A frightening conclusion
In these troubled times, outcries abound against teachers, parents claiming control of what their children are taught, politicians manipulating curriculum, and anger from others including students. Yet in these circumstances, Ginott’s words for teachers in their classrooms remain significant: “In all situations it is my response that decide whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized.”
In today’s attempts to unravel our democracy, “dehumanizing” has become a watchword. Public schools and its teachers can resist and teach that Americans are “We the people…,” a nation of immigrants from its first years. Together we are one, just us, no other.
A huge task. But schools must be up to it if we are to preserve our democracy. Teachers rose to the challenge of the pandemic and continue to with lockdowns, rehearsals for possible gun violence. We ask our teachers to treat our children with respect and care, to nurture them, to “humanize” them.
We must do the same for teachers. When a teacher takes stock of her choice to teach, she will see herself as the decisive element in her room. She can make or break a child’s self-image, self-understanding. It’s a challenge to treat each one with respect and care, a challenge teachers accept because they are teachers.
“Respect and care,” something we all need, especially now.
