The Stories Teachers Can’t Ignore

Why Students Need More Than Academics to Succeed

Students bring their whole lives with them to school. Patty Taylor, a veteran teacher, elementary school counselor, and assistant executive director and treasurer of CASC, knows this firsthand. She’s spent decades in classrooms and counseling offices, witnessing the real stories behind the faces in every desk—family upheaval, trauma, and loss.

The reality for educators is that you can’t address every challenge a child faces, but you also can’t pretend those challenges don’t exist. Ignoring them isn’t an option, not if you want students to learn and thrive. When students aren’t comfortable and emotionally supported, academic learning takes a back seat.

This is where the profession of school counseling takes center stage. Long gone are the days of just schedule changes and college applications. School counselors across California and the country are leading the push for social and emotional health to be taken seriously in schools.

The work isn’t easy. It demands empathy, awareness, and a willingness to speak up for students who might not have anyone else in their corner. But as Patty’s experience shows, it’s the foundation for any real progress in schools.

So, pay attention to what students are carrying with them. Make space for their stories. And remember that real learning begins with real human connections.

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Transcript:

The Stories Teachers Can’t Ignore

"When I was still a teacher with my 32 first graders, I knew what each child was carrying. One student’s parents were going through a divorce. Another had a parent in jail. Someone else had just lost a family member to a drive-by shooting. You can’t possibly address all of that as a teacher, but you also can’t ignore it. Somebody has to acknowledge what these kids are going through.

These days, I’m especially passionate about what’s happening for LGBTQ youth, and specifically transgender students. There are so many misconceptions out there. You have to address these things, because you can’t expect students to do the math and reading if they aren’t comfortable, happy, and doing well."