Invested {Weekly Blog}

Investment or investing is often associated with money and putting a quantified amount towards something that you care about or want because you know the return could possibly be rewarding or benefitting. When reading the definition it sounds self-centered...giving something to get something. Frequently teachers say we invest in our students and we do. The definition for student investment should be: giving time, energy, guidance, and knowledge to students who in return grow, succeed, and eventually, change the world. The definition is in its raw form but I think with the great educational minds out there could evolve it. 

This week the saying teachers invest in their students came to life. I witnessed it and experienced it myself. Our local area competition occurred on Tuesday where we had students compete in senior prepared and junior prepared speaking, conservation speaking, extemporaneous speaking, creed speaking, and ceremonies. Being a timer for the junior prepared, where we had 5 Big Spring competitors and I found myself looking down as they competed because I did not want to smile too big and "freak" my students out. They each came in with confidence and being well prepared to deliver their speeches. My smile was a result of pride I had in claiming them as mine and excitement for what the results could be, competing at the regional competition. 

Also on this day I was able to be in the hallway with students who were not competing. They would ask me questions, share their thoughts on how they did, or ask "do you know the results?" This is a result of student investment of tangibles of writing speeches, saying speeches, and providing them with the resources to do so but also the intangibles of care, trust, excitement, and support. My cooperating teaches and I invested in them from start to finish and there is a trust and rapport. These intangible investments are what students want and need because when they look back at their experience in the years to come they remember how teachers made them feel and what was said to encourage or discourage them. 

The the other witnessing of investment I had this week was financial. First, the janitor for our hallways, Bonnie, bought me fudge as a late "welcome to the family gift". This investment gave me a feeling of inclusion, belonging, and appreciation. I knew Bonnie cares so much about me that she put her hard earned money into a gift. I am still overwhelmed with the kindness. 

We also took our students to the Keystone Tractor and Truck Pulls at the Farmshow Complex to volunteer. We have a new student to the district who did not know he needed to pay for his own dinner. One of my cooperating teachers gracefully told the waitress to include him on her check. This was a financial investment, but also it was a rapport and trust between advisor and new student. 

Investment comes in all forms - emotional, financially, tangible, and intangible. As a teacher investment will never cease and it shouldn't. As the quote above says. "Teaching is a 24 hour, 7 days a week job because when you invest in kids, you can never stop caring".