Presence. Existing. Being aware of another. Proximity to another.
I’ve been thinking about this word recently. My children require my presence. My family requires my presence. My dog constantly desires my presence (anyone else?). But why? What exactly does presence bring? Or demand?
When I think about presence in education, I immediately think about relationship. An argument can be made that the more present the teacher, the better the student’s educational outcome. Think about your own educational experience. Which teacher did you learn more from- the one who was set in their ways and didn’t change the lesson plan regardless of the day/events/class, or the one who daily, even hourly assessed the class attitude and adjusted plans? Presence isn’t just about fluid lesson plans though. It’s about being in tune with and hearing your students.
The teacher who adjusts lesson plans based on the class needs is the teacher who pays attention to, listens to, and sees their students. When I see Emily struggling to solve the same type of math problem repeatedly, presence means I can come along side her, give her a manipulative, or draw pictures, or break it down differently, until it makes sense. I can meet her where she is, amidst the frustration and tears. A non present teacher gives the assignment and walks away, leaving the student to struggle through it.
Please note, struggle is key to learning. The brain needs to wrestle with new and difficult subjects in order to truly comprehend them. Present teachers don’t negate the struggle. But a present teacher can redirect the student through the struggle, just like I redirect my toddler on a hike. The hike is challenging, but he doesn’t need to stumble over roots and rocks just because they are there. My presence guides him to the easier part of the trail, hopefully saving a few scraped knees and tears along the way. It’s the same in education. A present teacher guides their students in order to save them from unnecessary struggles and frustrations.
There is power in presence. Being near and in tune with your students builds stronger relationships. When students see that their teacher is trustworthy, their teacher cares, their teacher redirects them as needed, a wonderful relationship is able to grow and bloom into something beautiful. It’s cyclical. You respond to your students, they reveal more, you adjust and respond again. They open up even more. Presence is life giving.
I always strove to bring presence to my middle school classroom. Reality is, when you are teaching 100 students, presence with each one is a challenge. But the effort doesn’t go unnoticed. Now, three years into my homeschool, I’m able to bring more of a presence with me to each student. I’d argue that homeschool presence is equally challenging, due to age gaps, but that’s just a different challenge, not a bigger one. Presence in education, in relationships, in life, is a beautiful thing. It lets the receiver know that they are not alone. Someone is beside them and helping them in the struggle. That knowledge alone is encouraging. We can all use more presence.