5 Things That Scare Me In Education, and 5 That Give Me Hope

Reflection and Goal Setting

On my way to work yesterday, I heard a clip from NPR’s 10 Things That Scare Me. In this particular episode, Samin Nosrat, the author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat shared her fears. As I was listening, I began to wonder what aspects of teaching frighten me.

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Things That Scare Me

School Shootings: This was my first thought. Instantly. Immediately. Thoughts and prayers are not enough. So I am also concerned about the systems and conditions (in politics, health care, economics, and society) that allow mass shootings to happen with such regularity continue to persist.

Single Stories: As an English teacher, I find value in stories and storytelling. However, reading and watching Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Story” helped me better understand the way narratives can also be insidious. In education, some narratives are deeply entrenched. And the ways in which single stories could be (and are currently) shaping actions, policies, and the lives of our students is of great concern. If you don’t believe single stories exist and have tangible effects, check out these articles from the New York Times, Vox, US News and World Report, USA Today, and Education Week. Additionally, check out my resources for helping students understand single stories, and the tools for helping students understand words and behavior.

Standardized Testing: The stress caused by high-stakes testing is detrimental to the learning process and to our learners. And a one-size fits all approach is not right for instruction, so it should not be the approach for assessment. While I am not a fan of such practices, I still feel pressured to prepare my students for our End-of-Course exam and for the ACT. Are such practices harmful to our students and their thinking?

Burnout: We have all felt the end-of-the-semester crunch, and every teacher needs occasional moments of perspective. Nevertheless, I am scared that I will burnout. Further, I am scared that the stress of my fears (of standardized testing, the harms of educational trends, etc.) will cause me to burn out. Even more worrying is the continually high attrition rate of new teachers. For this reason, finding ways to stay inspired has become even more important! Moore-English.com is a testament to the importance of continuing to stay engaged and excited about education!

The speed with which I developed this list! I heard NPR’s podcast yesterday morning on my way to work. By the time I was in the parking lot, I had so many things that scared me that I had to stop and jot some down. Needless to say, the frequency of the fear surprised me and, of course, scared me. It continues to scare me. Unfortunately, the items I included here are only a fraction of the ones I jotted down: some I found too tender to confront, too personal for the Internet, or too difficult to articulate.

However, as I was listing, I also began to develop responses to my own fears. And these responses give me hope.

5 Things in Education that Scare Me, and 5 That Give Me Hope #mooreenglish @moore-english.com #teachertruth

Things that Give Me Hope

First, I can confront many of my fears. I can also make sure to act more from intention and joy in my classroom. And I can make sure that I do not let fear dictate my actions. I can resist the conditions that lead to fear. All of this reminds me of a graphic that’s been going around teacher social media: things I can control and things I cannot. For example, I cannot control school shooters, but I can control my reactions in the face of such conditions. The fear belongs to me, so I own it. If I own it, I can know it, and if I know the fear, then it loses its power. This gives me hope.

Second, I know that my commitment to professional growth is more powerful than any fear. I love learning. Inaction is one of fear’s greatest weapons, so continually engaging in professional development that makes me a more competent professional is a means of fighting fear. These opportunities to grow also give me hope.

Similarly, I am not afraid that teaching will cease to challenge me. I am afraid of complacency but not in my professional life. Each class and each student brings new challenges: new questions, ideas, and inspiration! Needless to say, the passion that these challenges ignites in me represents hope.

Finally, My students also give me hope. Our students face tremendous pressure, but they continually rise up. Their triumphs also capture the imagination, and their struggles encourage me to try new approaches to education. The students have a willingness to learn and their curiosity about the world suggest that soon, very soon, they will be ready to step up as leaders. Their ability to use technology fluidly and fluently reveals that their leadership will cross boundaries and borders. More and more often, I find myself worrying less about them and more and more often worrying for them.

Lastly, you give me hope. Since starting Moore English, I have connected with countless motivated educators. I see the detail they put into building their classrooms, hear the dedication they voice, and know that their concerns are my concerns. Some of our fears are the same, but we keep teaching because we have the ability to improve this world. Thank you for everything you do for your students.