Favorite Teacher
It's been a while. Times have been busy and full of amazing experiences, hard work, and beautiful people. Most recently, a new featured film titled Hello Herman was screened at school. Students were invited to come watch and give constructive feedback. The film is still in the editing process so this was an amazing opportunity for both students and producers.
Hello Herman is about a boy. It's about a boy who commits a mass shooting at his school but it is his story and how he arrived at the conclusion to take these drastic and unimaginable measures to get the attention of the world. This movie decidedly takes a one sided point of view, but it is so powerful. There are stereotypes used, but what are stereotypes if not a generalization of some form of truth?
At the end of this movie, I cried. I cried and I cried uncontrollably. I could not pull myself together. The question and answer session resumed around me and I listened, but I could not participate. I was crying for the world. I was crying for our children and the world they are growing up in. Just thinking about it, I am crying now. No, not everyone has to face the challenges of growing up ignored, of bullying, of being invisible, suffering alone; but some people do. Who knows how many? Being a child should be magical. Being a teenager is difficult. It is. Can't you remember? And we need to LOVE them. Collectively, as a society, we need to love our children and our youth. Oh how they drove me crazy in school and they drive their parents crazy and they do stupid things but they are KIDS and life sometimes just seems unfair.
I don't defend the actions of teenagers that open fire on school populations or use violence as a solution. No. What I am saying is that we have to look at why this is happening and DO something. Crazy things are happening in our society and sometimes we don't even notice. If we do, we are too busy to do anything. I'm guilty. I admit it. Who isn't? Why are we allowing youth to play violent video games? Yes, we can say it is out of our control and they will do it anyway but really, isn't it worth trying to stop? It is a continual battle, but I think it is one worth fighting. Violent movies are desensitizing. Can you argue otherwise? I can't stand to watch violence. It makes me physically sick. When has it become cool? How has it become entertainment to see people suffer and die? If young, impressionable minds are going to watch violence, if we can't stop them, shouldn't we sit down next to them and then have a discussion about it? Talk it out. Just through simple conversation we can help them see the world in a different way. Give them some perspective. Their minds are developing, let's help them develop good values.
Beyond a culture of violence, what about love and compassion? I really did care for my students. I still do. I think teachers really do care. But now I see I could always do more. We all can. Just noticing, just watching, just getting to know our youth will help. If we could ALL collectively care more, it would make a difference. Honestly, curriculum and what we teach in schools is important but what we don't teach seems to be increasingly more important. Teachers worry about covering topics and getting information out but somehow we need to take the time to KNOW our kids. Everyday, if we could just ask them how they are and what is going on and really listen, really care about the answer, wouldn't that be nice? It is so easy to get caught up in work and what we have to do and running to the store, working, making dinner, and everything else but what matters is people and relationships. It takes energy and I admit, it does seem difficult at times but I think if everyone got into a different kind of routine, it would all work itself out.
I had a student that used to come into my room almost every morning and sit down by me to chat. At first, I asked her what she needed and thought she needed my help. She did have a difficult time with Spanish. She would sit and talk to me as I put the final details on lesson plans or responded to e-mails. The mornings are busy, almost sacred times for teachers. Then, one day, I closed my computer. I closed my computer, drank my coffee, looked her in the face and just listened. She didn't want all of my time. Just some. And what she wanted was to ask me how I was and tell me about her day. She never ended up getting good grades in Spanish. She didn't even like Spanish class. But she liked to be with me for five minutes every morning and you know what? I was her favorite teacher. She said she hated Spanish. She got into trouble at least once a week in my class. I even had to have meetings with her dad and he grounded her because of her performance in my class. But I was her favorite. I was her favorite because through all of it, I cared. No, she probably doesn't remember any Spanish but I am so proud to have been that teacher. I think it is the best example of me as a teacher and I didn't even realize it until now.
Hello Herman is a difficult movie to watch. I can't imagine the effect it will have on people who see it. I want to be in the United States when it is released and see it in a theater just to know how it will be received. It will be used in schools. It is a movie that teaches. Everyone should see it so that we don't become that society. We still have a chance. So do our kids. More love. More caring. More compassion. Yes, it is possible.
Hello Herman is about a boy. It's about a boy who commits a mass shooting at his school but it is his story and how he arrived at the conclusion to take these drastic and unimaginable measures to get the attention of the world. This movie decidedly takes a one sided point of view, but it is so powerful. There are stereotypes used, but what are stereotypes if not a generalization of some form of truth?
At the end of this movie, I cried. I cried and I cried uncontrollably. I could not pull myself together. The question and answer session resumed around me and I listened, but I could not participate. I was crying for the world. I was crying for our children and the world they are growing up in. Just thinking about it, I am crying now. No, not everyone has to face the challenges of growing up ignored, of bullying, of being invisible, suffering alone; but some people do. Who knows how many? Being a child should be magical. Being a teenager is difficult. It is. Can't you remember? And we need to LOVE them. Collectively, as a society, we need to love our children and our youth. Oh how they drove me crazy in school and they drive their parents crazy and they do stupid things but they are KIDS and life sometimes just seems unfair.
I don't defend the actions of teenagers that open fire on school populations or use violence as a solution. No. What I am saying is that we have to look at why this is happening and DO something. Crazy things are happening in our society and sometimes we don't even notice. If we do, we are too busy to do anything. I'm guilty. I admit it. Who isn't? Why are we allowing youth to play violent video games? Yes, we can say it is out of our control and they will do it anyway but really, isn't it worth trying to stop? It is a continual battle, but I think it is one worth fighting. Violent movies are desensitizing. Can you argue otherwise? I can't stand to watch violence. It makes me physically sick. When has it become cool? How has it become entertainment to see people suffer and die? If young, impressionable minds are going to watch violence, if we can't stop them, shouldn't we sit down next to them and then have a discussion about it? Talk it out. Just through simple conversation we can help them see the world in a different way. Give them some perspective. Their minds are developing, let's help them develop good values.
Beyond a culture of violence, what about love and compassion? I really did care for my students. I still do. I think teachers really do care. But now I see I could always do more. We all can. Just noticing, just watching, just getting to know our youth will help. If we could ALL collectively care more, it would make a difference. Honestly, curriculum and what we teach in schools is important but what we don't teach seems to be increasingly more important. Teachers worry about covering topics and getting information out but somehow we need to take the time to KNOW our kids. Everyday, if we could just ask them how they are and what is going on and really listen, really care about the answer, wouldn't that be nice? It is so easy to get caught up in work and what we have to do and running to the store, working, making dinner, and everything else but what matters is people and relationships. It takes energy and I admit, it does seem difficult at times but I think if everyone got into a different kind of routine, it would all work itself out.
I had a student that used to come into my room almost every morning and sit down by me to chat. At first, I asked her what she needed and thought she needed my help. She did have a difficult time with Spanish. She would sit and talk to me as I put the final details on lesson plans or responded to e-mails. The mornings are busy, almost sacred times for teachers. Then, one day, I closed my computer. I closed my computer, drank my coffee, looked her in the face and just listened. She didn't want all of my time. Just some. And what she wanted was to ask me how I was and tell me about her day. She never ended up getting good grades in Spanish. She didn't even like Spanish class. But she liked to be with me for five minutes every morning and you know what? I was her favorite teacher. She said she hated Spanish. She got into trouble at least once a week in my class. I even had to have meetings with her dad and he grounded her because of her performance in my class. But I was her favorite. I was her favorite because through all of it, I cared. No, she probably doesn't remember any Spanish but I am so proud to have been that teacher. I think it is the best example of me as a teacher and I didn't even realize it until now.
Hello Herman is a difficult movie to watch. I can't imagine the effect it will have on people who see it. I want to be in the United States when it is released and see it in a theater just to know how it will be received. It will be used in schools. It is a movie that teaches. Everyone should see it so that we don't become that society. We still have a chance. So do our kids. More love. More caring. More compassion. Yes, it is possible.
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