I often forget that what I teach, although it is important to me, is not important to my students.
“High school is a machine for social sorting. The purpose of high school is to give young people a sense of where they fit into the social structure...students would burn out if forced to spend their entire day amidst the social intensity of the cafeteria and the hallway. Fortunately, the school authorities also schedule dormant periods, called classes, during which students can rest their minds and take a break from the pressures of social categorization. Students correctly understand, though adults appear not to, that socialization is the most intellectually demanding and morally important thing they will do in high school.”
Every year I pour so much energy into creating classes that activate, amaze and uplift my students; when in reality they will forget more than 90% of what I attempt to teach them. Therefore the only point in being a teacher is to do more than just distill facts--my goal is to crush their stereotypes, encourage them to ask better questions and through this--hopefully--help them change their perception of the world--even if it is just a little bit.