There is a common confusion nowadays about who teaching serves.
In the traditional classroom, the authority model only centers on teachers. The setup meets these needs for the job:
Control
Certainty
Self-expression and communication
Single dimension connection (power dynamics between teacher and students)
But teachers aren’t the only people in the classroom. We have learned that these are some of the needs of students:
Safety, including emotional safety
Been seen, heard, and understood
Acceptance of who they truly are
Connection with the teacher through empathy.
Connection with peers because learning is a journey, not a competition.
Teaching can be a powerful job if seeking that power is at the center of everything you do.
But teaching serves when all you want is to contribute and help others.
