belief that he can win!

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">All because a hero was there… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">in the HEART of a teacher who cared <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">enabling the child to become much more… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">than he ever imagined…or dared

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">A teacher with a HEART for her children… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">knows what teaching is all about <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">she may not have all the answers… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">but on this…she has no doubt

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">When asked which subjects she loved to teach, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">she answered this way and smiled… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">“It’s not the subjects that matter… <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">It’s all about teaching the CHILD.”

* DiCamillo, K. (2000). //Because of Winn-Dixie//. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press.