Inside the

Classroom &

Everything In Between

“Building Relationships Beyond the Classroom”

As educators, we are always reminded to build relationships with our students. They want to feel seen, heard, and respected. Children learn best when they like their teacher. Believe it or not, it’s true.

But what about building relationships with our colleagues?

Do the same ideas apply with the adults we work with? Do we need to feel seen, heard, and respected by them? Are we more likely to learn from them if we do? I don’t know how many times I have probably tuned someone out and didn’t listen to a word that person said because I didn’t care for them as a person. Think about it. When we were teenagers, how many times did we stop listening to our parents because we didn’t like hearing “no” all the time. We were mad at them for something like not letting us ride with our best friend who just got her driver’s license on the fifth try. We didn’t care they were probably right or they were making decisions based on what they thought was best for us.

I say this because adults are not always so different. I have been very fortunate, over the years, for having such amazing teammates to not only work with, but also learn from and laugh with, ask questions, and share ideas with. In education, I don’t see how someone can work so closely with another human being and constantly clash with them without it eventually affecting the work. Certainly they’re not as affective. Teaching is a team effort. We collaborate for everything. At least we are supposed to be.

My very first year of teaching was miserable. I usually forget that that year ever happened. Seriously. It had nothing to do with the children and everything to do with the adults who didn’t see me as a member of their team, an equal, a colleague, a friend. After that year, I knew exactly what I didn’t want to experience again. And thankfully, I didn’t. I have worked with so many knowledgeable, understanding, creative, and supportive teachers. I have learned so much from every one of them in some form or another. I have taught in five school districts in three states, over the past 18 + years, across multiple grade levels. That experience alone has taught me so much. I know what I like. And I know what I don’t care for too much, but I’ll suck it up anyway because if that is where I am needed, then that’s where I will go. I hope you read that all in one breath.

Being surrounded by a caring school family with exceptional teachers can really set the tone for a long-lasting career in education…I mean it was just last school year, which was literally only a few months ago, my second grade teammates were in my classroom holding up my hair while I was throwing up in the middle of the school day. I couldn’t move! Those are the kinds of people we all need to be surrounded by in our lives.

There has been at least one person at every school I have taught at that has done something so noble to help me out in one way or another. Principals who understand we have families, too, and sometimes they need us. An assistant principal who changed my flat tire in the school parking lot while I taught all of my classes that day. Another friend who bought clothes for my children when I couldn’t. Friends I don’t work with any longer because I had to move away, but they still keep in touch with me to make sure my family and I are doing okay. I couldn’t imagine not having had their friendship, guidance, support, and even love.

And do you know what the most incredible thing is?

All of those inspiring people were right across the hall from me all along.