Role models & change makers

As I reflect on many of the important issues we have examined over the course of the quarter, one theme that seems to be persistent across the board is the power a teacher holds as a role model.  I believe this is illustrated so well through Nyla’s story from Rethinking our Classrooms.

Because the school where Katie Kissinger taught was not very diverse in terms of racial, linguistic or economic status, Kissinger made the decision to include students with disabilities in her own classroom in order to expose her students to those who were different from them. Her hope was that through getting to know each other and developing bonds and special connections, the children would learn to respect and value differences. However, what she hadn’t anticipated was how she was first going to have to unearth and overcome her own fears in order for herself and her students to be able to move forward on this journey together.

Realizing that her only real experience with someone with a severe disability was her great-grandfather years ago, Kissinger recognized that she had been avoiding Nyla, a student with a severe disability, because she was uncomfortable and fearful of this new situation. Upon this realization, Kissinger did exactly what she needed to do; she addressed her fears head-on and learned all there was to know about proper handling and feeding techniques so she could bond with Nyla. She made certain everyone was included in the class’s circle time by getting Nyla out of her wheelchair and holding her. Kissinger remembers, “As soon as I changed my behavior and began a relationship with Nyla, the other children began to see her as a classmate. I have never had a clearer lesson about the power of the teacher as a role model” (26).

I found this story to be so moving.  It encompass many of the themes we have been learning about throughout the quarter, such as the importance of self-reflection, creating a classroom community that is based on inclusion and respect and the great power a teacher holds as a role model for her students. When we teach by example, connecting with, valuing, and respecting those who are different from ourselves, we set an example, a standard for our students, and more often than not, they will follow in our footsteps.