SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I was sideswiped by a semi-truck on an Oklahoma turnpike. The truck immediately fled the scene of the accident. Thankfully, the individuals in the car behind me chased it down to get the semi’s identifying information. When they returned to the scene of the accident, these good Samaritans were shocked to find that no one had been injured. I was blessed to come out of it with only a damaged car.
It took a little while for my insurance to make arrangements for the repairs. So in the meantime, I had to drive around town with significant damage to the side of my vehicle and a missing side mirror. Every time I drove it, I dreaded seeing the looks people gave me. I wondered if people thought, I better stay away from that car. She must be an awful driver!
This experience became a bit of a parable for me. It made me think about how a number of my students might feel. Some have small dents that might exhibit as chronic tardiness or sleeping in class. Others may have more substantial damage that could manifest as constant disruptions or violent outbursts. But regardless of how the damage is expressed in our classrooms, our students are well aware of their dings, scratches, and dents. Just as I did when driving around my damaged car, they might often wonder, What do others think of me? Do they think this is my fault? Do they think I’m a bad person?
Like me, they don’t want others to judge them by their outward appearance. Instead, they want to be truly seen for who they are beneath the surface.
Educators, as we begin this new school year, let’s remember that just like my damaged car only told part of the story, the students we encounter each day may carry visible or invisible scars that don’t reflect the whole truth of who they are or what they’ve been through. Although we may never truly know what they have experienced or what struggles they still carry, we can remember to approach them with compassion and curiosity rather than judgment. Sometimes, the most meaningful thing we can offer is empathy—and the grace to see beyond the surface.
Michelle Gaines has taught science for 27 years in a Missouri public school, where she strives to grow in her relationship with Christ daily and make her students consistently feel loved.