Listening to Tim Ferriss’ podcast with Kara Swisher got me really upset. She recounts a moment sitting with a principal. The principal goes on to say that “all children are special” and Swisher disagrees. She continues to rant about how if “all children are special” then no children are special and the word special loses all meaning. Some people, after all, are better than others
Swisher misses the point. Educators need to believe that all children are special to do their jobs. It has to be a central tenant of their thought process, the same way doctors swear to “first, do no harm.”
Imagine you are sitting with a student who is struggling with algebra. You’ve tried everything you know on how to help that student. But really, not everyone is going to be a mathematician, and how many people really need to use algebra. The majority of the kids are doing great in your class, so it is not you. And really, all children are not special.
But, all children ARE special. That belief helps teachers not give up on students and on teaching.
A child walked into my office almost an hour after school had ended. They had lost something rather expensive and they did not know what to do. She was not my student. It was an hour after the end of school, an I frankly had a project I was working on and her problem would work itself out by tomorrow because I am sure it would have turned up.
But, all children ARE special. And she was hurt and upset. And since all children are special, you need to care for them. So we walked around the building together and eventually ran into another teacher who found what she had lost.
I am frustrated to have lost that time to work on my project. But, I don’t regret it. Because all children are special and I had the privilege of helping someone who was hurt and scared.
I am privileged to work with so many special people, and I feel sorry for people who choose to see it otherwise.
Notes For Kevin 