Teacher Goes Viral For Response To Student Sleeping In Class
It’s one of those universal rules that all students know: you’re not supposed to fall asleep in class. I remember sitting in my morning biology class in high school some days and having my head do the slow tilt only to jolt back awake several times, desperately trying to stay focused because I knew the teacher would be upset if I actually did drift off to sleep.
One teacher found a student sleeping through his class one day, but his response to it caught the attention of the internet.
Meet Monte Syrie
Monte is a high school teacher who lives in Washington State and frequently shares his experiences with teaching and his philosophy for approaching the job.
However, one particular tweet thread of his went viral.
He Decided To Be Patient And Compassionate
Rather than berate the girl in his class for falling asleep at her desk, he decided to show empathy for her situation.
He understands that she’s exhausted from external factors and didn’t mean to sleep in class.
He Didn’t Take It Personally
While some teachers would view a student sleeping in class as disrespectful, Monte knew that the action wasn’t about him.
He perceived that she, as a teenage girl with a wide range of responsibilities, probably just had too much on her plate and didn’t get the rest she needed the night before. Rather than get upset, he decided to let her rest in peace.
She’s A Good Student
He knows that this isn’t her normal—it was just an off day for her. She’s regularly an attentive student who stays on top of all of her work and studies hard.
She may not have finished her essay during that class period, but she made sure that it was in by that night.
Monte’s General Philosophy Involves Putting Students First
Monte regularly reflects on his work as a teacher and thinks about the ways in which he can improve the learning experience of the students in his classroom.
Ultimately, he sees it as his job to provide the best possible educational environment for them, and that includes allowing them to make little mistakes like sleeping in class if they’re clear
People Applauded Him For His Actions
Other Twitter users came to applaud Monte for his actions, and some shared stories about how the compassion they received from teachers in their lives had impacted them.
It’s fair to say that teachers do a lot of thankless work, but it’s clear that the good doesn’t go unnoticed.
