What do you value of your past teachers?
I think what I most value of my past teachers is there "connectedness" (for lack of a better word) to their students. I liked how a particular teacher, I'll call him Mr. D, would greet every student at his door with their name,or his nickname for the student. And he always knew what was going on in our lives. He'd ask 'Disco Dan' how his vacation to Jamaica was; he'd rattle off football scores to 'Moose,' the football jock; and he'd tease me, his 'Blonde Bombshell' about my "queer" interest in such a "repulsive" language as French. He didn't have much of a fondness for the French! Anyways... I really believe in the importance of learning who your students are as individuals rather than just learning who they are as learners. If a teacher can connect to a student on a somewhat personal level, then he/she can provide a great deal of comfort in a classroom. In a less stressed environment, students are more open to learning, to voicing their opinions, to speaking out against something they disagree with, to contributing to discussions and on assignments. The students will believe the teacher cares about them, rightfully so, and therefore the teacher will get a greater amount of respect along with fewer behavioral problems.
What is great about teaching and learning?
To me, teaching and learning are very rewarding, though on different levels. I am the sort of person who likes doing things for others rather than doing things for me, and therefore teaching is more rewarding. I have coached a competitive cheerleading squad for six years starting with tiny 1st and 2nd graders and ending with big 7th and 8th graders, and each year has been amazing. It's hard to describe the feeling I get at competitions when my girls nail a 1st place routine, but it's amazing. It makes me ridiculously proud of all my 30 some girls who, in the course of four months, have successfully learned everything I taught them. Seeing their proud faces, and receiving a million of their hugs and tears, I feel like I have done something right. I have contributed to a small piece of their lives and helped each of them believe they can reach their potentials. Years from now, when they are struggling through college, I want some memory of me, of our team, of our hard work and success, to reside in the back of their minds, continually reminding them that 'yes, they can make it through this final,' and 'yes, they can make it through this semester,' because they have the potential and they now know how to use it.
I love promoting a less stressed environment!! It seems like common sense to me, but I really believe that we can teach students how to handle work and stress. And that environment goes right along with giving our students confidence and motivation. Perfect tools for learning and life, I think.
ReplyDeleteHey Erica,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the story about "Mr. D" greeting students with nicknames and talking with them about their interests. Though it's a small gesture to take a couple minutes before a class period, or even at the beginning of a period, and talk with them, it shows them that you are interested in learning about them, their interests, and their lives outside of the school; you're not just there to teach, but you also want to learn about them in the process. It's a great way to establish a positive relationship with them.
It can be very easy to figure out their interests, especially given that you'll be seeing roughly five times during a week, so long as you take a couple of minutes and talk them a bit.
Thanks for sharing.
-Kyle