What guides my decisions as a teacher.

Whenever I come across a dilemma that requires me to evaluate how different choices will affect my students, I try my best to think about how that decision would affect my daughter if made by one of her teachers. Although she is a few years older now than when this photo was taken, I still see her this way and probably always will. I want the best for my daughter, and I am sure that the parents of my students feel the same about their children. I don't want a teacher to make my daughter's life easy. I want them to challenge her, while still respecting her and helping her. Teachers and parents have two very similar tasks in this respect. They both are trying to prepare kids for their futures away from the direct support of their families. They are also trying to make them the best adults they can be. The other day I had a student who was failing my class approach me about advancing him some extra credit that he would be completing in the future, so he could remain active on one of the school's sports teams. As much as I would like to have given in and let him off the hook, I knew that I wouldn't be truly helping him understand that actions have consequences (not in the California Content Standards). At that moment, I thought about what his parents would have wanted me to do, and I thought about how I would feel if he were my son. In the end I told him that I will work with him to make up any deficits in his grades by allowing him to turn in missed assignments, but that I would not advance him the upcoming extra credit. Although it is not our job to be our students' parents/families, I do feel that we must take every opportunity to provide guidance not only on content, but also on life and growing up.