Love the student/Live with the children

Greetings Friends,
I was actively engaged in addressing school performance issues related to some wonderful students in the community. That process has renewed my appreciation of the vital role of the work of the immediate family, parents and siblings, and the extended family in enriching the educational life of the student. Unfortunately these situations arose from stressful events which have sprung from what I would have to label as unjust treatment of students and families. This is at least a breach of the contract inherent in their relationship with the educational system, which I understand to be as providing a safe and nurturing environment for every student. The obligations, the responsibilities for the family and community in times of injustice would seem to be even more profound. The wonderful participation and support given at graduation and other celebrations of success is equally or even more vital when the students and families are struggling, yet this is often not the case.
More specifically related to our discussion on Work, Life and Living, is how these situations challenge the goal of enriching the life experience of all involved . In many ways and with increasing intensity, the educational process seems to demand more and more participation, including monetary, from parents and the support network. The work of advocating for our children as families and communities is crucial, particularly in this era of troubling attempts to criminalize the youth, by the implementation of policies that fuel the "School to Prison Pipeline", and the abuse of, or biased application of disciplinary codes, including dress and issues related to sexual/perceived sexual activity.
But these situations also create a form of stress that force us to examine our priorities, and strain or strengthen family bonds. One prominent feature of this experience is to test how effectively families are able to assess and clarify the threat or challenge, and define their collective objective. In this process the ability of the parents to lead by keeping the needs of the child/student for nourishment and safety as the number one priority could be severely tested particularly as that means that all other factors may have to yield. It could bring out the best, most resilient aspects of the relationship but often uncover other stressors that may aggravate the performance of the child. I don't think it would be indiscreet to offer that , notwithstanding the fact of the external obstacles mentioned before, successful functioning in school may often be a reflection of a nurturing and functional home environment. In this vein I am forced to note the overwhelming obligation to remain sensitive to the humanity of our children, their essential need for our support, and to recognize that our correct expectation that they rise to their full potential as students is conditional despite the anomalies. I offer that the conditional factor is the need to affirm the legitimacy of their experience in our work towards their development. In this there is need to be coach, rather than judge , to offer our encouragement for them to attain not only the high standards that we set, but for us to have faith in our children's infinite potential to create, from their own inherent reservoir, that world beyond the boundaries of our standards or imagination. The completion of the set requirements of the educational system, cannot in itself, be an end for us, rather it is but a gateway towards a world unheralded, but boldly present in the wisdom of the child. The student will travel further than her teacher.The work is to love and nourish the student always, in times of success, but particularly at those moments when they stumble. As long as there is life, as long as that struggling student can carry on even feebly, then our work, to continue to be supportively and unconditionally present, remains our essential responsibility. Help the children achieve, but appreciate them regardless because they are irreducibly worthy of the very best life has to offer.