Whether it’s the reflections of the valedictorian, the salutatorian, or simply a student who spent the past four years doing what was necessary to earn a diploma, it’s always enlightening to listen to the observations of graduating seniors from area high schools. And while some of these thoughts come from motivated young people eagerly anticipating what’s coming next, others who are nervous or even fearful of their immediate futures look back nostalgically, wistfully or both at a period of their lives that, for better or worse, has officially ended. 

As an educator whose nominal job is to impart various bits of knowledge and/or wisdom to students before they move on to whatever comes next, it’s important to not only listen to their feedback, but to process it as well. Applying what one learns from others benefits everyone involved.

And on the theory that examining what others have learned is beneficial to everyone, I feel compelled to share some of what 10 years of teaching English at Kennebunk High School has taught me. For example:

For a teacher, knowing one’s content area is critical. In fact, it’s nearly half as vital as being able to effectively communicate with one’s students and peers.

Recognizing what a young person is capable of is far more important than pointing out and/or fixating on what he or she currently cannot or will not do.

Honoring and respecting every student’s uniqueness matters, but getting each young person to recognize how much he or she has in common with others is just as significant, if not more so.

Lesson plans that work brilliantly in Block 1 might fall flatter than a pancake during Block 4 the same day.

Treating everyone with the same respect one desires for one’s self is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, there are some people (of all ages) around the school who occasionally forget this. Dealing with those people is easier if one develops the ability to refrain from instantly reacting in kind to rudeness or thoughtlessness. Being able to forgive or apologize when appropriate are valuable traits as well.

Replying to parent emails or phone calls clearly, completely, concisely and punctually is of the utmost importance. However, phrasing things appropriately is equally significant. Telling a parent her child is disruptive, disrespectful, disreputable and dishonest in those exact words generally isn’t well received, even (or especially!) when it’s true.

Budgeting time efficiently is critical for both students and teachers. What’s helped me in that regard: Learning there is very little that transpires after 9 o’clock at night that I need to know about before 5 o’clock the following morning.

I’m at my best when I’m being myself, inside or outside of school. Trying to be a stern, humorless taskmaster would make me appear a fool; attempting to be every student’s best friend would cause me to look like an even bigger one.

While it’s important to get along with one’s students, the day I realized I had all the 17-year-old friends I needed was the day I became a much better teacher. Some educators may resist this for a time, but grasping this concept becomes easier as one ages. Even if you don’t realize that you’re their teacher and not their pal, acquiring a middle-aged paunch and a receding hairline inevitably helps students remind you of this fact.

Assigning each student the grade he or she has earned is of paramount importance. Giving people unmerited breaks doesn’t help anyone; doing so could very easily give the impression that getting by in the “real world” by relying solely on charm is a viable option, when the hard truth is that it is not.

Teachers need role models as much as young people do, if not more so. Any success I’ve had at KHS is due in large part to mentors including ”“ but not limited to ”“ Mary Greely, Joseph Foster, Arnold Amoroso, Marie Maguire, Kathleen Harder and Susan Cressey. And role models don’t need to be older; I’ve learned valuable lessons from a variety of peers who are chronologically younger than I am, and some by a great deal.

I’ve learned I cannot please everyone. I have letters from students telling me I changed their lives for the better, but some others undoubtedly think the time they spent in my classroom was utterly wasted.

Taking graduate courses and adding degrees to one’s resume might improve a teacher’s skills, but spending quality time with students in class, before school, after school and outside of school definitely will.

Being an educator has been sobering in a way, because with each succeeding day I realize how little about life I really know for certain. I can only hope that after another 10 years of teaching I’ll know at least half of what I think I know today.

— Andy Young is a Kennebunk High School English teacher. Had his own teachers looked at him, seen only what was on the surface and not shown infinite patience, the chances are good he’d be doing something very different these days.