I don’t know if the word reciprocate is used too often in education. Perhaps, it should be considered. I have been tossing it around in my head for about a week because I ran into someone that was influential in my pedagogy when I was establishing my career as a teacher. She didn’t know it, but for years I would often reference her as the Math teacher who inspired my classroom management ideas. Some people found this ironic or odd because I taught English. If you think about it, classroom management is universal no matter what you are teaching.
OBSERVE COLLEAGUES AS MANY TIMES AS YOU CAN
Anyway, I had been put into an internship program for a school district via my graduate program. I had the pleasure of student teaching in a middle school for half of a year and then in a high school for the other half. She was a middle school teacher and a dear friend to my actual mentor. So, I had the opportunity to see a variety of teaching styles by observing them both. This proved to be invaluable.
VERBALIZE YOUR GRATITUDE
Until last week, it had been at least nine years since we saw each other; I was surprised and happy to see her. Even though I always gave her credit for supporting and inspiring me as a new teacher, I had never done it to her face. As you all might be aware, teachers don’t get a lot of positive recognition or pats on the back. I made sure to take the opportunity to let her know how much her selfless time in her busy school day and her openness to allow me to learn from her class had meant to me.
MENTORSHIP SHOULD LEAD TO GROWING FUTURE MENTORS
After talking to this teacher/mentor from my past, I walked away realizing how much I had reciprocated her kindness and time. I turned around and became a mentor teacher in the same program because I had wanted to give back to new teachers just like she had done along with my other mentors at the beginning of the teaching profession. Mentors are so many things, but I might say that the most important part of the job is to hopefully model good practices and kindness so that perhaps one day the mentee will be inspired to do the same for the next generation.
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES BACK AROUND
The really cool thing is that one of my student teachers from two years ago now works at the same school as this particular mentor. It is amazing to see how the three of us are truly connected in this great profession and that the circle of support continues on as it should. Who knows, maybe my previous student teachers will go on to become mentors too. I am confident that they can. (I am talking to you right now, Tina. 😉) Seeing them reciprocate the gift of lifting and supporting a new teacher would be the biggest reward to me. And as crazy at it may seem, they will find the reward in it too.
How have you seen a program or idea reciprocated at your school or in your career? I would love for you to share. Who knows, it might catch-on.
See You Real Soon,
Erin
Join our inspirational community…
[fluentform id=”1″]