Black Teacher Goes Viral for Helping to Quiet Crying Children, Does He Deserve a Raise?
If you’ve ever had to tell a young child ‘no,’ then you already know that they can be downright unreasonable when they don’t get their way. And no matter how hard you try to stay calm and reason with them, those little ones can take you there if you let them.
Well, one educator is out here teaching a master class on handling temper tantrums in a video that had plenty of people talking.
You can’t talk about this teacher without first talking about his outfit. No frumpy cardigan or sensible shoes here. This teacher was beyond fly in a black sleeveless top and a pair of cool white frames. But what really got folks buzzing about this clip online was how he kept his cool when he heard a group of young students crying and literally got on their level to get to the bottom of the situation.
“In order for me to hear you, you have to stop crying because I want to hear what you have to say,” he said to the kids who looked like they could not be calmed. “Do you want me to help?”
As the crying continues, he prompts the children to use their words to explain the situation, and he makes sure to calmly check the ones who aren’t following his instructions.
“When you’re supposed to be listening, turn on your listening ears and listen,” he said. “Because when you want to do something, you’re going to want your teacher to listen to you, right?”
Unable to come up with a comeback, the kids eventually calm down enough to confess that their outburst was about not being able to go outside with their classmates. And the educator is able to explain to them how listening and keeping their cool is the best way to get their way.
No word on where the school is, but most people in the comments couldn’t stop giving this guy props for his patience. Others hoped he could bring his expertise with little ones to help some of the adults in their lives.
“He need to teach my coworkers in the office cause they don’t be turning on they listening ears lol,” wrote one person in the comments.
According to the American Federation of Teachers, Black men represent just two percent of the country’s teaching force. But they have a tremendous impact on the students they teach. The Institute of Labor Economics found that low-income Black students who have a Black elementary school teacher for at least one year are less likely to drop out of high school and are more likely to pursue higher education.
Bottom line: Let’s find more Black male educators like this one who are willing and able to bring out the best in our kids.
