Teaching Hope: Challenges

I found the 'Challenges' chapter very difficult to read for many reasons, both because I found most of the stories to be very heartbreaking but also because there are many mixed messages within the stories. One of the common issues that the teachers in this chapter had was the moral dilemma of whether or not to report the abuse of one of their students, even if the student begged them not to. In the stories, some of the teachers did what they were supposed to and reported it, while others did not report the abuse. I feel that these chapters sent very mixed messages to the reader, as the teachers who did as they should and told the administration came to regret their decision while the teachers who did not tell felt good about their decision and felt the trust of their students was all important. The bottom line for myself as a teacher is that I would never be able to forgive myself if something terrible happened to one of my students when I knew that there was a history of abuse. I do not feel that a teacher does his/her students a favor by keeping their secrets as far as this issue is concerned, and I feel that all teachers should tell their classrooms right up front that they will have to report any such stories being shared with them, especially in an English classroom where writing is abundant.

Another story that was truly difficult for me was the story about the amazing student who always got good grades who killed herself. This was difficult for me, because when I was younger, in Elementary and Middle school, I had many of the same issues that the girl in the story had. I feel that it is a mistake for teachers to assume that their brightest and best students will feel that their grades and their intelligence is it's own reward, and that despite social problems or awkwardness these students will be just fine. These students are just as at risk, if not MORE at risk, than a student who is openly acting out and causing trouble.

Although I feel that in some situations it can be very beneficial to share personal experiences with students, I was very critical of the teacher who told her class about her own rape. I realize that in this situation it was something that the class responded well to, and that it gave other students the courage to speak out, but frankly I feel that something that personal to a teacher has no business in a classroom. I thought that the teacher who spoke of his own molestation as though it was someone he knew had the right idea. In the case of that teacher, he was able to judge the response of the class and take it from there, letting the feedback and reception of the students tell him if he should take the conversation further or leave it the way it was.