When you think of a good educator what comes to your mind? Is it an educator who belittles and makes degrading comments to their students? Or is it an educator who cares, respects and listens to their students?

 

During my teaching career, I worked with good educators and also bad ones. My first experience with a bad educator was when I was employed at an elementary inner city school. 

 

I was appalled at how a reading specialist treated students. Her office was aside of my classroom and I could hear her derogatory comments to the students. She provided support for the students who were behind in reading.   The support is not what they received, instead she would belittle and demean them.

 

There were times when I heard her say to a student, "You are stupid and you will never be able to read well."

 

I would cringe when I heard her mean and cruel words. My heart ached for the students.  

 

I was going to report her, but I thought the principal wouldn't take me seriously because I was a first year teacher and she had worked at the school for 5 years. 

 

How can she help students when she crushes their spirit? How can any of the students  improve their reading?

 

The reading specialist was rich whereas most of the students came from poor backgrounds.  She thought her wealth made her superior to the students. I kept my distance from her; I had no respect for her.

 

The reading specialist didn't belong working with students and I couldn't understand why she chose the education field.

 

Many of the students she helped didn't have supportive parents and lived in bad environments.   The last thing they needed is harmful treatment from a person who is there to help them.   

 

Teaching is a rewarding career. It can be challenging at times, but I am so glad I chose this career. Touching a students' life is more important to me than possessing all the money in the world. I  hope the students I helped in my teaching career are  living happy and successful lives.