Advocating for Kids: Standing Up When Adults Belittle, Humiliate, or Make Fun of Students
Advocating for students is an imperative responsibility that educators must embrace, particularly when witnessing instances of belittlement or humiliation perpetrated by adults. In this discourse, we engage in a profound exploration of the ethical obligations that arise in such circumstances, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining professionalism while steadfastly protecting the dignity of our students. It is incumbent upon us to recognize that every child, regardless of their behavior, is deserving of respect and compassion. We delve into practical strategies for intervening in these situations, including the importance of addressing such matters privately with the offending adult to foster a constructive dialogue, rather than creating further embarrassment. Ultimately, this episode underscores our collective commitment to cultivating an environment where every student feels valued and supported, thereby reinforcing the fundamental tenet that no child should endure disparagement at the hands of those entrusted with their education.
The episode delves into the critical issue of adult interactions with students, particularly focusing on the detrimental effects of belittling and humiliating comments. The speaker articulates that students are deeply affected by how adults treat them, often carrying the weight of negative remarks throughout their lives. This discussion is particularly pertinent in the context of challenging student behaviors, as these students often require the most compassion and understanding. The speaker provides actionable strategies for educators to advocate for students, emphasizing the need to address inappropriate behavior in a manner that is both professional and respectful. The importance of creating a safe space for students to express their concerns is also highlighted, with an emphasis on the role of the educator as a trusted adult who champions the dignity of every child. As the episode draws to a close, the speaker reinforces the notion that advocating for students is not merely an option but a fundamental obligation of all educators, urging listeners to reflect on their practices and uphold the principles of respect and dignity in their interactions with students.
Takeaways:
- Advocacy in education necessitates addressing instances where students are belittled or humiliated by adults.
- Students often remember how they are treated by adults more than the content taught to them.
- When witnessing public humiliation, professionals should intervene respectfully to safeguard the child's dignity.
- It is crucial to validate students' feelings and ensure they are heard when they report mistreatment.
- Creating an environment of respect requires modeling positive correction and balancing discipline with affirmation.
- Every student, regardless of their behavior, deserves to be treated with inherent respect and dignity.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Be a Funky Teacher
Transcript
Yeah, he's Mr. Funky.
Speaker A:He's Mr. Funky Teacher.
Speaker A:Mr. Funky Teacher inspires greatness, makes you feel good.
Speaker A:Like your favorite playlist.
Speaker A:Keeping that fresh and funky.
Speaker A:Yes, he does.
Speaker A:He got some funky cool ideas to share for all you teachers.
Speaker A:He can empower others, students and teachers.
Speaker A:It's all about hard work and creativity.
Speaker A:He brings out the kindness in everyone.
Speaker A:He's got the passion to teach.
Speaker A:You hear it when he speaks.
Speaker A:He knows how to build strong relationships.
Speaker A:If you're seeking the best bunkiest, he is it.
Speaker A:He will empower you to improve.
Speaker A:He'll be helping others and loving it too.
Speaker A:He's Mr. Funky Teacher.
Speaker A:Yeah, he's Mr. Funky Teacher.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:This is Mr. Funky Teacher with Be a Funky Teacher dot com.
Speaker B:I'm coming to you with another Be a Funky Teacher podcast.
Speaker B:Welcome back, everyone.
Speaker B:I'm happy to have you with me.
Speaker B:Today's episode is advocating for kids standing up when adults belittle, humiliate, or make fun of students.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:That's going to be our focus.
Speaker B:But before we get into it, let's talk about three things I'm thankful for.
Speaker B:First thing that I'm thankful for is an extra hour of sleep.
Speaker B:That little reset that makes a huge difference in how I show up.
Speaker B:I took an extra hour this morning and I'm so happy I did.
Speaker B:I needed that extra little bit of a rest here.
Speaker B:I try not to.
Speaker B:I get up early anyways so I can get have that extra time to get done.
Speaker B:But sometimes your body just needs that extra little bit of sleep.
Speaker B:Makes a huge difference.
Speaker B:The second thing I'm thankful for is my brother going home from the hospital yesterday.
Speaker B:Oh, my goodness.
Speaker B:After such a tough stretch, it's a blessing for him and for our whole family that he gets to go home.
Speaker B:He got to go home and he's now can focus on continuing to heal and get better outside of the hospital.
Speaker B:The third thing I'm thankful for is encouraging words from my wife.
Speaker B:Those small moments of support keep me grounded.
Speaker B:And y', all, they remind me that I'm not in this work alone.
Speaker B:She's with me.
Speaker B:My support team's with me.
Speaker B:The hard work of teaching, the hard work of life.
Speaker B:That support network is such a vital to our success that we're just, we just don't do this alone.
Speaker B:That it truly does take a team.
Speaker B:And we have to remember that as we move through this work.
Speaker B:Well, let's go back and focus on now, our main event, everyone advocating for kids standing up when adults belittle humiliate or make fun of students.
Speaker B:So first off, let's talk about how students notice how adults treat them.
Speaker B:Kids don't remember what we teach always, right?
Speaker B:I mean, I think that that's a fair statement, but they do remember how we make them feel.
Speaker B:When you have adults who give students harsh comments, public humiliation, or make fun of them, that could echo in students minds for years.
Speaker B:Harsh comments, public humiliation, or being made fun of are things that don't go away.
Speaker B:Especially if it's done by what students might deem as a trusted adult.
Speaker B:Every even.
Speaker B:I need to reframe this as even when kids misbehave and disrupt or are tough to work with, they still don't deserve to be belittled, humiliated, or mocked.
Speaker B:They don't.
Speaker B:Some of those tough kids that.
Speaker B:Tough kids.
Speaker B:And when I say tough kids, kids who are tough to work with because of some of the tough behaviors that they have, they're the ones that need us more the most in terms of how we talk to them and how we treat them.
Speaker B:Of course, correction is part of teaching, but demeaning a child is not.
Speaker B:I said it again.
Speaker B:Correcting.
Speaker B:Correcting a child is part of teaching, but demeaning a child is not.
Speaker B:And so advocate.
Speaker B:Well, let me talk about.
Speaker B:How do you begin to approach this then?
Speaker B:Like, I guess it all kind of depends on if you, if you're seeing it happen.
Speaker B:If you're in a position where you can advocate in the moment with professionalism, I encourage you to do that.
Speaker B:So what, what does that look like?
Speaker B:Well, if you see it happening directly, you can step in to redirect without escalating things where you can say something like, hey, let's take a pause here.
Speaker B:We can reset.
Speaker B:Page this.
Speaker B:Try to protect the, the student's dignity in that moment, then follow up with the adult privately.
Speaker B:Really keep it professional.
Speaker B:It's not about embarrassing the adult either.
Speaker B:It's about making sure that the student isn't left exposed.
Speaker B:As trusted adults, our first priority is always the child's dignity.
Speaker B:In a moment where a child might be getting demonized, they're demeaned, humiliated, made fun of, our first priority has to be that child's dignity.
Speaker B:And so that's how I would recommend handling that.
Speaker B:If you're, if you're in a, in a space where you're seeing it happen, just redirect it.
Speaker B:Gotta take a pause.
Speaker B:Hey, let's take a pause here.
Speaker B:We're gonna get this reset and kind of, kind of get it deflected and moved on here.
Speaker B:And then of Course, have a conversation with that adult privately is how I would handle it.
Speaker B:Now that it might be something where you still need to report it, depending on how bad it was.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:There might be times where you still need to report it to someone higher up than, than what we as educators can do.
Speaker B:Whether it be some sort of like a principal, some sort of district administration, whatever the chain of command is in the school district.
Speaker B:Of course, follow that.
Speaker B:But now here's.
Speaker B:Now what if you have students who report it to you.
Speaker B:Sometimes you don't see something like this happening, but kids come to you afterwards.
Speaker B:First step I would say there is you gotta listen and validate what they say.
Speaker B:You don't have to agree with students, but validate students that hey, you're hearing them and you hear what they're saying.
Speaker B:Say something like thank you for trusting me enough to share this.
Speaker B:You didn't deserve to be spoken that way.
Speaker B:And so how I would, what I'd say is then you got to decide your next steps after, after listening, hearing students out and validating.
Speaker B:Oh, one thing I want to add to that also is them doing it in front of the classroom is not the right place.
Speaker B:The students want to tell you.
Speaker B:Like let's say students were in, let's say PE or art or, or, or some other space and something not so good happened in terms of like a student was being made fun of by the trusted adult.
Speaker A:Let's say.
Speaker B:Coming back and hashing it out in front of the entire class is not the way to handle it.
Speaker B:You know, if students want to talk to you about it, then set up another time.
Speaker B:You know, whether it be at recess for a little bit or, or just not right in front of the rest of the classroom.
Speaker B:But that, that certainly is not, not the time or the place to do it.
Speaker B:So create a space later on in a day where they, where you can listen and valid, validate students in that way.
Speaker B:Now then you got to decide your next step.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean you got to decide the next step and sometimes you do need, if it's something as professionals, we got to make that decision.
Speaker B:Like hey, was it just kind of, was it just someone, did they just make a snarky comment that kind of hurt students feelings, which isn't okay also.
Speaker B:But is it something like that or is it more a bigger issue where yeah, it's just truly being made fun of based on what you're hearing.
Speaker B:And then this should be escalated to the administration if it's serious or being repeated.
Speaker B:What matters most is that students know you won't just shrug it off that you're a safe person.
Speaker B:You'll listen to them and you'll protect their dignity, be that trusted adult for them, y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker B:And then ultimately create a culture of respect and advocacy.
Speaker B:Students need to know that, hey, you're safe here.
Speaker B:You won't embarrass them.
Speaker B:That is so important.
Speaker B:And model positive correction yourself by focusing on behavior, not student identity, by redirecting privately when you can, when possible, or not, not trying to embarrass a child in front of the entire classroom.
Speaker B:Or, I mean, sometimes when I say, hey, cut it out.
Speaker B:But if it's something bigger, try to redirect things when you can.
Speaker B:Try to keep it where you're not demeaning a child in front of the entire classroom.
Speaker B:And then balance correction with affirmation, too, as we are models for how to handle student behavior, right?
Speaker B:Like give some affirmation to students and have that balance with where it's not just you're not constantly correcting students.
Speaker B:So look for those opportunities and just encourage colleagues that we all want students to grow.
Speaker B:And let's hold adults accountable for working with students without cutting the adults down who work with young people.
Speaker B:Because every child, well behaved or not, deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.
Speaker B:And we are in a place as teacher leaders where we are.
Speaker B:We could do that.
Speaker B:It's not fun and sometimes tough.
Speaker B:But the bottom line is, as professionals, sometimes we have to handle stuff that is challenging or tough or not fun to deal with.
Speaker B:And that's a part of being that standout teacher who is doing the right thing, and that students can.
Speaker B:Can lean on and look to and know that, hey, you have their best interest at heart.
Speaker B:With that being said, I do want to take a moment to kind of reflect now.
Speaker B:Just let me talk about as I reflect and.
Speaker B:And share some key takeaways now, because this episode, yeah, this episode isn't kind of a tough topic for me.
Speaker B:I have no problem with facing the challenge of dealing with if a student is being demeaned or made fun of or accumulated.
Speaker B:But it's still tough because I hold myself to a high level of accountability when I interact with children, and I have that expectation for other adults, too, who work with people or work with not people, specifically children.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And it's frustrating to me when I see that not happening.
Speaker B:So as I reflect here and share some key takeaways, Advocacy means speaking up when kids are being torn down, y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker B:It is.
Speaker B:And even the toughest kids, the ones who push your buttons still deserve dignity.
Speaker B:Discipline and accountability are part of teaching.
Speaker B:Humiliation is 100% absolutely not.
Speaker B:Be the adult who shields kids, lifts them up, and never let a moment of disrespect defined their worth.
Speaker B:Well, with that being said, that brings this episode to a close.
Speaker B:I want you to remember to inspire greatness in young people.
Speaker B:And don't forget to be a funky teacher.
Speaker B:Bye, now.
Speaker A:He's Mr. Funky Teacher, yeah he's Mr. Funky Teacher, yeah, yeah, yeah.
