Some teachers see something in a student before there is much evidence for anybody else to see. They recognize ability beneath poor grades, confidence beneath uncertainty, or potential in a young person who has not yet learned to recognize it in themselves.
For many Black students, having an educator communicate that kind of belief can matter enormously. High expectations send a powerful message: I see what you are capable of, and I am not going to lower the standard because you haven’t discovered it yet.
Years later, students may forget the assignment, the lesson plan, or what happened during third period. But they often remember the teacher who challenged them, encouraged them, refused to give up on them, and made them reconsider what they thought was possible for their lives.
That kind of relationship is part of what I explore in The Teachers Black Students Need: A Guide to Help Students Thrive in School. Effective teaching requires strong instruction, but students also need adults who recognize their potential, maintain meaningful expectations, and help them develop the confidence to meet those expectations.
Sometimes a teacher believes in a student for a little while until that student becomes strong enough to believe in themselves. The teacher may never fully know what happened because of it.
Who was the teacher who believed in you before you believed in yourself?
