The Impact of Your Teaching: The Seeds You Plant Don't Go to Waste

As teachers, we often hear that planting the seeds do matter for our students. We may not get to see how all the seeds will grow; we plant the seeds anyway, without expecting that we would see the results. The truth is, we get to see some of the seeds grow during and by the end of the school year. However, what about the seeds that we have planted that have not grown yet but is still waiting to blossom and bloom long after our students have left our classroom? What happens when we do get to catch a glimpse of those seeds that we have planted? 
 
When I was completing my master's research project ten years ago, I had to come up with a topic to research on. Admittedly, at that time, I saw completing the research project as a means to graduate so that I can finally become a full-fledged teacher. When everyone around me came up with amazing projects to do research on, I was lost, until one day, my friend asked this one seemingly simple question that changed the entire trajectory of my research project and the way I continue to approach my teaching and my life to this day: 

“Why do you want to become a teacher?”
 
The question of considering "why" we do what we do gets into the heart of our purpose and intentions. Simon Sinek, the author of "Start with Why", talks about the golden circle that consists of three concentric circles where "why" is at the innermost layer of the circles, then "how", and then "what". He asserts that great leaders work from the inside out; that they start with "why" they do what they do, then venture into how to do this, and then what they will do. My friend's question to get me to think about why I do what I do cause me to trace my own narrative back to a teacher that inspired me and continues to inspire me to this day, Ms. P.
 
I met Ms. P during my final year of high school when I was going through a difficult time. I did not have friends; I barely went to my classes; I was involved with the wrong crowd at times, taking drugs to numb myself. I had very low self-esteem and often felt isolated from my peers. I remember one particular day when I thought that I had finally had enough of this life, and had every intention to end my life that day, only that I would see Ms. P one last time in her class before I went home to end my life.
 
I remember walking into her classroom vividly that day; I was early. There was already something put on my desk: a small hat and a card of Mother Teresa. Bewildered and curious, I walked over to my desk, sat down, took one puzzled look at the hat and then flipped over the card. It says: “I take my hat off to you, Lovisa. You are not afraid to shine your light into the darkness of the world. You believe in the power of one. So did Mother Teresa and she changed the world. All the best, always.” 

That day, I did not end my life.
Without her knowing it, this teacher, with her gesture of showing
that she believed in me
sparked an inkling in me to think that I can do this thing called life,
that I can keep going. 
 
So when my friend asked me why I want to become a teacher to get me to come up with a research topic that resonates with me, I immediately knew inspirational, heart-centered teaching is what I will focus my research on. To this day, in my doctoral journey, I am still completing research that’s focused on heart-centred teaching and teaching that honours educators’ narratives. It is not hard to remember why I am drawn to this. It is also not hard to continue to stay committed to this because of my own narrative. 
 
Some people might say a teacher’s only prerogative is to teach subject content and that the ethical and moral dimension of teaching (which includes care) does not matter. Whenever I encounter this, I am reminded of Elizabeth Campbell’s book “The Ethical Teacher” and the reasons she provides why the ethical and moral dimension matters:

1. The compulsory nature of schooling: children are mandated to go to school. You’re not mandated to become a teacher; you get to choose to become a teacher. Moreover, students don't get to choose which teachers they would like to learn from/with.
2. Children are part of the vulnerable sector.
3. Day in and day out, when a teacher praises or humiliates a child in the classroom, not only is that particular child experiencing and witnessing this, but you've got a whole class of children seeing this as well. Even parents don't have that power. 

Care goes a long way in our teaching practices; you can never know how much it may mean to the students you are teaching. My story with Ms. P is just one of many stories of how a teacher touched a student's life. I am not saying that you have to be inspiring; I am merely introducing you to this and the potential that this profession has.
 
So, if you are curious about why you want to be a teacher/became a teacher, and what can continue to renew and restore your commitment and passion in teaching, I invite you to think about these questions:
 
What's your narrative?
What is meaningful to you, and why?
How do you want to contribute to your surroundings as a result of your own unique stories?
 
I invite you to explore this, and I dare you to live your message, loud and clear, in your personal and your professional life. No, it's not a requirement to live this way, but see what happens when you start to live from your heart one moment at a time, one day at a time. 
 
Here’s a 4-minute documentary (see below) that I created about Ms. P.
​I had the privilege to interview some of her former students to share and celebrate that indeed, teachers do make a difference. 
 
I hope you will remember that everything that you do as a teacher matters in the classroom; nothing goes to waste. This documentary is not just about Ms. P, but a tribute to all the teachers out there who genuinely love and care about what they do. To all the students that you teach and those that you will teach in the future, I thank you.
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