Teacher Tales #46 – The “perfect” teacher, erosion of trust, building a community: Ebony, Spanish teacher in Georgia

In this episode, we meet Ebony, a Spanish teacher of color who gets real with us about what it is like to be a teacher post-pandemic and in a large metropolitan city in Georgia. Ebony reminds all teachers that we are only ONE person with limited time, and that we are only ONE brick in a foundation of lifelong learning. WOW! Teachers cannot expect to be perfect, should set boundaries and have healthy outlets to prevent burnout. Ebony says that perfection is the enemy of good and that students don’t need a perfect teacher, but rather one who cares and works toward their good. We talk about how one of the biggest obstacles in schools today is the erosion of trust and how it is important to build a community of trust, collaboration and unlimited possibilities for learning. Students must be seen and heard and see themselves and their potential in their teachers as role models, mentors, leaders and guides. Finally, Ebony has some FABULOUS advice for new teachers, although, I think veteran teachers could benefit from her suggestions and insights as well. Check it out!