SCOE Early Learning Department - January-Avoiding Martyrdom and the Savior Complex

Have you sought out your marigolds? Are you a marigold for someone else?

SCOE Early Learning Department

Avoiding Martyrdom and the Savior Complex

WARNING! Prepare to become uncomfortable as you continue to explore this page.

This month's focus might hit you right in the gut. I know it did for me when I first started exploring the idea of martyrdom and the savior complex. It is important that we continue to examine our mindsets and reflect on ourselves as we go about the critical work of helping others, while at the same time avoiding some of the traps that our "helping profession" can present for us.

What Is Martyrdom?

Shifting away from the subversive narrative that teachers are tireless martyrs for inner-city youthIn a recent City Pages article on the St. Paul Schools, the words used to describe students were deeply troubling. They were not described as children or the developing youth, but as violent delinquents. These were certainly not my scholars, nor was it an accurate depiction of my work climate in a North Minneapolis school.

Education and MartyrdomDoes it take great sacrifice to become a great teacher?

Martyrdom is complex. In Onward, Elena Aguilar shares some of the dangers of martyrdom: Implicit in a martyr complex can be a deficit mindset about students and their communities – that the children and parents can’t and haven’t helped themselves, so they need an outside savior. Sometimes we encounter this mindset in education reform or transformation efforts where folks enter a community with big goals and inspiring slogans intent on saving kids from the ravages of inequities. We must be careful – martyrdom can converge with racism and classism.

From Miss Honey to John Keating: the narrative of the martyr teacher has to come to an end.A friend and ex. colleague of mine recently asked me for some advice. She is currently working as an Assistant Head in a particularly challenging school: high levels of deprivation, tough behaviour…

What Do You Mean By Savior Complex?

Savior Complex - Matthew R. MorrisAnd in all honesty, most teachers are maligned with some stage of a savior complex. We think we can and are responsible for saving others. We should think and feel like this.

What 'white folks who teach in the hood' get wrong about educationA Columbia University professor has had enough of what he calls a pervasive narrative in urban education: a savior complex that places mostly white teachers in minority classrooms as heroes who "saving" kids.

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