The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Lynn Hemming

A wise man once said that the most important thing in life "is to keep the most important things the most important things."

These are sensible but challenging words for tough economic times. Those of us who are seasoned veterans in the teaching profession can remember when we were not so distracted by budget cuts, reduction of services and having to do more with less. All of us can see the hurt inflicted when programs get axed, services are compromised and staff is reduced.

The challenge for me, as a teacher, is to "keep the most important things, the most important things." I have seen extracurricular activities we enjoyed, services we offered and special events we cherished disappear in the wake of government cuts—it is easy to fall into the abyss of dismay. And yet, in spite of government slashing and burning, the essentials in education prevail.

What are they? They are the glimmer in a student’s eyes when he understands a difficult concept. It is that quiet moment in the counselling office when a student tells you that she’s been clean from drug use for more than a year and thanks you for believing in her. It is the day when a student who has always hated poetry tears up in class when you read a poem and later writes a journal to tell you why. It is sharing the enthusiasm for academic excellence with our top students and instilling hope and resolve in our struggling students. It is the knowledge that in the face of the giants of darkness, depression and despair, we teach children how to use slingshots.

The most important things will always be the quality of the relationship between student and teacher as expressed by a smile of accomplishment that no Smart Board (or lack thereof) can erase. It is the opportunity to create sparks without knowing where the blaze will end. It is the shared sense of satisfaction when a student hands in a term paper and says, "I’m really proud of the work I did on this assignment." It is watching confidence grow and barriers dissolve. Budgets will come and go as will the challenges and struggles of education, but in the end, teachers can influence the future, and that is the most important thing.Lynn Hemming is a high school English teacher and counsellor at Drumheller Composite High School, in Drumheller. She has been teaching for 27 years.



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