More than teachers by Emmanuel Awoyelu

More than Teachers

by Emmanuel Awoyelu

I’ve always said teaching is one of the best jobs in the world if not the best. Those that agree would usually say it’s because we make a difference to the lives of others. However, very few mention the fact that we’re not just teachers; we’re more than that. The actor First and foremost you’re an actor. Not everyone likes to admit it but nobody can be happy and in the mood all the time. So when we step into the classroom we’re often putting on a performance to engage our students. This is more prevalent in primary schools, where the students are reliant on your performance and ability to engage them creatively. Have you ever watched a colleague in awe, during an assembly or lesson, and think ‘You’re such a performer’? We don’t always realise that our tone of voice, our mannerisms and the things we say are all tailored to the audience of young students hanging on to our very words. When you read to your students, you are the visual representation of what they hear in a story. They attentively watch the expression on your face and the sound effects you make during a funny part in a play. For some, you are the first actor/ actress they have ever met and your classroom is their theatre. The Role model You’re also a role model, something we’re forced to be as teachers. Looking back in my life, I don’t recall having too many positive role models around me but my teachers were the closest things to them. As teachers, the way we communicate, our body language and how we treat our colleagues is always under scrutiny by the students. As we know, children are impressionable and the need for positive influences in their lives is paramount. Many of the young people I teach have difficult backgrounds and have experienced awful trauma in their early childhood. When they step into my classroom, I’m mindful that I may be their first or the most consistent role model they have in their life. Therefore, I’m aware that how I conduct myself as a young male professional shouldn’t be taken for granted. As teachers we have to be prepared to be what we ask of our students. The counsellor Just like adults, young people can struggle with a range of emotions in a day or for a sustained period of time. The difference is young people aren’t always equipped to deal with these emotions and this can manifest into negative behaviours in the classroom. For instance, if a child is suffering from anxiety, this can impact their ability to engage in a lesson or with their peers. This is when we become their counsellors/therapists.. There are situations you don’t anticipate at the start of the day, but often you will effectively encourage, motivate and support students through your kind and gentle words. This is why we recognise empathy and compassion as some of the traits great teachers have. Teachers working in SEN will sometimes have to deescalate situations before offering a shoulder to lean on when a child is in turmoil. When you experience these moments, it’s often a reminder that we are working with vulnerable young people who need as much support as adults, particularly when it comes to supporting their mental health. Not everyone has access to a therapist so it’s often you. Emotional dumpster There aren’t too many jobs in the world, where you can sign in at 7:30am, sign out at 6:30pm and then continue with more work at home until 10:00pm and do it all again the next day. Your entire time at school and when you’ve left school, you’re thinking about work. Sometimes it’s planning and other times it’s marking books you failed to check across the term but other times it’s just your students on your mind. You can’t always help that. When I first started

teaching at my school, I would go home physically and emotionally drained. The students would project their anger and frustration on to me and I would deal with it the best way I could. However, when some of your students are a cause for concern in terms of child protection and safeguarding, these situations can leave scars in your memory. These are the moments you don’t always prepare for when you start your day and even when you are prepared, you don’t always know how to deal with the emotional baggage offloaded onto you. This is why we’re their emotional dumpsters. Third parent Although I have no children of my own yet, it’s not unusual that a student has mistakenly called me ‘dad’. This is because we are their third parents. A typical school day may last 6-7 hours. For some of my students, they see more of me in a day than they do of their parents. Naturally, the relationship you develop with your students creates an accountability that they would only typically have with their parents/carers. The nurture, structure and discipline that we provide for our students’ mirrors what they receive at home so school very much becomes their second home. However, some students do not have the very basics required at home to develop well. Therefore, when they come into our classroom, we are providing something that supports their wellbeing and development. The difficulty we may face is the inconsistency these children have between home and school and what part this might play in the progress they will make. The advocate Difficult behaviour in the classroom is often a by-product of the issues in a child’s family or environment. Therefore, more and more teachers will come across students in their class who will need to develop their social emotional aspects of learning before they’re available to learn. This is why we are also their advocates. As teachers, we are always safeguarding our students even if that creates awkward moments with their families. We are always looking out for the wellbeing of our students, studying their behaviours and body languages to ensure they are receiving their rights. Unfortunately, not all teachers are adequately supported or trained to deal with this and these students are often left disengaged and sometimes excluded from school. As a teacher for children with social emotional and mental mealth issues, I am particularly passionate about the well being of my students when they enter my classroom. Children with Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) can often be unavailable to learn because emotionally they are not ready and they are dealing with problems in their home environment. Therefore, I am consciously [and subconsciously] teaching them how to manage their feelings, be self-aware and express themselves in a positive way. I often assume that most learning has taken place in class, where the student has repeated the three states of water to me. I don’t always consider teaching a student how to hold a knife and fork as the life skill they’d cherish that day. The point is, it all matters and you’re there to help them achieve both. The Teacher of many roles Lastly, you are obviously their teacher but that word shouldn’t be taken for granted. We often limit the word teacher to someone who helps someone learn a subject. You may have a particular subject you’re passionate about and if you’re like me, a primary teacher, you may teach a number of subjects but the subjects we teach don’t define our roles at all. As a teacher, your role goes beyond pedagogy because the education we provide focuses on developing the whole person. This can vary from teaching them their times tables to supporting them with poor eating habits. Ultimately, we teach and offer way more than our subject knowledge on physics or Shakespeare. In a full days work, you may have played many different roles that all make up the single role of a teacher.

Emmanuel Awoyelu is a primary schoolteacher and SENCO from East London, Newham. He has worked in education for 9 years, whilst developing youth programmes across London. Emmanuel is also a director of ‘The Reach Out Project’, a programme that aims to mentor and support vulnerable young men in London.

Twitter: @MannyAwo www.mannysconscience.com