When Mentors Forget

In January, I began my journey in someone else's classroom. I walked in as a confidently scared student teacher and attempted to belong. Thankfully, I was placed with the best mentor ever. He tells me the good, the bad, and the ugly (mostly the good, though). He considers what would make me comfortable in his classroom as both a guest and a teacher. He evaluates me and gives me helpful feedback that has shaped me tremendously over the course of this semester. He makes me evaluate myself, which is simultaneously one of the hardest and most helpful skills I've learned. He is awesome at organized chaos, which I love, because that's how my brain works, too. In short, my university could not have placed me with a better mentor teacher. Sadly, this text will have nothing to do with him.

A few weeks ago, I overheard a conversation as I was walking down the hall. The conversation was between two teachers down my hall. They were in a classroom, but I could hear the whole conversation as I made my way from the copier to my classroom. They were going on and on about how the student teachers "just don't even know". They were discussing how we will get our eyes opened to the "real world of teaching" when we have our own classrooms. I am certain they are correct. However, it was the way it was being said that bothered me. It was as if they resented us trying to learn from them. As if what they've learned is something only they are privy to and we can just figure it out later (and good luck trying). They didn't want to share their insight or help us to grow. They forgot that in the near future, we could be their co-workers. We could be teaching the same students. We could be collaborating with them on a different level. They forgot we are trying to learn to be the best we can from them.

As I walked down the hall I was trying to work out how I felt about having heard that conversation. I couldn't decide if I was hurt, angry, or annoyed. So naturally, I decided to write about. I decided I was just saddened. Not long ago, they were in my shoes. They were trying to learn everything they could to be the best teacher and mentor to 120+ kids every day. They were sponges, soaking up all the information they could and writing down everything they thought they may ever use. They didn't know everything they know now. They didn't realize all the paper work they would have to deal with (they do NOT teach you that in teacher school), they didn't realize the lack of parent support they would encounter (teacher school prepared us for helicopter parents), they didn't know how stressful standardized testing would be, and they didn't realize how tired they would be everyday. So far, I have only observed most of these. I know that I don't fully understand it all. I don't realize the stress all these teachers are under. And I certainly don't know how I will deal with it myself. I do know it was disheartening to hear them talk that way. Not because it offended me or hurt my feelings, but because they forgot we are looking up to them. We want to learn everything we can from them. We admire their hard work and efforts they give.

So, fellow student teachers, when your mentors forget you are there to soak up all you can, just take it in stride. They have been you before. They have been in your shoes trying to learn from someone else. They are tired. Use those moments to soak up and learn, and then find someone positive to listen to and stretch your mind.

Sincerely,

Miss