I am feeling very full lately. I shouldn’t be. I have piles of marking
that keep growing, no matter how much I work on them. Several of my classes are
not where I want them to be at this point in the year: mocks (mock
examinations) are in four weeks time and there is much to be covered before
then. And yet, I feel full.
I am so grateful to be part of students’ lives. I love the act of
teaching; I love imparting knowledge; I love introducing students to the joys
of English. But I feel ALIVE when there are relationships that flow out of the
position I hold as a teacher. Recently, this has been brought home to me in a
powerful way.
Last Tuesday I had an Upper Six Literature class for two periods. I had
planned a poetry scansion lesson; I had a counseling session. Feeling very
overwhelmed and pressured by school and various issues they all just needed
someone to listen and I happened to be there.
Following this I’ve had several other one on one conversations with
students about problems/questions/worries. Teenagers are often very guarded
about who they let into their world. You have to be invited usually and there
are rules. I am always so grateful and feel so privileged when I am invited in.
On Thursday I posted a “De-stress with Miss Bell after lunch open to all the
Upper Sixes” notice on their board on a little post-it note. I didn’t expect
many, if any, to give up their “rest” before afternoon lessons but about a
third of the year group arrived. I had planned to make origami butterflies but
they just wanted someone to listen to them.
I am not happy they are struggling with so much at the moment but I’ve
realized that it takes something like this to open a door that is sometimes
carefully locked. And perhaps I’ve realized too that maybe I just think the
door is locked. Maybe it’s just closed and waiting for someone to knock, or
simply to open it. Maybe we’d all be invited into the lives of young people
much more readily than we think if we just walked in and showed up, ready to
accept whatever is on the inside.
Either way, right now, I’m blessed and privileged and so full to be here.
