Authenticity

Authenticity is one of the ways in which we demonstrate trustworthiness. Authenticity is a way of putting trust into action with integrity, sincerity, reliability and transparent, genuine intentions. We often talk about how trust and stability are key in a successful classroom, but it is often difficult to define how we as teachers bring these things into our classroom. I believe that authenticity is crucial to building a trusting, safe, stable environment to learn in. If a teacher is clear about their expectations and then follows through, they create reliability. Most importantly, if a teacher has a genuine interest in the success of their students then they will automatically display authenticity. If students learn by example, then give them an example worth emulating and learning from.

I have never considered the boundaries and lines that could or should be drawn for authenticity. It had never occurred to me that there could be such a thing as too authentic. Can a person be too genuine? Or have too much integrity? Can sincerity be overwhelming or reliability be detrimental? Personally I do not believe that you can be too authentic. I do not believe that there are boundaries that need to be placed on authenticity in the classroom. Many of the problems that occur in the classroom are based on a lack of trust, and genuine intentions, but those are both key components in being an authentic individual.

"Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.” - Mother Theresa

"No legacy is so rich as honesty.” - Shakespeare

“Authentic values are those by which a life can be lived, which form a people that produces great deeds and thoughts.” -Allan Bloom

Compassion

If respect is the foundation of all successful relationships, then compassion is the demonstration, or manifestation, of that respect. Everyone, student and teacher alike, has their insecurities, whether they are feelings of loneliness, mediocrity, ignorance or inadequacy. Compassion helps fill the void that self-doubt creates. Compassion is the way in which we relate to, and validate each other and it helps us connect in ways that go beyond an everyday, passive acquaintance. It is our ability to consider a perspective other than our own. This is a critical disposition for us to posses because as people, particularly as teachers, we are continually exposed to personalities that clash with our own. However, effective teachers are able to see beyond the clash to the person, the motives, the dynamic individual that each of their students is.

When I was in junior high, a trying time for any young person, I had the good fortune of having Mrs. Kay Yanecek for my homeroom teacher. She was a truly remarkable woman, with a liberal approach to education and an old world class. I do not know what it was, if she always went to such great lengths to help her students, or if something about me in particular seemed to call out to her for understanding, but she reached out to me and offered me friendship when I had never felt more alone. Some people are naturally charismatic, and they make friends easily, but I was not one of those people, so the transition from elementary school to junior high was a difficult one for me to make. I felt like the only one who had liked things the way they were, and who didn’t feel ready to “move on and meet new people”. Mrs. Yanecek was a blessing, both in the nerve-wracking first weeks and then throughout the entirety of my time there. In the mornings, she would meet me at my locker to talk to me about simple things like my family, or my homework, or to compliment me on something I was wearing. She kept up with my class work, often telling me that she had heard from so-and-so that I had done particularly well on a test and passing on her congratulations. She kept a collection of newspaper articles that featured me pinned up around her room as well as little mementos that I had given her. When I was feeling particularly self-conscious about my body shape, with out my telling her anything, she pointed to one of the articles hanging on her wall (with a picture of me on it) and casually began talking about how pleasing she found the shape of me face, and the warmth of my eyes and smile. With out fail, she kept me feeling buoyed and loved on the days that I was closest to feeling lost and alone. Her compassion was invaluable to me and has continued to shape me through the intervening years.

"The value of compassion cannot be over-emphasized. Anyone can criticize. It takes a true believer to be compassionate. No greater burden can be borne by an individual than to know no one cares or understands."-Arthur H. Stainback

"The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.” -Thomas Merton"

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -The Dalai Lama

Respect

It makes sense to me that our first disposition is Respect. It is one of the most, if not the most, important dispositions that a teacher can bring to their classroom. While the other dispositions, like compassion and open-mindedness, are important, they do not mean much if there is no mutual respect. It is the foundation that a successful relationship is built upon, whether that relationship is personal, professional or academic. Respect is not necessarily about liking a person, or about warm fuzzies and best buddies. Respect is the fundamental belief that everyone deserves equal dignity, that no matter who they are, where they come from or what they are capable of, they are all equally important and equally worthy or our time, consideration and attention. If a teacher does not respect his/her students, he will never earn their respect in return. Without a respectful environment students cannot progress and can in fact regress in their mental and emotional development.

I would bet, that every student, no matter how old they are or where they are from has been disrespected by a teacher. For me there have been many teachers that I had a hard time respecting and valuing their input because of the way that they have treated me, both publicly and privately. In fifth grade I had a teacher who wanted me announce a very personal feminine problem to my class before I was allowed to use the restroom. This same teacher used the success of my intelligent, athletic older brothers and a shame tactic in the hopes of getting me to preform better, saying things like "your brothers never would have made that mistake," and "I expected more from a Zehr." In high school I had a teacher insult and degrade the intelligence of my father (a man who has been teaching for over 30 years and has his PhD) in front of the class because I had the temerity to question the wording of a test question. These are just two of the more memorable times that I was treated with censure and disrespect by my teachers.

On the other hand there have been so many more teachers that have more than earned my respect. My senior year of high school I was in an Advanced Placement English class. My teacher, Mr. Hartwig, had a youthful exuberance that was infectious. Students were always trying to worm their way into his classes, and once there they got there they never wanted to leave. Mr. Hartwig's class was a "safe space" where you could say anything with out the fear of being judged. He would answer any question, and would listen to any story. He also managed to impart a love of literature in his students, and because he respected us so completely, both as students and as people, we respected him and wanted to preform well in his class. Near the middle of the second trimester, we read Othello as a class, and had to write a persuasive essay over the play. We were given plenty of time to brainstorm ideas but i kept circling around the idea that Iago was romantically obsessed with Othello. When it came time for me to present my thesis with Mr. Hartwig he patiently listened to my idea and considered the writability or such a topic. He told me that while he completely disagreed with my analysis, he thought that my outline seemed well thought out and that if I was sure that this was the topic I wanted, then he would be interested to see the final project. In the end I ended up receiving a perfect paper, this was both the first and last time i received such high marks from him. When I asked him why he told me that it was because he admired my gumption. He had read my thesis and completely written off my idea impossible and yet by the end even he had to admit that it was a possibility. He had given me a chance to explain myself, even though he completely disagreed with my point of view. and then praised me for being unique.

"The secret of education lies in respecting the pupil" -Ralph Waldo Emmerson

“A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do you know that his future will not be equal to our present?” -Confucius

“Only those who respect the personality of others can be of real use to them" -Albert Schweitzer