I SEE YOU (Part 2)


The teacher’s message. 
I was one of those teachers doing much pouring. ie giving and making a difference in the lives of many, without being poured into. ie encouraged. 
During a lesson, Emma placed an envelope on a table. I opened this taonga (treasure) only to burst out crying at the aroha (love) held within. She has certainly filled my cup to overflowing. Emma writes. 
I realise I have shaped my (RTLB) role around acts of service. It is not an extra thing I do; it is how I do the job. I am conscious of kaiako (teacher) capacity, so I try to show care in practical, human ways: knowing their coffee order, checking in, keeping paracetamol handy or sending a quick note to say, I noticed that lesson. It was beautiful. 
It means turning small deliberate acts of service into threads that hold our relationships together. It is about pouring into others, not to fix or add more to their load but to remind them that they are seen, valued and enough. 
Sometimes the smallest gestures, like a card, a smile, or a quiet moment of noticing are the ones that pour back the most. 
My turn to comment. 
Thanks Emma. You are making a difference to teacher lives and in turn the lives of children. Noticing and responding is powerful and effective in changing the world around us.


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