Re: Aging teacher needs help

[Beth Benoit]

Title: Re: Aging teacher needs help

"'Hatcher, Joe'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Date: Wed, Oct 20, 1999, 5:34 PM >  I am an aging teacher.  Though not old my some > standards (48), (snip) > to get worse, and wonder if anyone out there has anything > inspirational or simply helpful to offer. I don't think age has anything to do with making a connection to students. All you have to do is care and listen to them.  I have found that they seem to automatically assume that since I teach psychology, they can tell me their problems.  I am VERY careful to assure them that I am not a therapist, if they need help they should go to counseling, yada yada, but mostly they just want to talk (and talk, and talk).  I am older (53) than most of their mothers, but feel I usually connect.  I never make the mistake of thinking I am a peer, however.  I'm WAY too old for that. Beth Benoit University of Massachusetts Lowell