Teaching in tough times

There is hope for the future, but it is entirely dependent on our collective willingness to cultivate intercultural cameraderie and connection at a grassroots level.

Despondency seems all too prevalent these days, and I suppose many of us may empathize with such regrettable fervour. Living in an era where seemingly nothing is unfolding as anticipated is proliferating a widespread sense of deflation and melancholic sentiment.

Routine mass media consumption is unlikely to alleviate these tensions as there is certainly no shortage of disconcerting headlines, purposeful disinformation, and strategic vitriol. It is a delicate balance between remaining socially informed, while abstaining from daily news intake as an act of self-preservation.

Public school teachers navigate a unique responsibility in tough times, as educators are tasked not only with advancing the learning and academic achievement of their pupils, but also with safeguarding their well-being and healthy development.

Acting in loco parentis — in place of a parent — the overwhelming majority of colleagues that I have had the pleasure to be acquainted with share a universal interest in supporting their students’ growth. We intrinsically want our youth to be healthy and empowered as to live fruitful, meaningful lives.

That said, teachers and parents alike are human and are not immune to compassion fatigue as we navigate our own vulnerabilities. Thus prompts the conundrum: how do we cultivate hope when we ourselves become hopeless? How can we influence change when our actions seem so minute, so infinitesimal? How do we unite communities so polarized and divided?

Despite my, at times, apparent cynicism for the global state of affairs (as there is undoubtedly much reason to be exasperated), I genuinely have hope. My hope is not superficial, ill-informed, or needlessly idealistic. No, my hope manifests through my daily interactions with youth, our future societal leaders.

I have the remarkable privilege to see hope every day, in the eyes of learners experiencing the majesties of our environment, euphorically practising dance and song, collaboratively finding solutions to our problems, and embodying a genuine zest for life.

Therefore, there is no greater life lesson than to learn to love. While it may present as such a cliche, fostering a collective sense of empathy, compassion, and wonderment should be our prioritized focus not only in public education, but in the realms of political discourse and media, as well. We need to learn to love ourselves, our neighbours, our wildlife, and our planet.

This life lesson has never been of greater importance given our finite time to act. Lamentably, it seems learning to love and celebrate our intercultural differences has been an ongoing challenge for our species. Love has been supplanted by vitriol; joy deferred to fear; togetherness to individualistic pursuit.

Perhaps we should be reminded that these struggles are ongoing, and that we are not the first generation to face adversarial times. Our ancestors have similarly navigated turbulent circumstances and prevailed, but achieving such outcomes necessitates our capacity to unite for a greater good.

Regardless of political affiliation, I suspect we all want our Earth, and its corresponding ecosystems and wildlife, to thrive and be a desirable home for future generations. Our cultural practice of music and dance may differ, but we share an innate love for arts and recreation.

We yearn for community, yet find ourselves increasingly alone. The progressive integration of technology into daily life has disrupted the natural social order. Perhaps we should encourage a refrain from mindless technology consumption and make concerted effort to become reacquainted with our environment and our neighbours. In a time of unprecedented digitally connectedness, we have ironically never been more socially isolated.

The advancement and implementation of equity, diversity, and inclusion policy and practice are not synonymous for “woke.” Rather, celebrating our mosaic of perspectives and lived realities bolster our capacity to collaborate as a global society.

Perhaps this is our era of social reckoning, our integrity to be tested, our virtue of considerable importance. The apex of all educational functions should center around fostering compassion, learning to dialogically navigate contentious topics, demonstrating humility and acknowledging shortcomings, and celebrating the myriad of customs and practices in our intercultural society.

These are undoubtedly precarious times, but if we prioritize love over fear, our collective potential is absolutely immeasurable.

Jordan Laidlaw is a public school teacher and holds a PhD in educational administration.