Why Do Teachers Feel Responsible?

"A young adult was arrested for murder in my community recently," Jon wrote to the TLN discussion group. "My immediate reaction was to wonder if it was 'one of mine.'

"Why do we as teachers often feel some sort of responsiblity for the actions of our former students? Or are we simply regretful that we weren't able to make the difference in a particular child's life?"

Kitty replied:

We go into teaching for the most part because we want to make a difference. When we find out that a former student has gotten into trouble, even if we don't feel directly responsible, we feel bad for the student and his/her family because we are, for the most part, caring, empathetic people by nature. If we weren't, we wouldn't be doing what we are doing every day.

One of my first students wound up in prison after robbing a gas station. I could have predicted this outcome for him, I am sad to say. He came to me in the sixth grade unable to read. He had literally been allowed to fall through the cracks. As a rookie teacher (this was 30 years ago) I did what I could. I assigned an aide to him full time and bought alphabet flash cards for him out of my own measly beginner teacher pay because he didn't know the alphabet consistently past the letter "g." Please, tell me how he got to the sixth grade not knowing his alphabet!

I made referrals on the child, but he was absent more than he was present, and I still, to this day, believe that he literally fell through the cracks of a system that does not work the way it should. For all intents and purposes, I think he dropped out that year—a sixth grader.

He could have been the poster child for the ideal behind the concept of "No Child Left Behind." He WAS left behind, and nobody really seemed to be bothered by it. As far as I know, there was never any meaningful follow up by the guidance department or the administration on any of my referrals. Certainly I never got the impression that anyone but me cared that he was absent more than he was present, and when he just stopped coming to school, nothing was done as far as I know.

Six years later, I was terribly sad but not surprised to hear his name in the news related to an armed robbery.

I didn't feel personally responsible for him and the choices he wound up making. I did everything I knew how to do as a rookie teacher to try to help. I didn't know enough about the system to put any real pressure on anyone to follow up on him, and I don't know that anyone would have listened to me if I had. I was just some idealistic beginner who hadn't learned the ropes--and hadn't yet hardened myself to the "reality" that we can't save them all.

So, I don't feel personally responsible, but I do feel responsible as part of a community that couldn't do more for that needy child or for so many others who have followed similar paths.

We as teachers of these students are not directly responsible for their adult actions, but I believe we ARE responsible for not doing more to address the social problems that are currently wreaking such havoc on many of our communities' children.

Comments

[Heather Ross]

A couple of years ago, while I was teaching at a tutoring service I had a several students who concerned me. I worried about more than just were they going to pass their classes. I worried about some of the things they wrote in their practice essays or said about why they were so tired.

One day, I arrived for work and found out that a former student of mine had killed himself. I was crushed. What more could I have done? There had to have been something.

I still feel that way. Teachers regularly refer to their students as "my kids". In many cases teachers spend more time with their students then the parents do. Of course we take their well being seriously. If we didn't what kind of teachers would we be?

[Wendy Banks]

I must say I was not shocked after reading your post. I recall a few young men I attended school with names in the news for doing something terrible. Yes, they too were students who were well below reading levels and other academics. Though, I think we all are responsible to some extinct. However, teachers cannot do it alone. Parents must step up to the plate and do their part as well. I have never understood how a child makes it to the first grade without knowing the alphabet. I am not a certified teacher but enjoy working in the field. However, I do believe the alphabet should begin to be taught at home.

It is so much technology and many simple things parents can do to give their children a headstart at learning the basics. Yet, many of them do not take the time to do so. Instead, all is left up to the teachers.

It is the parents, teachers, and community leaders to provide our children with a good foundation. It is called a joint effort. I truly believe the old saying "it takes a village to raise a child". However, home is where it all starts.

Wendy