Minds and Hearts

by KARLA CALDERON

Teacher: Someone who deals with the minds and hearts of young people. Young ones are in your care for seven hours, five days a week, learning everything from you. Kids return to the streets and to their homes practicing or thinking about what they've learned throughout the day. Children often see teachers a lot more than they see their own fam¬ilies. Teachers play a major role and, little by little, they have the opportu¬nity to change youth, educate youth, or help them form a positive iden¬tity. Every youth has his/her own personality and learning abilities.

The purpose of education is to civilize people. Education provides knowledge that opens doors for the future and promises happiness and success. For example, a teenage girl hopefully will not make the mistake of getting pregnant at a young age if she has been educated about sex. On the other hand, one who has no knowledge on the subject may have unprotected sex. The purpose of education is to help youth develop the ability to look at the world for themselves, to make their own decisions, to decide whether something is right or wrong, and to achieve their goals.

"Knowledge is power," my father always says. Education gives me power that nobody can take from me and distinguishes me from every¬body else. It helps me have a voice, attitude, and self-assurance in making decisions. With education, one has the privilege of being self-reliant and mentally strong. Being strong and positive helps the people around you and makes the world a better place. Teachers help students funnel all of their tremendous energy into positive actions like writing, drawing, play¬ing sports, singing, and dancing. Energy represents potential: It is in the hands of you teachers to enjoy your work and take the initiative each and every time a student comes to you for guidance or help.

There has to be trust between teachers and students. Each person has potential, some hidden and some more visible. Teachers should push stu¬dents to believe in themselves and have the desire to be productive in the future. When a student like me hears encouraging words, it brightens my day and inspires me to keep trying my best. When I look ahead in life and set goals for myself, I know I have to work hard and keep busy. I try to get involved in school activities where I can stay focused and deter¬mined to reach my goals.

I thank and deeply appreciate all of my teachers who have shown me love, care, and support when I needed it most. Having an abusive boyfriend and problems at home is hard to deal with alone, with no one to listen or even understand where I am coming from. But talking it out with trustworthy adults has changed my life. I am no longer alone. If I had not felt safe enough to talk to anybody about it, I would still be liv¬ing a miserable and hopeless life.

Supportive teachers will get a lot more out of students. Students who feel valued by adults have more confidence and try harder to be all that we can be. It's a reciprocal relationship. The energy a teacher puts into a student is the energy she will get back.

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