The Sum Total of Our Experiences...

The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.

~ African Proverb

The aforementioned quote speaks to a few of our more difficult students.  Many of the students that come to us during the year are the product of various teachers and even more teaching and learning styles.  These are the students that are apprehensive about learning and leading in the classroom environment. As an educator of over 14 years, I have seen this many times.  Students that don’t trust their teacher won’t trust the process.  If they don’t trust the process, then their ability to learn will be compromised.

Our village of educators must embrace these students in an effort to change the trajectory of their experiences.  As we learn our students, we grow to understand that their life experiences are the sum total of what they have encountered.  This statement simply means that as you learn your students and their stories, you see that their story contributes to the little person in front of you. 

In essence, as the proverb states, “a child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth”.  Students seek attention as they yearn to be embraced by their village.  As an educator, we are the village that must embrace them. The amount of attention they seek varies, but if given, it will make for a much smoother transition.  Many times a little “warmth” goes a long way.