But as I wade through the tangible array of emotions that waft out of classrooms it is very easy to identify those teachers who love teaching. And it's not because they are great teachers and love being in front of a class. They love the kiddos they work with. They give their heart and souls for students and students move mountains for those teachers. My teachers whose students show the most growth are those teachers who give of their time and efforts for students out of love, not duty.
If a student is sad, they don't just tell the student they are sorry, they truly are sorry and help the student work through the sadness. This is the difference between sympathy and empathy
Example: I had a teacher on Friday who was visibly sad because it was a student's last day. During that school day the student went around the classroom and started crossing her name off any lists or places it was written. This broke the teacher's heart. In her mind they still had one final day with this kiddo and couldn't bear the thought of her leaving.
The best gift your student can receive is being in the classroom where they know their teacher loves them. This doesn't always mean brightly colored walls or lovely newsletters. I have no way of quantifying "teacher love" but I only need to be in a classroom for a few minutes to know. It's those classrooms where you just want to sit and watch because every student believes they are irreplaceable and valuable.
No, those teachers aren't always sappy sweet and super nice. In fact, some of my teachers with the most love are some of my more no-nonsense teachers. But they give their heart and soul for every student. And I'd put my child in their classroom in a heartbeat because my child will learn so much more than just academics. My child will leave school every day KNOWING that their teacher believes in them and loves them unconditionally. That's powerful.
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