JORGE ALVAREZ, Rialto, California, USA

Years in Education: 11-15
Latino 
Heterosexual 
Male 
High School Administrator 


Q: What do you have in common with your students? 

A: First and foremost that I am a human being. With all the flaws and insecurities.

I like to relate to my students on a personal level because we've all had times in our lives when we needed someone to listen to our struggles, to give us encouragement, and to tell us everything's gonna be alright. No matter what race, ethnicity, sex, or economic background, we are ALL part of the human race. Therefore, we deserve to be treated with dignity and worth.

What do I have in common with my students? The fact that we are alive, and that as we experience life itself, we come to understand that it doesn't come without its challenges.

However, no matter how hard things get, if we are conscientious of our existence and the power that we posses to positively affect our lives and that of those around us, that should be reminder enough that our existence has purpose, and meaning. That without us, things would just never be the same.


Q: Does it matter that students and teachers have things in common? 

A: Yes. There is no learning without that human connection. The way our brains are wired, we must connect with the person before we can come to understand anything they have to say.

If your students don't KNOW that you care about them as human beings, they will never learn from you. People are emotional beings and sometimes we don't learn through our eyes, earns, or mouths, but with our hearts!

​I ask, when was the last time you learned something from someone you don't like?


Jorge is a TED-Ed Innovative Educator. He is the Founder of Instructional Leadership Academy where teachers work together through peer coaching to elevate their practice and strengthen their community. Follow Jorge on Twitter @jalvarezcjusd. 

Photo (c) 2017 Kristin Leong

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