Seeing Versus Watching

When we truly see young people—recognize who they are and what they can do—we connect to our shared humanity. Seeing differs from watching. Watching for compliance or mistakes changes nothing. Seeing changes everything. 

During my twenty-four years in the classroom,  I learned how restless, unsure, or anxious kids changed when given a role - coach a peer, explain a verb, guide a small group. They see themselves as smart, essential, and valuable. Their cultural knowledge, bilingual skills, and lived experience shift from “extra” to “asset.” They matter.

As a “Positive Behavior Coach,” I saw how surveillance policies promised order but quietly eroded trust. When I created a program so  high-school juniors and seniors could volunteer to serve as Tutor-Mentors in K-5 classrooms, they were trusted  to guide, to show up on time, to keep their phones hidden, to teach. In return they learned punctuality, patience, and purpose—skills useful in college, work, and life. For perhaps the first time, they heard: “You are important. You have value. Use it to lift someone else.”

Yes, they signed a behavioral contract and received a stipend. Many were lured by the stipend. Perfect.  knew if they signed for the stipend, they would fall in love with the students they helped –  and in love with themselves. 

In Root 2 Rise, success is shared. When young people are truly seen, they don’t just stay out of trouble; they step into leadership and help everyone grow. Surveillance may control behavior, but recognition unlocks potential. This is the heart of my work and the promise of Root 2 Rise: You belong. You matter. You can lead.