Believe

Freedom. It is one of my top three values in ethics. I value it, above all else. If I would be deprived of it, I would not know what to do. I might be a troubled person, misunderstood even. These were the traits of the students in the movie, Freedom writers. They were the students who did not value their education because for them, it was not important, unlike their safety, their gangs or their race. However, their views changed when Mrs. G came into their lives.  She was just an ordinary teacher, but her perseverance to teach them, made a difference. She sacrificed so much for them. She demonstrated not only compassion, but also, belief in the capabilities of her students. She hoped that everyone has an ability to learn and can change for the better. With this principle, she managed to teach her students, English. But just a principle was not enough. She had to incorporate strategies to it. These strategies mostly involved reaching out to her students or combining their interests to their lessons.  Examples include writing journals every day, reading books related to gangs, the line activity, field trips and inviting guests to empower the students. I saw how important the different strategies were. Learning would not take place without them. And without learning, no one would benefit and gain knowledge.

Therefore, demonstrating perseverance and empathy is necessary in teaching. One has to have a heart for it. That is dedication. But believing in what a learner could do is the most important of all.