When telling people that I am going to be a teacher in the US, something that is almost always said is that “we need good teachers in our world.” I wholeheartedly agree with this statement, as the teachers in our society are the people teaching the future of our country. We will be benefiting our communities and the common good by serving our students as a line of support and wisdom to carry with them.
So, what can I do for the common good as an educator? Sitting and thinking about this question, a list of different things comes into my mind. Here it is:
- Be a source of support for the community
- Be a person that the community sees as a representative of good. As a source of support, we, as educators, can show our dedication and care for what we do and who we are teaching
- Get involved!
- Getting involved with the community is such a vital role and makes a lot of people in the community feel as though they are heard and seen. Whether it is volunteering, participating in events hosted by the community, or even just something at school, getting involved is such a good way to support the common good.
- Teach the future
- We are teaching the future of the United States. They are the future of our common good. A teacher once told me: “ If we take care of the common good, they will take care of us.”
- Use your resources to benefit the common good
- Whether it is time or money, using your resources wisely to help the common good in any way you can as an educator can be beneficial and help to provide a better understanding of teachers, as well as showing dedication to your work and your teaching philosophy.
- Take care and consideration of the common good
- Like I said before, “if we take care of the common good, they will take care of us.” Showing consideration and kindness towards members of the community in which we are in allows for reciprocation of those feelings and we, as the common good, can be there for each other when it is most needed.
- Understand the common good and work with the fluctuation of it
- The common good can change from time to time, and understanding those changes and being willing to accept these changes allows for, again, care and consideration from both sides.
As educators, we are called to serve. We might be serving in one way or ten ways, but either way, we are serving. We are called to serve our community, which is the greater common good. They provide support for us, as we will provide support for them where it is needed. Teaching the future of our world is the takeaway from what I can do as an educator for the common good. Education is a field of work dedicated to the support of other members of our community.
