Teachers Daring, Learning and their Weight in Gold

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So I’m driving down the street when I glance to my right and see a sign that makes me take a double take. There’s a local business that often times has words of wisdom signs placed out near their front door. Actually, these signs are sort of surprising because the business rents tools to landscapers and other hard labor customers, not to sociologists or to psychology students.  In bold black lettering, the sign said—Who Dares to Teach Must Never Cease to Learn.

The sign didn’t hit home for me just because I’ve taught for many years or that I still teach, but more so, because of how I feel about teaching. While teaching Criminal Justice in college, at every new quarter when I had new students starting up, on that first day, I’d always tell them that I too would learn during the quarter. Furthermore, that in every class that I’ve taught, I’ve learned something from my students. I used to think that sometimes, some of my students didn’t believe me and thought that I was just pandering to them. But, no, it was true. I learned every time and in every class that I ever taught.

I learned facts that I never knew before. I learned cultural norms that textbooks don’t quite pick up that well. I learned of outlooks, opinions, character points and differences in people of different colors, ethnicities and religions. A new quarter was an exciting time for me as well as for my students because I got to see new and interesting points of life. Teachers should never cease to learn as long as they’re helping others. Subject areas oftentimes change or grow and a teacher should be on top of their craft and be open minded to anything that may help them be at their best.

That sign caught me for another reason too. The first words on the sign were—Who DARES To Teach. Well, what could that mean? Dare. Like dare to jump out of an airplane? Or dare to talk in front of a crowd, perhaps?  Or did it mean that those who dare to take the awesome responsibility of being in the minds of students and forming and guiding them in their lives? I’m not sure which ‘dare’ the author had in mind but for me, it was clear. For me, teaching is a dare to plunge into the lives of others and it is not to be taken lightly. It’s serious and if done incorrectly, it can negativity affect the student for all of their lives. It’s serious and it’s not for everybody. Sadly, that’s not how some teachers think of teaching. Some show up and parrot the right words that they’ve been taught to say and sort of leave it at that. And there are the much worse teachers. The ones who try to form students into the fashion that they themselves are. The way that they think. To believe what they believe. Not so much of teaching students how to decipher situations on their own but to accept that they should be just like them. And if you’re not a sort of that teachers clone, you’re simply not cutting it.

These last two types of teachers don’t dare to teach.  It’s not where they’re coming from. Some may have hang-ups like public speaking or issues with control that they are dealing with and feel teaching is a good mix for their personal benefit.  And of course, some just do it by the numbers. They are taught how to teach and they teach by rote.

You see, teaching is almost a sacred trust. And that means for any subject being taught. A student is letting a teacher in.  A teacher owes them undivided and untainted help in understanding facts and unadulterated ways to decipher other facts on their own.

I think teaching is a big dare, if done right. If you’re a student, look for a teacher who dares to teach you. One who agrees to take on the awesome responsibility to help you and one  who does it for you. Not for him or for her. Not for money. Not for hang-ups. Not for ego. Find that woman or man who has a passion to teach like it’s supposed to be done and in turn, one who will help you to truly excel.

Teachers who dare to teach are just about worth their weight in gold. They touch people in ways that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. They help open doors regarding facts like sciences, but in addition, help people understand the ways to rationally discern, understand and believe in themselves.

Steve Kovacs
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Steve Kovacs

About Steve Kovacs

Steve's the bestselling author of 'Protect Your Kids! The Simple Keys to Children's Safety and Survival'. He's written many articles on a wide variety of topics and has three published books. Steve's a three-time survivor of violence in his youth, a former police supervisor and a graduate of The Police Executive Leadership College (PELC) and was also an award winning part-time college Criminal Justice instructor. For several years, Steve did written and radio political and current event commentary and was the former host of the long running 'The Kovacs Perspective' Internet radio and TV talk show. Steve presently owns a small businesses in Ohio--The Mayfield Academy of Self-Defense.

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