There is only so much that they can take before they break. And, no one wants to be that educator that causes a child to completely loathe school and the system because of how rigid they were in their practices.
My teaching pedagogy was always to create lifelong learners who are hungry to question and impact society. The only way to create that foundation is through mutual trust and respect. And, I think that looking at kids today and understanding the world around them is a hot mess, allows them to see that we, too, are human just like them. We, too, understand how hard it is to “function” in this kind of environment that is so confusing.
So, instead of coming down on my kids when they’re late on assignments, or ask for extensions, or simply need to talk about something after school hours—I’m giving my kids the benefit of the doubt. Instead of simply giving out zeroes like I’m Oprah during sweeps week, I’m reaching out to check on all of my kids and see what they’re going through. I’m lending them a helping hand and getting to school early to give them the extra help they may not usually need during a normal year.
Or next year, for that matter. There will be a lot of trauma that needs to be mitigated as much as possible next year.