The classroom is a dangerous place. It can be used to create strong men and women with discipline, work ethic, and integrity, or it can be used to create weak men and women who are selfish, egotistical, and lazy. The teacher has the power to influence which type of individual emerges from their classroom. This is why it is vital that teachers use their platform responsibly.
Our students are bombarded with flawed, selfish, and thoughtless ideologies most everyday. Nearly every social media platform pushes something that lacks some kind of morals or ethics. Don’t believe me? Spend 5 minutes scrolling through reels on Instagram or TikTok and count how many times you see videos that encourage morals, ethics, personal responsibility, discipline, integrity, or the like. In those five minutes, I bet you see fewer than one or two videos. Pay close attention to the messages being preached, both verbally and non-verbally, as you scroll.
Our students are bombarded with numerous social media platforms on a daily basis. In the classroom, teachers have the opportunity to create an environment that goes against the status quo of society. Rather than encourage and support selfish, stupid ideologies that are praised and glorified on social media, teachers can encourage and promote a different ideology that encourages hard work, discipline, creativity, responsibility, integrity, and so much more – many of which are rarely found on a social media platform.
Now, this is only possible if teachers hold themselves to these same expectations. In other words, do not be a teacher that says, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Otherwise, all your credibility goes out the window. Live and teach in such a way that your life becomes the curriculum. If you want your students to be disciplined, you must be disciplined. If you want your students to have a strong work ethic, you must have a strong work ethic. If you want your students to be responsible for their choices and actions, you must take responsibility for your own choices and actions. How you live and what you do as a teacher speaks volumes to those who are watching.
A teacher’s platform has the power to create or destroy, and a lot of that is determined by the teacher’s choices and actions inside and outside of the classroom. Teachers are called to live a life different from mainstream society. They are called to lead by example. A teacher’s career is not a 9 to 5 desk job. It’s a platform that promotes and encourages a specific mindset to a focused group of individuals. The mindset that is encouraged is in the hands of the teacher. Numerous eyes are on the teacher every day of the week. If the teacher teaches hard work and discipline, then their own life needs to portray those characteristics. If the teacher’s actions are opposite of what they teach, then their platform is a waste of time and energy.
It is essential that teachers take responsibility for their platform and use their platform responsibly. To be a teacher is to live a life above reproach. It’s to lead by example. It’s to encourage, support, challenge, and help build up students who are courageous, focused, mindful, and live with morals, ethics, and integrity. However, that can only happen if teachers are living these values first.
Welcome To The Classroom 