I was told that she was a complainer and that I needed to just let her vent. I am embarrassed now that the characterization negatively affected how I viewed my colleague and her complaints. I really didn’t take her concerns seriously.  After all, she was a just a whiner.

Then I signed up to teach her class during the summer.

In preparation for my 4-week teaching adventure, I reviewed all the IEPs of the students in my colleague’s class and immediately wondered what I was going to do.  The 10 students were in 1^st to 5^th grades. They had a 5-year range in developmental levels and varied disabilities.  Half had toileting issues. 

Suddenly I understood my colleague’s complaints and frustrations.

Who created this class?

How was this going to work with only two aides?

I did my first real observation of the class and it left me in awe.  My colleague’s teaching skills were superior.  Her morning circle time was engaging, appropriate and included all developmental levels. Each student had a personal schedule and curriculum. There was hardly a disruption as the aides took care of toileting and other breaks. 

How did she do it?

I left the classroom overwhelmed about everything that I needed to do to prepare and embarrassed about the lack of respect I had shown such a stellar teacher.

That afternoon, I went to my colleague’s class and listened, really listened to her talk about her struggles and concerns.  I finally heard and understood what she was saying.

“Empathy is about standing in someone else’s shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place.” Daniel H. Pink

Somehow, I survived that summer. 

Somehow, the kids survived it too.