Recently I was reflecting on my educational background. I grew up in the inner city (Cleveland, Ohio) in a large metropolitan area, where one would probably imagine the conditions being less than positive for any student to receive a “quality” education. We hear this from all around the country, not short of low performing schools, poor teacher quality, and low student achievement. Given these and other barriers to a “quality” education, what can been done for students who attend these types of schools (or any school) such that they can succeed?

From my personal standpoint, EXPERIENCE COUNTS.

I’m not talking about the experience (i.e. teaching experience) level of my teachers; instead, I am talking about the experience I received from my teachers. As a student, all I knew was that my teachers were teachers. I had no knowledge of their academic credentials nor when they began their teaching careers. What I did have knowledge of was how they made me feel as a student.

Was I challenged? Yes. Did they engage me in the classroom? Yes. Did they show an interest in seeing  that I achieve? Again, yes. They (teachers) gave me an experience that will forever be imbedded in my memory. One teacher (Ms. Tressler at the time), in particular stands out vividly in my memory. Here was a woman who did not care if you were growing up in the “hood” so to speak. What she did care about was that you’d better come to class prepared to read, write and participate in the day’s activities. She went as far as telling us not to believe everything she is teaching us but to seek to find the answers for ourselves. Ms. Tressler challenged us wholeheartedly. But she also balanced that with a great deal of support.

Understand, however, this was over 25 years ago. Since then, academic requirements, standards, funding levels and polices have changed. But wait! Isn’t teaching still teaching? Can you give students an experience that will compel them to achieve? Can you challenge students to become high achievers? Can you give students an experience so that 25 years, or more, later they can speak positively of that experience?

It can be done. As in the case of Ms. Tressler, you must have the inner desire to make it happen. She had her challenges as a teacher I’m sure but we (her students) never knew what they were. Her focus was on making sure we were prepared for that “surprise” essay exam on One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn or the class discussion on 1984 by George Orwell. In retrospect, Ms. Tressler was able to plant seeds in us and began nurturing me and my classmates so that we would one day grow into something special.

If you are doubting that you can do this in our current educational climate, go deep inside your heart and resuscitate the reason why you pursued teaching as a profession. My guess is it wasn’t about how much money you were going to make nor was it about how many “Teacher of the Year” awards you would acquire. You probably wanted to make a positive difference in young people’s lives, plain and simple. I say to you today…YOU STILL CAN!

Experience does count. Not what you bring in the form of credentials but what you give in a balance of challenge and support with a touch of caring. I recently listened to an interview with John C. Maxwell (leadership expert) who said, “we teach what we know and we create what we are.” One aspect of me was created by Ms. Tressler, by the way, who was a Caucasian teacher in a predominantly African-American neighborhood and school.

Without making any excuses, who will you create? I’d love to “hear” your thoughts. Post your comments below.