Learning from students

Some of my favourite moments in teaching are those in which I realise how much my students are teaching me. The first week back is always rough; at my school it's been especially difficult this year. The powers that be have decided to be "innovative" (idiotic?) and implement three-hour lessons this year.

Needless to say, staff and students alike are going through some growing pains with this. As a professional I've done my best to maintain a positive outlook, but to be honest it's been a stretch. Given my own frustration, I would more than understand if students started to rebel...in fact, I almost expect them to.

The reason I made it through this week with my insanity (almost) intact, though, is that they haven't. They've risen to the challenge, and as tough as three-hour lessons are, they seem to be working. I'd like to take the credit for that, but it's my students who are making it happen.

I was beyond touched when one of my y10 students, a boy of 15, approached me after lesson to tell me that he was going to keep working hard because he "trusted me." I gave a confused "ummm...thanks?" response, so he elaborated: he likes drama with me because I push him enough to help him improve, but never so much that he'll fail. So...if I was the one saying we could do drama for three hours, then he wasn't going to "let me down."

Sometimes I wish I was allowed to hug students. Sure, Ben's words were flattering to me as a teacher, but they meant a lot more than that. They reminded me of a lesson I'm ashamed to say I'd forgotten during the course of this crazy week: you get from students what you give them. Similarly, they tend to meet your expectations of them, whether that means rising or falling to get there. No matter how difficult this year may prove to be, it's going to work so long as my students and I both keep trusting and challenging each other to do our best and then do better. Thanks kids, I wouldn't make it through this year without you!