I see that a lot of my students do not feel that school is useful or necessary for their personal life success. So many of them express flippant feelings towards school, especially towards subjects such as art. They are immersed in a school culture that is so focused on “core” subjects, subjects that are tested on both in-state and nationally (such as English, Math, and Science), that elective subjects hold less of an importance if any importance at all. Even if I cannot get all my students to fall in love with art, or at least gain an appreciation for art in their lives, I want to show them that as a teacher I care about their success.

As a teacher, I want to know about students’ long term goals so I could show them that staying in school and working hard in school is what will propel them towards those goals. I want to know what their interests are so I can help them see how what they learn in school can help them enjoy those activities more. I want to know what drives them in life so I can help make the connections between what they learn in school and how they can apply those skills to building their future. School may not always be fun, and it definitely may not always be easy, but getting an education is crucial to any professional success.

I wish for my students, as learners, to be comfortable feeling challenged by their academics and comfortable with working through those struggles. I want them to be confident in their ability to learn, to explore different avenues of learning, and take risks in trying new things even if it means failing at first. I want my students to feel like they have agency in their lives, that they have the power to create who they want to be. That, to me, is powerful learning – knowing that they have the power to create a life for themselves the way they see fit.

If my students can realize that they should work hard for themselves, for their benefit, then they have succeeded in feeling that agency. I simply hope to be someone who can plant that seed in their minds and nurture it until it blooms, even if that may not happen while I am with them.