Being “THAT,” Teacher.

Being “THAT,” Teacher.

Being “THAT,” Teacher.

Basically, being “THAT,” teacher is standing up, saying something when it isn’t your place, fighting for equality, standing up for your own rights, and the rights of other people as well. (It is kind of like being a “Karen,” “I have a coupon,” or “let me speak to the manager kind of person.”)

The first time I got the being “That Teacher,” feeling was when I first became a teacher. I was in a PPT as a teacher and I knew the parent did not understand her FAPE, LRE and IEP rights based on IDEA. Basically, the parent was getting screwed over because the kid hated school and no one knew he couldn’t read. I slid the parental rights handout that explained the laws and made sure she understood it.

The second time, I got the being “That Teacher,” feeling I had a fifth-grader. He was on a kindergarten reading level. He had a behavior problem and I knew it was not the real him. He needed help and I was a rookie and not well equipped enough to help him. That was when I realized I had to get training to teach reading.

Then I just owned my “THAT,” teacher status so each year of my teaching career I sought after programming, grants. training and new ideas as a way to bring happiness to the students I taught.

Then I realized that if I improved the lives of families then that was the key.

Now I put myself out there. Working with teens every day and working with families.

I am also “THAT PARENT,” too.