(A guest Post from F’Tahn Bey an Oakland public school teacher responding to a post from one of his students, He’s More Than Just a Teacher, Mr. Bey Is a Game Changer, that showed how important it is for teachers to emotionally connect with students and the impact he was having on his students)
When I first read Alondra’s Article, I was speechless. I had a big ole’ cheesy smile. I’ve never had anyone appreciate something I did or was doing so heavily and have it articulated so well.
When I was was 5 yo I had a Teacher, I remember her methods vividly, she would play superhero movies, specifically X-Men and afterwards she would always say you young children have the capacity to exercise these powers. Of course she never meant literally and was clear of that. She was actually bringing focus on the power of our minds. Instead of simply telling us that we can be whomever we wanted she expanded our imaginations beyond the norm.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” -Albert Einstein
Not only do I believe this quote by Einstein, I strive heavily to apply this mindset behind my daily interactions with every one of my students. Each one is a genius in their own way and deserve to be treated as such.
Lastly, I was humbled by the things Alondra said because unfortunately, where I come from, both Oakland and Hawaii, someone has to die in order to be spoken of so highly. Literally one must wait for their eulogy in order to have beautiful truths be spoken of them so freely and never receive the benefit of seeing it. I am extremely grateful that she did not wait until I was gone.
Sincerely,
Mr. Bey