We need to love them

The other day I emailed a student's teachers to ask for an update on the student's strengths, areas of need and whether or not the credit for the course was still attainable. I've done this many times over the past several years as part of my role involves supporting students at-risk. The reason I'm writing this blog post today is because I wanted to share what one teacher wrote in response to my email. After outlining some strengths and areas of need, he wrote, "The credit is always attainable. We need to love them until they learn to love themselves."

The first part about the credit always being attainable didn't really surprise me. I've known this teacher for more than 10 years and every year he works with some of the toughest students in the building and he always gives his students hope that they can be successful no matter what. That said, I wanted to share this belief that the credit is always attainable because I think if we don't believe this (or if we don't pretend to believe this), our at-risk students are even less likely to be successful. Early in my career I remember saying to students, "You're not going to pass." I might have added on something about needing to improve attitude or attendance or work ethic but the main idea always pertained to failure. I didn't realize the importance of providing my students with a sense of hope.

I also didn't realize how much this teacher cares for his students. Anyone who has worked with children on a regular basis knows how difficult it can be to love every child -- heck, I feel that way with my two daughters sometimes! I know how hard it is to care about kids who don't listen, don't follow directions, don't complete their work, aren't polite and arrive late to class (if they attend at all). It can be frustrating working with students who seem as though they don't care as much as you do, but maybe when it comes to these students, that's our only job; to care for them, to love them.