'Building a caring community within my high school classes is my first priority every year. Some high school teachers/administrators think it is a "waste of time" and that they have curriculum to cover and no time for creating a compassionate community.

First, I can scaffold activities and lessons to delve into curriculum while at the same time help students create an environment of care. Second, when we cultivate this environment, we can do ANYTHING. We become a group of learners where we cherish all our unique ways of learning.

We will learn more deeply, take more personal risks, and remember more life lessons when the class is done. Asking how someone is doing instead of assuming the worst about his/her intentions has incredible power. I try to model this compassion for others, including students, as often as I can. Isn't this how we would want to be treated?'