October 2009
The best evaluation ever
By Riney Jordan

Once upon a time there was a teacher who was assigned to a new elementary school because of increased enrollment. She was the new kid on the block. She had to beg for enough desks to provide one for each of her students. She had to find extra teachers’ editions of the textbooks.

The other teachers on her team seemed nice enough, although they were busy preparing their rooms and didn’t have time to help the new teacher.

It didn’t matter. Her excitement to teach these young students was overwhelming. She spent weeks preparing her room prior to the first day of classes. She used what little money she had to buy new books and materials to outfit the learning centers and displays around her room.

“It needs to be bright and inviting,” she told herself.

On the first day of school she was there early. She wanted everything to be perfect for these youngsters who had been entrusted to her for an entire year of their lives. The first one or two students to walk into the classroom were a bit over-active, but she anticipated that most of them would be well-behaved and ready to learn. Yet, one by one they continued to arrive, each seemingly more active than the previous one. By 8:01 a.m., all her students were in the room, but few of them were in their seats.

It didn’t take long for her to realize that this was either an exceptionally rowdy group, or she had been given a selected list of students that the other teachers didn’t particularly want in their rooms.

As the students took their seats, she noticed the desks were still set for a lower grade level and had not been raised to accommodate her students. So, during her lunch time, she raised 22 desks one notch higher to make them more comfortable for her students. Using only a screwdriver, she adjusted 88 legs.

The rest of the afternoon posed even more challenges. “This has been a disaster,” she thought.

However, as the students left the classroom at the end of the day, one young boy stayed behind. In her mind, he had received the distinction of being the most active child in the room. He had talked incessantly. He had rarely sat in his seat. He had not been able to stay focused.

With a grin from ear to ear and eyes sparkling, he walked up to her and said, “I don’t want to go home. This has been the best day ever!”

She wanted to hug him, to laugh, to cry. A flood of emotions ran through her. Finally, she swallowed and managed to say, “Why, thank you, Charlie. You just made my day!”

And, indeed he had.

For those in education, the rewards may come slowly, but they will come. And when they do, it makes us realize the real reason we became educators. So, now that school has been under way for a few weeks, take a moment to re-evaluate your reasons for working with children. The checklist might look something like this:

• Has establishing a relationship with the students been my main objective?
• Do my students know that I’m always ready to listen?
• Have I been a good role model for them in the way I have responded to problems?
• Have I encouraged them on a regular basis?
• Have I been patient with those who need it the most?
• Do I reflect that I’m glad to see them each day?
• Have I discovered anything about their lives at home?
• Do they know I truly care about them by my actions?

Your evaluation doesn’t always come from a school administrator. The most accurate one comes from the child who says, “I don’t want to go home. This has been the best day ever!”

RINEY JORDAN, whose best-selling book, "All the Difference," is now in its sixth printing, is an international speaker and humorist. He can be reached at riney@htcomp.net or by visiting www.rineyjordan.com