It Happened to Them

I read a recent blog by Marilyn Rhames, a teacher who experienced an epiphany-type event. Her words, which I read this past summer, have stuck with me and forced that all-too-clear reflective lens to the forefront. This author, as a young teacher, experienced working in a school which had an ineffective leader, unknowing teachers, and chaotic students. She didn’t stay too long and decided to leave that school for a more affluent community. While working in these new surroundings, she did what many of us do every day – she talked with her peers around the proverbial water cooler and commiserated.

On one such day, the talk was animated. A few teachers were reminiscing about their classroom horror stories at other schools: John dashed out of the classroom ... Sarah threatened to jump out the window, again ... Joe knocked over bookshelves in a fit of rage.... And in her desire to fit in and one-up the last tale, she began to share about the unbelievable dysfunction at her old school. As she spoke, she conveyed that she was persevering to educate the youth despite the insanity within that school system. She was the heroine of the story, fearless and unafraid.

That’s when it happened. As she reports, a quiet and unassuming social studies teacher said four simple words. “It happened to them.” He said again, "It happened to them, not to you. You tell the stories like it's some kind of entertainment, but it happened to them—the kids. They are the ones who 30 years from now will remember these stories with tears in their eyes." He went on to explain that he, too, used to complain and feel like the victim until another teacher rebuked him with those words. He felt compelled to pass that wisdom on.

It happened to them. Since reading this truth, I have been twisted by my past actions. I’m glad that I’ve been set straight and I’ve attempted to approach our current educational issues with this in mind. Educational reform isn’t about administrator or teacher rights – it’s about student rights. As Ms. Rhames points out, “Our needs are important – I have a mortgage; I have a family; I would like to retire one day – but they are not the core issue.”

As we endeavor to create policy, from the state/federal level right down to the building and classroom level, educators and policymakers must boil down the discussion to two essential questions: To what degree will this policy enhance student learning and how will we know? In the current climate of education, these questions must not be ignored. As was so eloquently stated by Astrophysicist Jeff Goldstein, “The teacher lights the way.”