Learning to Grow Every Day

This week, I participated in the book discussion for The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. I was anxious about the discussion. It is often uncomfortable for me to have these kinds of discussions, or teach about topics such as slavery, without feeling the guilt or helplessness of being a white male. This book was designed to make the reader uncomfortable, and it is discomfort, along with the willingness to talk about it that made this whole "Read In" worthwhile. As a white male growing up in suburban Columbus, I was isolated from the racial tension that exists in our country, and it wasn’t until I got a little older that I understood that it doesn’t matter how I feel if there are individuals and groups of people who have been marginalized all along. I didn't know that young African Americans were taught on a daily basis how they should interact with police for their own safety. I never had to worry about that. However, ignorance is not an excuse. If we cannot acknowledge unc...

I recently came across a video of Alabama football coach Nick Saban giving a talk to a group of coaches. He said something that really stuck with me, stating, “They weren’t my guys for 3 years, 4 years, or 5 years. They’re my guys forever. And that’s the way we should all feel about what we do.” Although I may not always make the connections that I want with students and other faculty members, I can recognize the importance of it. I absolutely love when students want to talk to me in the morning or after school just because they want to. It would be an understatement to say that having students willing to share their thoughts, ask questions, and ask me about my day makes me a better teacher. There are so many lessons that I have learned from students, from how to work hard, deal with disappointment, and what really gets them engaged. As teachers, if we go into each day with the attitude that we are imparting knowledge on the students and we have nothing to learn from them, the...