Uncrafted Curriculum

You teach them things
that are
not carefully crafted
or written or typed
Taking from you more things accidentally
or incidentally than you realize
Powerful lessons unresearched,
without objectives in your plans,
perhaps even without a second thought in your conscious
You teach them your values by spending more or less time
on one topic or the next,
by raising your voice to one, or all, or a few
You teach them who is worthy or not with your sighs
and the rolling of your eyes
You teach them if they should try
by the way you push them or
by the way you don’t ask twice
You teach them they can
or they can never,
by your voice, by your choice
of volunteers, of those deemed better
You teach them if they are good enough
with your whispered correction or sarcasm.
You teach them all how to treat one another
by the way you treat them all
They need you to like them
and they will let you teach them…
or not