The Teacher Stereotype

Since I have become a teacher, I have started to notice the stereotypes that follow many teachers in television and movies, specifically in teen shows and movies.  They may seem as though they are the mean adults that sometimes work hard to ruin the main character (a high schooler’s life).  Why does it seem as though there are so many of these bad examples of teachers out there in pop culture? Why does it seem that teachers are often the villains as opposed to the helper for the protagonists?  Granted, I understand that this is for comedic value, but I still can’t help but think about how this stereotype may sometimes impact teachers and students relationships.  

This is something that really started to bother me.  I guess it is because I am now a second year teacher, and I don’t like the idea of being seen as a villain in children’s shows. The teacher in the shows often tries to keep the students in line through detentions and multiple punishments while not trying to understand all of the problems that are happening with those students in regard to relationships, friendships, and familial problems.  As a teacher I want to be able to connect and be there for my students.  I want to try to understand their problems even if I really don’t understand their problems.  I don’t want to be seen as a villain to my students. I want to be seen as the teacher that will support and love my students, especially when they are struggling through something.  

This also often reminds me of the verse, Colossians 3:12 which states, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”  This is a very simple verse, but it is great to discuss the big words that are in it.  It is good to genuinely love kindness.  Yes, I do believe that there are times that it can come in tough love.  I work with high schoolers, so there are definitely moments when I know they can be better then they are sometimes showcasing.  However, that doesn’t mean that tough love should come all the time.  There needs to be the moments of showing kindness and really taking the time to know and care to my students. 

I should also want to show compassion in every way that I can.  I think the way that I can show this is through really listening to my students.  Sometimes, they are going to have problems that I am not going to think are that big of a deal, but it will be a big deal to them.  They may be going through a dramatic problem that I may find silly, but it is very real and painful to them.  It is hard for me at times to remember what it was like to be a teenager and in high school (even though it really wasn’t that long ago).  However that will be the main way that I can best create good relationships with my students.  

Humility is something that is often lacking in our society, and definitely through people that are in charge.  I don’t always have to be right.  In the teenager’s shows, the teacher character hardly ever admits they are wrong.  They always put on an air of being right.  This will never create a good relationship between teacher and student.  Another thing is that the teacher needs to be willing to serve their students.  This can be through obviously looking to help them with their homework, even if it isn’t the homework that it is for your class.  I may not know everything that there is to know about other subjects, but I know enough to where I can help them.  

Patience is another great virtue to have as a teacher and in really any profession. This can be hard because I am sometimes dealing with students who are giving an attitude or are not listening to me.  However, I have found that keeping my cool with my students, while hard, creates the best situation.  Also, it is not necessary to fight every battle.  Even if it is not necessarily something that you like or want in a classroom, there are just some situations and some times where it is just not worth the fight of your rules to fight with the student. There are times that you also need to know that it is not always you, and that there are some stressful situations that just make a student act not like themselves.  

The best example of a teacher in a show though, I believe was Mr. Feeny in Boy meets World.  This show was one of my favorites growing up.  Even though Mr. Feeny every once in a while was the character that was getting the gang of teenagers in trouble and was seen as crabby, old teacher. However,  there was never a doubt in his student’s minds that he didn’t care about them. That is why we see him go from their middle school teacher, all the way up to teaching them in college.  The show wanted to make sure that they showcased his relationship with the students all the way up.  Mr. Feeny knew how to be patient with his students when they made mistakes and got an answer wrong, but he still knew how to push them to be the best people they could possibly be.  He got to know their interests and was always willing to help them with any situation that they could possibly run into.  The main point of this blog is that if you are an educator or work with people of any kind, it is always important to be like Mr. Feeny and follow Colossians 3:12.