Janine Brass
Converse Elementary Music Teacher, School District of Beloit
March 2024 - The Enduring Impact of Positive Relationships
Can you think back on a memory when someone took time to make you feel loved and cared for? How did it make you feel? Why do you think you still remember moments like this?
Feeling Loved and Cared For
I can remember my Grandpa taking time to read to me. I typically would choose the same book and crawl up on his lap, which, to a child, felt like the safest place in the world. He would put on his reading glasses and begin to read the book How Fletcher Was Hatched. The story of a hound dog named Fletcher whose owner was a sweet little farm girl named Alexandra. During the spring season, Alexandra became more interested in the newly hatched chicks on the farm than her loyal four-legged best friend. Fletcher decided to regain Alexander’s attention by concocting a plan to hatch from an egg himself. I still remember the story coming to life as my Grandpa expressly read and personalized each character. As much as I loved the story, I loved my Grandpa more, and I knew he loved me too - that relationship I will always cherish.
A second person who made me feel loved and cared for was my 7th and 8th grade PE teacher Mrs. Swanson. After my spinal cord injury, I had to learn how to live life in a wheelchair. Physical activity was limited and much more difficult. Mrs. Swanson helped me break down some of those physical barriers. I learned how to play flag football in my wheelchair, table tennis, basketball, and how to swim again. Being a teacher was not just a job to Mrs. Swanson; she genuinely cared about my health and wanted me to feel like a normal middle school girl. I will always appreciate the relationship and the impact Mrs. Swanson had on my life.
My Backup Plan was Supposed to be My Plan All Along
Teaching music was not my original plan. I wanted to be a professional singer. When that didn’t come to fruition, my backup plan was put into place. What I didn’t realize was that the backup plan was supposed to be the plan all along.
Teaching music has been a joy; however, building positive, meaningful relationships has been my passion. It is a pleasure and privilege to be a teacher. Being a specialist allows me to have my same students for up to six consecutive years. I have an opportunity to really get to know my students and their families. It’s important for my students to know that my classroom is a safe learning environment. They need to understand that I will guide their learning with a non-judgemental attitude. Students who feel safe and can trust will most likely be better behaved and, most importantly, be more engaged in the learning process. I want my classroom to provide a safe and trusting atmosphere for my students to express themselves musically.
Take Time to Build Positive, Meaningful Relationships
My longevity in the School District of Beloit has allowed me to have my former students' children. I remember the first time I realized this and how old I felt. I don’t have that same feeling anymore. Instead, I feel privileged and blessed. Parents who bring their children back to the school they went to want them to build positive relationships with teachers in the same safe and caring environment they had as a child. They want their children to have lifelong positive school memories as well.
Finally, are you wondering how the story my Grandpa read me ended? Well, in the end, Fletcher did get the attention he wanted from the little farm girl, Alexandra. While Fletcher was away creating an egg from which he could be hatched, Alexandra missed Fletcher terribly. She missed their relationship and the bond they had developed that was more important to her than some silly little chick. Positive relationships are so important at all stages of life, but especially in the years of an adolescent. We all need to remember to take time to build positive, meaningful relationships. We all have the opportunity to make an impact.
