In my class a few weeks ago we talked about character education and then we talked about mental health. I believe that these two things are pieces of the same puzzle. Character education will allow us to teach our students to be more understanding, kind, and empathetic to each other and will allow our students to realize that everyone has their own struggles and their own stories. It will allow a more inclusive environment for those struggling with mental health issues and will push forward a classroom where everyone in accepted for who they are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU3QfyqvHk8
Character education is very important for our students, but, it is just as important for our teachers and I believe we need to practice what we preach and show the students what these words really mean. We have all had situations where you go to hand something in to a teacher or a boss, and you know it is late, but you hope they will understand because you were sick all weekend and couldn't get anything done no matter how hard you tried. The moment comes when you go to hand it to them and explain yourself and they shut you down and tell you it's too late. We have all also been in a situation where we have turned someone down because they handed in something late. My challenge to you is to ask yourself what this reaction accomplishes. Does this mean always allow students to hand in things whenever they want? Of course not. It means, next time you are presented with a situation where a student didn't complete their assignment on time, take a moment to talk to them and figure out what their situation is. Practice the empathy and understanding that you teach. The student could have an undiagnosed learning disability or a problem at home that needs to be looked into further. The student could just be going through a rough time, or they could have just not done the assignment because they didn't feel like it, but until you talk to them, you may never know.
I believe that we cannot teach character education in our classrooms unless we get to know our students and understand their lives. Think of your own life; has there been an obstacle you have had to get through during a really busy time at school? Have you handed in an assignment or work proposal late? I guarantee you have at least once. What was your story in that moment? I don't mean what was your excuse, I mean what was happening in your life at that point in time. Was it an outer circumstance like a family member, or the weather or did you just push yourself too far for too long? Next time a student comes to you with a late assignment, think about your moment, practice empathy, and listen to their story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ-pU7ozt3g
I think you touch on a very interesting point here, how do we teach and replicate empathy in schools? There seems to be, as you point out, a fear of being a "pushover" if you allow a student to shirk a due date for anything less than an absolute tragedy. But why do we do this? You emphasize a cyclical system wherein everyone is familiar with these situations, but teachers and authority figures often break this cycle not with reciprocity and understanding but with a quick decision made to fuel a position and image of control. I believe it would greatly behoove the educational system to not only come to some sense of agreement in teaching adequate character education but also in teaching empathy as a whole, as you suggest. It seems common sense but we are aware that not everything relating to empathy can be taught without experience. Instead, by realizing that a deadline lost will not unseat you from a position of power but may rather strengthen connections with students by making them feel represented and heard, without much effort by either party.
ReplyDeleteAn insightful post. As Alex points out - where is the line between being a pushover and empathetic? Does it matter? More important is whether the student learned anything beyond playing the game and getting the paper in on time. And even better if there is some reflection on the topic and some depth - and sometimes these take time to do. But it is also true that a teacher who shows he or she cares is the number 1 factor in student success according to a lot of research. So how do you show you care? By insisting on a deadline to prepare them for the real world OR listening to their needs of the moment and perhaps be taken advantage of? This is the dilemma that will take some emotional intelligence answer.
ReplyDeleteTo me, character education is such an interesting topic in the world of education. In class, we discussed what should be included in a comprehensive character education curriculum. Are their universal traits that we should be trying to instill in our students? I think every school and teacher will approach character education differently. However, I agree that shared empathy and strong student-teacher relationships are essential to every classroom. These are values that I think most teachers should strive for. Additionally, I really enjoyed how you linked ideas of mental health and character education to teacher decisions regarding late assignments. As prospective teachers, it allows us to consider how we would respond if we place ourselves in that context. I would like to believe I would be that teacher that has “loose” deadlines to ensure that students have sufficient time to submit quality work and to account for unexpectedness of everyday life. But, as Susan mentions, is leniency in these scenarios preparing students for the future? As we are all well aware, late assignments in university carry heavy penalties and many employers enforce strict deadlines. But, as suggested, if we open the lines of communication with our students (maybe even parents if the situation is appropriate), we can make informed decisions rather than jumping to conclusions or making unfounded assumptions!
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