Article Response 5

Rachel Lorenzo
11/6/11
LAE 4530.001
Tara Payor & Nina Graham

Article Response 5

            For my last article response I chose “Challenging Roles” by Keith Younker, an article about the role of a teacher when faced with a sudden disaster or tragedy. While the article spoke mostly about Younker’s reaction and position while in the classroom when he and the class heard about the attacks on September 11, the article made me think about the many sudden tragedies that could occur. These tragedies take precedence over the classroom, not only out of respect but because no one, not even the teacher could concentrate on school work at such a time.

            As a teacher, I am a role model and mentor for many students, much like the article states in the beginning. While I was a student during the attacks of September 11, many tragedies are unfortunately likely to occur within my career. Some of these tragedies may not be heard of at an international level. Some of these tragedies could be the death of my students’ classmates or of one of my coworkers. As a teacher I need to know when it’s appropriate to move on and when it’s best to simply stop and cry.

            If a problem or tragedy spotlighting one group of people should arise, I need to be careful in how I respond. Students look to their teachers to know how to respond much like a baby looks to his parents when he falls. If the parents look worried or overreact, the baby will panic and cry; if the parents continue smiling or appear calm, the baby will smile and get back up. Spiteful comments in a moment’s reaction can cause waves of hatred throughout a student’s lifetime.

Students are not only learning about the language arts from teachers, they are learning about the art of socializing from teachers as well. When it is necessary, teachers need to be a human pillar to uphold the class. When it cannot be helped, the pillar is allowed to crumble under the weight of human grief.