As I Leave Teaching - Those surveys

Greetings Dear Reader,

Every year for at least the last ten years I have had student surveys that were required by the places I taught.  They are a bitter medicine and a delightful treat.  Even though they remain anonymous one can tell by the writing style of the student who made what comment.

The comments that are positive would always make me feel humbled that I had such good impact.  What always stick are the negative ones though.  As teachers we seem to see the one negative comment in a sea of praise and question our right to be at the front of the room.

Once when I was particularly hurt by a student comment that I knew was unjust and untrue a fellow teacher sat me down and made me read an excerpt from a book on teaching.  It explained that good teachers always do this with surveys.  There could be five hundred pages of good things and we would see only the negative one.

Those surveys helped me stay humble.  I want to touch every life I teach.  One cannot teach in a social vacuum.  Who we are influences our teaching.  Who we are is one of the things we extend into the material even if we do not wish to do so. 

I will not miss those surveys.  I will miss knowing when I have helped a life.  I will miss being reminded that I can improve.  I will not miss the pulling teeth effort of getting students to fill those surveys out.  All considered I know that the words of those surveys treasured by me over the years will remind me that there are lives out there that are better for my tenure in the classroom.  It will also remind me that I can improve every day if I choose to be honest with who I am.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."