Being Switzerland

I never know what to tell people what I do...my life is a hybrid. I am a quasi administrator, a quasi teacher. I accepted a job thinking I would do one job but as we all know...the real job often entails so much more. It is easiest to say that I am a teacher. Although this explanation often infuriates my family who watched me work so hard to accomplish what I have done at this point. But, at the very heart of what I do, I am a teacher.

Every third day, I get to see a group of 8th graders that I have taught now for three years. I only get 50 minutes with them, so time is precious. This year, it has been a challenge to fit everything we want to discuss into that time frame. Then on top of it, this is middle school. Middle school students are my favorite age bracket for so many reasons, but one of the top reasons is for the sake that these students are starting to develop their own opinions and into their own personalities.

It has been a hard year to be a teacher, a hard year due to the political tornado that hit our country. I try very hard to be Switzerland whenever teaching about an issue that has two very distinct sides. I know it is important for my students to be presented with all viewpoints and then form their own opinions based on that information. As Carl Pickhardt, a psychologist in private counseling and public lecturing practice in Austin, Texas, wrote that, "They [adolescents] start pulling away, pushing against, and getting around adult authority in order to create more freedom to grow and to live on more independent terms." I never want to sway my students, if they end up agreeing with my beliefs at the end of a very evenly presented debate, conversation, or discussion then that is great. But, I fundamentally believe that having a personal opinion with no fear of retribution is what sets our country apart from others.

Recently. I had a student say to me that they still had no idea which side of the political system I fell on and he really admired that I was able to stay so neutral. I was surprised to hear this comment as I felt that I had (regrettably) made a few comments that would show my unwavering support for one candidate. I am happy that I could be Switzerland. I felt like I did my job.

I still haven't decided how to deal with the inauguration. I'll keep you posted.