Everyone Needs a Cheerleader
By Dr. Marci
February 10, 2025

For a while now it seems as if my writing juices were not flowing and so I just didn’t write! It might seem strange to many, but I am sure people who write daily understand where I am coming from. Hopefully with some cheering on from my readers and some words of affirmation, the juices will start flowing again.
So, I always try to write about school and me working in the education environment and of course where part of my purpose is to educate, encourage and motivate. Most people, if not all, know that as educators we wear many hats. I continue to wear several of them.

Recently, I was reminded of a student I had many years ago who was considered, a selective mute and I met another student who is also considered to have selective mutism. Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder that makes it difficult for a person to speak in certain social situations. That’s the shortened version of it but the long and short of it, is that the student spoke softly on a one on one. The “talk” was very brief, but it was after a lot of encouragement and coaxing and a month later she was coaxed again into jumping rope during gym. Even though it was brief and short. I was excited about the fact that I was instrumental into encouraging her because I was her cheerleader. She was nervous and shy but with encouragement she eventually made my day by talking and jumping rope. This was a blessing. Even though no one else patted me on the shoulder for a job well done, I gave her a high five and beamed in my heart that I did something great.
A friend of mine recently sent me a note to say that I am also so encouraging and a genuine friend over decades. Those words resonated with me and made me feel empowered. Empowered because I didn’t think I was making a difference, I thought I was just being me. Overall, I was being a cheerleader in my small and you know what? It worked and has been working. Everyone needs a cheerleader to lift them higher especially in a sometimes, cruel world!
Many of our students I realized, had, learned helplessness, which is term where some students gave up because they failed at first try however some of their peers got instantly. The students who gave up must have felt frustrated, rushed or simply that their confidence was shot. That task can also be applied to academia or applied to their lives forever. This of course can be changed if they had people who were cheering and will always cheer for them.
Are you a cheerleader? If not think about being a cheerleader for someone, so you can help to encourage him or her. Being a cheerleader will also make you feel good about yourself. So, it’s a win/win situation.

Encouraging Movement in the Classroom

Teaching, the Nobel Profession?

By Dr. Marci D

Teaching is considered a noble profession because those who teach, impart knowledge to students and tend to inspire, mentor, and impact the students to achieve higher in their life. Abdul Kalam once said that “Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, caliber, and future of an individual.” Many years ago, I entered this noble profession primarily because I wanted to make a positive impact on students’ lives and some students have even said that they have learned from me. I must say that I know that I have done so in more ways than one. Somehow the last year or so, I am beginning to question the validity of that statement.

One of things that I can say is that growing up, it was almost like a rule of thumb that teachers were respected for one and that students and parents respected teachers and were seen as role model and respected in many ways. In a sense, some might even say that they were seen as “the law”, and whatever teachers said were considered important enough to be done or else, you were not obeying the law!

I recently spent some time with a friend’s 94-year-old father who was a former educator. We spoke for a long time, and he was reminiscing about being an educator. One of the things that he spoke fondly about was that he enjoyed being a principal most of all. He said that he enjoyed being a disciplinarian and simply leading his faculty and he knows that without a doubt that he impacted the lives of both teachers and students. In fact, as we were speaking another friend of mine called to wish us best wishes for the New Year. I told her where I was and with whom I was speaking, and she immediately wanted to talk to him because she said that he had hired her as a teacher when she was just out of college.  She wanted to express thanks to him for the years she was under his leadership as a new teacher.  To top it off, he remembered her and was smiling as they spoke.  Talk about positive impact! I was really impressed, and it made me think that educators are like trees planted by the river, we send out our roots and we grow fruits in the people whose lives we touch. The environment that we create helps to sustain lives and these lives can become strong with the proper guidance.

My 95-year-old mentor educator also said that he didn’t think that he could be an effective principal in present day schools as there seems to be a loss of respect for administrators as well as teachers.  He referenced the talking back and sometimes fights that were mentioned in the news or on social media.  He thought it was a sad period since at one-point educators were considered noble and were respected.   We even talked about the section in Jamaica’s National Anthem that says, “Teach us true respect for all, Stir response to duty’s call, strengthen us the weak to cherish, Give us vision lest we perish.” Well, somehow the idea that everyone deserves respect no matter who you are or what circumstances you are in, does not seem to make a difference in this time.

Respect for all? Teachers are sometimes not respected by parents, parents have meaningless complaints, parents are not involved in the students’ education, students’ misbehavior, students’ interruption during class, teachers bullying each other – yes bullying in the workplace is real! Teachers are abused mentally by parents, students and even administrators.

Is the profession still considered noble? Are educators respected? Maybe it’s a break down in the society or world in general. How did we get here?  Are we too far gone to be considered noble again!  Somehow, I wish we could go back to being respected as a people not just as educators. Use the light we have, to shine to others.

P. S.   Two weeks after I spoke so candidly with my mentor educator, former principal, noble educator, father, and grandfather, uncle, friend, he went to sleep peacefully. He had run the race well. Rest in peace, sir!  He made his mark in the education field.