Thursday, September 15, 2016

Do We Give Our Students Enough Credit?

Ask my kiddos, and I think they will tell you that Mr. Cline loves music.  Unless we are talking, music is playing.  It plays when the students enter the room and leave the room.  I even have a record player, and spin vinyl, both for me and so the kids can hear the sound of music played in a true form. On our board I post a "lyric of the day" each morning, usually tied to a message I want to send to the kids, and every Friday is a student suggested lyric.  It's safe to say, music is a big part of our classroom.

Earlier this week I happened to catch the Jonny Lang song "Thankful", and it struck a nerve.  I had just received some exciting news, honestly the most exciting news I had ever gotten in my professional career, and while I was trying to process this news, this song played.  My eyes got a little misty as I was reminded, as I am almost every single day, that as exciting as my news was, it had only been made possible by the kids that I get to teach.

I'd like to think that good things happen in our classroom.  I'd like to think that we have some great discussions, and that lives have been impacted in there.  I'd like to think that my classroom has been a safe haven for kids, a place where they have always felt they could be themselves, vent if needed, but most of all feel loved.  I'd like to think all these things, I hope all these things.  But there is one thing I know, above all else.  There is not a single good thing that has ever happened in our classroom that isn't because of the kids I teach...because of the kids who teach me.  Discussions rage constantly around the question, "Do teachers get enough credit?" I would ask, "Are we giving our students enough credit?" Are we taking the time to realize the impact that they play on us? Are we taking the time to say thank you, I appreciate you, you have made an impact on me?

To my own kiddos, if any read this blog, here is my message to each of you, today and every day:

THANK YOU

YOU ARE THE HEART OF OUR CLASSROOM

YOU MEAN SO MUCH TO ME

I LOVE EACH OF YOU

THANK YOU!

And here is my lyric of the day, a shout-out to all of my students:
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4 comments:

  1. Aubrey YehSeptember 15, 2016 at 8:42 PM

    Thought #1: The music teacher in me is screaming, "Yes, music is SO important, and I'm so glad you use it in your room!"

    Thought #2: Love the way of turning the question around - and it's so true! Every day, I think about how awesome my students are, and how they've impacted me. But do I tell them? Great encouragement to pass these thoughts along to them more often!

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  2. CarlaSeptember 18, 2016 at 4:43 AM

    What a wonderful, uplifting post! You are so right - we learn from our students constantly and we don't let them know this enough. You've set my goal for the upcoming week: I'll be looking for different ways to let students in our school know how much they teach me and how grateful I am to have them in my life. Thank you for the inspiration!

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  3. Gillian JudsonSeptember 18, 2016 at 7:58 AM

    So true :) When teachers think back at the end of a career, they don't recall the awesome white (chalk)board they had installed, the awesome texts they had etc. They recall the students! We learn so much from them. Thanks Kevin!
    #sunchatbloggers

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  4. TimSeptember 18, 2016 at 3:41 PM

    Kevin, what a powerful reminder that we connect with one another on an emotional level. Music can be that conduit for connection, acceptance, and understanding. Wish I could see your classroom in action! It seems like a great place for students to learn about themselves as well as others.

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