Voices of Columbine

Abstract

Teaching is a caring profession. Educators dedicate their life to the service of their students and, by extension, their community. Their goal is to guide students in the mastery of curricular content and, at the same time, nurture and reinforce attitudinal strengths that students will need for a fully productive and satisfying adulthood. Teachers sometimes endure sleepless nights, worrying about how to teach a complex concept so all students will understand, or how to reach that individual student who doesn’t put forth sufficient effort, or what to do about a child who is withdrawing from peers and may need psychological testing. Yes, the questions that interrupt an educator’s peace of mind are many, but thankfully, teacher preparation programs and professional development courses provide strategies and guidance for matters that fall within the norm of a school environment.