I read and study and observe to prepare myself for the textbook responsibilities of teaching, but I don’t know how to appropriately prepare myself for some of the moments that require something not textbook, but rather leading from the heart.
There was an instance in a nearby community a couple years back where a little girl was killed by her own father. At the time, I was still practicing massage and a client of mine was a teacher at this little girl’s school. Talking about it even several months after the event occurred, she could barely hold back the tears.
I myself remember being in grade school when the space ship Challenger was launched. I remember the buzz around school because a school teacher was to be sent into space and all the teachers talking about what a historic and wonderful moment it was. It was such a big deal that we watched the launch in class. I don’t think that any of the teacher’s were prepared for dealing with the events of that day.
These are a couple instances when teaching crosses into a different place- and it’s a place that no amount of planning and preparing can help. When I read the blogs of various teachers, I see there are smaller instances that happen on a daily basis where teachers have to deal with the unpredictable and unfair circumstances of the world.
Somehow, I don’t think that they teach appropriate responses to things like death, abuse, neglect, and other circumstances that effect today's children. I think that we all hope that we will go our entire career without having to face any tragic circumstances, but it is likely that we will have at least one student, if not more, that will need our guidance, support and stability.
I am curious if any of you have had to deal with difficult situations, and how did you help your student(s) through it?
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