Teacher Shares What It's Like To Live In The Same Neighborhood As His Students — 'The Lessons Run Deeper'
The Atlanta-based teacher explained that nothing brings him more joy than seeing his students outside of the classroom.
wavebreakmedia | Shutterstock As a teacher, there's nothing more fulfilling than making a genuine impact on your students. It seems that Brandon K. Martin, an Atlanta public school teacher, agrees. In addition to being an educator, he is the CEO and founder of Close Ties Leadership program, a nonprofit created to "equip Black boys with the skills and experiences necessary to lead in the pathways of their choice."
The teacher explained why he purposefully chose to teach at a school in the same neighborhood where he grew up.
In Martin's video, he drove past a group of his students playing outside. As soon as they saw him, several started running up to his car, some even jumping right through his open window just to say "hi."
"I'm about to sell my house so I don't live in the same neighborhood as these children anymore," Martin joked, showing himself driving his students around in the back of his car as they smiled from ear to ear. It's clear that the kids feel safe around Martin and see him as a trusted adult in their lives, in and out of the classroom.
Martin claimed that the 'lessons run deeper' by living among his students.
"When a teacher walks the same streets, hears the same sirens, sees the same sunsets, the lessons run deeper," Martin wrote in the caption of his video. "When I decided to become a teacher, there was no doubt that I wanted to return to my hometown of Southeast Atlanta to do so."
He explained that eleven years later, he still shares the same neighborhood with the same kids that he serves, making moments like the one featured in the video a part of his routine. It's evident that he wouldn't trade it for anything.
"There’s an extra level of care and understanding when you not only love the children you serve but you also live among them," he continued. "From checking the mail to grocery shopping to grabbing dinner… I will always hear 'Hey, Mr. Martin!' I couldn’t get away from them even if I wanted to!"
No matter how old a child gets, they always remember the teachers who treated them with love and respect.
While some teachers prefer to live away from their school district for various reasons, such as home prices and even avoiding seeing their students while off duty, many teachers have admitted that they actually love seeing their students (both current and former) "out in the wild."
"I see kids and formers everywhere," one teacher wrote in a Reddit post discussing the topic. "But that also means I get to hold babies and hear what they’re doing."
According to an ING foundation survey, 98% of Americans believe that a good teacher can change the course of a student's life. Teachers have the ability to build a student's confidence and self-esteem, encourage them to pursue their dreams, and help them through tough times.
Martin has undoubtedly changed the trajectory of more than a few students' lives. It's rare to see teachers immerse themselves so fully in the lives of their students as he does. It's a breath of fresh air to see, and his actions prove that public school educators are one of a kind and often the unsung heroes of their community.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
