“The students must drive you crazy”

Dear Person I Met in the Elevator,

“Wow. Bless you. The students must drive you crazy.”

That’s a direct quote from you. The remark — filled with aghast — came immediately after I explained that I was a high school teacher. Judging by your reaction, I think you confused teaching with swimming with sharks. You weren’t in disbelief as much as you were concerned for my well-being.

What struck me about the comment, and why I bring it up here, isn’t because your reaction was in any way unique or special. It’s the opposite: Practically everyone I meet reacts the same way you did. Your reply was memorable only because it was so predictable.

It’s an absolute shame that people observe a subway-surfing teen or a few knuckleheads at the mall and pass judgment on every teenager alive. Thinking that this extremely small subgroup of teens is in any way representative of the students in my (or any) classroom is both shallow and hurtful. No offense.

You have to excuse my strong recoil from our brief interaction that day. At the moment, I said none of this. I didn’t fully understand what I was feeling, although I knew you triggered something within me. Maybe it’s because I’m approaching the last third of my teaching career, and I feel the need to defend all my time spent in the classroom, but I find comments like yours increasingly bothersome. They disrespect my students, none of whom you have ever met.

As someone who works hard to support and serve young people, I am hurt to have my kids so pointedly dismissed as problematic. My students are wonderful. Let me repeat: my students are wonderful. Of course, they have their moments. I’ll get the occasional cheater or copier. And some, for the life of me, can’t arrive on time for first period.

But they are still well-mannered, trustworthy, and insanely smart. They deserve better. If you visited my classroom I’m confident you would feel the same.

So please don’t be concerned about my well-being. I’m doing just fine. My students ensure this.

Sincerely,
Brian, your fellow elevator rider

bp