Here is the reason I’m walking the frozen picket line with other teachers
Kids are not just commodities or statistics, they’re developing human beings, and they need good teachers
Recently I attended a performance of the HWDSB Honour Band. It was a rush to get home, get people fed, get changed and out the door. The drive across town took longer than expected and I had trouble finding a place to park.
So, I scooted into the auditorium moments before the program began.
From the stage I saw the look. Fellow parents know the look I’m talking about. The one where your teenager’s eyes light up to see you at their important event. The look that also says they were a teensy bit worried that you wouldn’t show even though you always show. Their events are important to you and it is nice to be appreciated even though they don’t say it much anymore.
In this case the look came from four teens onstage. Not because I’m the mom of four teens. I am the mom of teens but not these four. You see the four on stage are four of my students. I’m their high school music teacher and band director. I recommended them for Honour Band and my presence in the audience matters. I’m a caring adult in their lives. The classes I teach, the events and extracurriculars that I run, the interest that I take in their lives is important to them. They depend on me.
I had a similar experience earlier in the week. Last Saturday evening I took a group of 40 students to the Hamilton Philharmonic’s performance of Scheherazade. A five-hour commitment door to door on my Saturday evening, not including time spent on permission forms, bus bookings …
As I settled in to my seat on the balcony with my students, I saw the look from the stage. You know, the look that says I’m so happy you’re here at my important event. This time from a man in his early 30s. A percussionist performing with the orchestra. A former student of mine who is always delighted to see his high school music teacher at one of his performances. A grownup professional who still sports a smile of delight when performing live, just like he did back on the high school stage when he was 15 years old.
This is the pro I now call when I want someone to coach my young percussionists or fix some equipment or clarify a part. The student has become the teacher; he’s now part of my network rather than part of my class. Parents of adult children know what I’m talking about. When you can still see the child in adult. When you’re proud of who they’ve become. When you’re happy they can help you out but it makes you feel a little old at the same time.
Friday, I walked the picket line in the cold. I walked the picket line in the cold because kids need caring adults in their lives. They need adults who provide programming and extracurriculars that are meaningful to them. They need adults who hold them accountable, give them second chances, share their humour, challenge them, and inspire them. They need adults who take an interest in them and their future.
I walked the picket line in the cold because kids are not commodities or statistics. They’re developing humans with complex educational and social emotional needs. Changing class averages from 21:1 to 28:1 while eliminating class caps eliminates caring adults and programming.
So I walk the picket line in the cold because kids depend on me. I’m important to them and they are important to me.