Often times the stories that you hear about a person rising to success from nothing have an underlying element. One that is common in almost every one. It's not winning the lottery, or a pushy mom, or being ridiculously smart. It's simply, people. Usually one special person. People need each other in order to succeed. Kids need someone to look out for them and to guide them in the right direction. That's where teachers come in.
Today in my New Lit class at Canisius College we were discussing my professor and her husband. They both came from families in a poverty cycle and managed to rise above. Her husband had his culinary arts teacher as his "special person." When my professor told us that most of the people who are first in their family to go to college become teachers, I was surprised. I instantly thought of my Dad who came from a family of 7 kids and was the only one to go to college. His mom had a maximum of a 5th grade education and his father an 8th grade education.
He became a teacher. Surprise, Surprise. My Dad tells me this story all of the time. He came from South Buffalo from a poor family and now he lives in a nice suburb with a doctoral degree. Talk about rags to riches. But, he never fails to mention Mr. Locke. Mr. Locke was that one special teacher who helped my Dad apply to Buff State. He always says that without Mr. Locke he would be nowhere near where he is today.
Mr. Locke was my Dad's technology teacher and believe it or not, he ended up becoming a technology teacher himself. I can't picture this, because he is not very good with technology today. But, the world of technology is changing fast. Since then, he's moved on in the world of education. Most of these "special people" are teachers. And, maybe, because they are teachers, the students want to follow in their footsteps.
My Dad is my Mr. Locke. I don't have a rags to riches story, but I do have that one special person. And because of him, one day I hope to be a great teacher who can save a kid's life. Technology is great and it provides so many opportunities in this world. But, we must never forget about how important human relationships are. Relationships make us who we are, and get us where we need to be. Without my relationship with my Dad I would not be the person I am today.
Many students are not as lucky as me. They don't have that person to look up to, and to model, and to ask for advice. This is the unspoken job of the teacher. If, by the end of my career, I can say that I truly and profoundly saved one student's life, then I succeeded at being a teacher. Even if that student learned nothing in my class, I still succeeded. Being a teacher is not all about the learning part. I know that sounds so wrong. But, sometimes the life skills and the love you can give to someone mean so much more than the grades you hand them.
