I wouldn't say that blogging is my thing - afterall, aren't there too many blogs around as it is? What is one more? Then I considered that when I taught argument and research writing, I always told my students how important it was to join the conversation on any topic of interest - therefore, I need to practice my own lesson! Afterall, arent' we suppose to model the behavior we want to see in our students?! So here I am!
Before I start, I guess I should explain a bit about me as an educator. I'm new to the practice, only having taught high school for 3 years. I took the long route to education, working as an bookkeeper/accountant for 18 years prior to switching over to teaching. When the company I last worked for sent me back to school to finish my bachelor's degree, I discovered the need to make a change. While I enjoyed my job, the company, and the people I worked with, I found that it didn't fulfill me. In truth, it never had. Taking business classes at night only confirmed how little passion I had for the work I did. Don't get me wrong - the work is important and I felt very strongly about maintaining my integrity and professionalism, but without some passion for the work, I knew it was time to make a move. I graduated with a BA in English/Economics, while my partner and I made plans to move to Hawai'i for his new job. The move proved to be the perfect opportunity to attain a Master's degree in Secondary Education and I hit the ground running in Hawai'i.
At 38, I entered a high school classroom as a student teacher and by the end of that first day, I knew I was home. I was where I was meant to be - it certainly took me long enough to get there! How do I put this? I felt alive and, in so many ways, awake for the first time. That's what I love about teaching - it's a living process - vibrant, energetic, unpredictable, and sometimes chaotic. I can end the day exhausted yet still looking forward to being back the next morning. For the very first time in my life, I truly LOVE what I do! I'm excited to keep learning and getting better - I know I have a long way to go, yet I feel hopeful every day. Is it like this for everyone? I wonder what others feel and certainly - I know a few teachers who confessed to not having this attitude or feeling at all - I wonder what the reasons are for their choice of this profession?
Perhaps it's my age, or my previous career, that drives me to feel and act the way I do when it comes to teaching. I just feel that it is vital, whether you are in a public school or a private school, that teachers feel that passion everyday. Our career impacts the very key to our future and if we don't bring all the passion we can muster, then what are the reasons to keep doing it? This past school year allowed me the opportunity to observe my students in other classrooms. This presented chances to see other teachers in action. I've seen some really good teachers, I've seen teachers who are on their way to being good, and I've seen teachers that left me shell shocked as to how they are still in a classroom. Clearly our public education system is broken and our profession is often the one looked at with blame, yet the truth is, the responsibility lies across the board from families to administrations and from unions to individual teachers. We all bear some responsibility. I include myself in these statements as well.
It is with this in mind that I wanted to start this blog - to talk about the issues and complexities of teaching and being a teacher in our American society, in public education, and in this moment in time. The thoughts here will be my own, unless quoted and cited (that's the English teacher in me), everything I say will be done with the understanding that I, too, have much to learn in order to truly be "good" at my practice. Look for weekly postings and feel free to comment. I'll read and respond to comments as best I can given any time and workload constraints. If nothing else, allow this to be a forum for educators and parents to discuss and sound off on public education and the issues that entangle this complex system.
Prior to my first issue - to be posted by July 1st - how about sharing what your first day in a classroom, as a student teacher or in your very first classroom as "the teacher," felt like and how it feels teaching today. I'd love to know, so speak to me!
Before I start, I guess I should explain a bit about me as an educator. I'm new to the practice, only having taught high school for 3 years. I took the long route to education, working as an bookkeeper/accountant for 18 years prior to switching over to teaching. When the company I last worked for sent me back to school to finish my bachelor's degree, I discovered the need to make a change. While I enjoyed my job, the company, and the people I worked with, I found that it didn't fulfill me. In truth, it never had. Taking business classes at night only confirmed how little passion I had for the work I did. Don't get me wrong - the work is important and I felt very strongly about maintaining my integrity and professionalism, but without some passion for the work, I knew it was time to make a move. I graduated with a BA in English/Economics, while my partner and I made plans to move to Hawai'i for his new job. The move proved to be the perfect opportunity to attain a Master's degree in Secondary Education and I hit the ground running in Hawai'i.
At 38, I entered a high school classroom as a student teacher and by the end of that first day, I knew I was home. I was where I was meant to be - it certainly took me long enough to get there! How do I put this? I felt alive and, in so many ways, awake for the first time. That's what I love about teaching - it's a living process - vibrant, energetic, unpredictable, and sometimes chaotic. I can end the day exhausted yet still looking forward to being back the next morning. For the very first time in my life, I truly LOVE what I do! I'm excited to keep learning and getting better - I know I have a long way to go, yet I feel hopeful every day. Is it like this for everyone? I wonder what others feel and certainly - I know a few teachers who confessed to not having this attitude or feeling at all - I wonder what the reasons are for their choice of this profession?
Perhaps it's my age, or my previous career, that drives me to feel and act the way I do when it comes to teaching. I just feel that it is vital, whether you are in a public school or a private school, that teachers feel that passion everyday. Our career impacts the very key to our future and if we don't bring all the passion we can muster, then what are the reasons to keep doing it? This past school year allowed me the opportunity to observe my students in other classrooms. This presented chances to see other teachers in action. I've seen some really good teachers, I've seen teachers who are on their way to being good, and I've seen teachers that left me shell shocked as to how they are still in a classroom. Clearly our public education system is broken and our profession is often the one looked at with blame, yet the truth is, the responsibility lies across the board from families to administrations and from unions to individual teachers. We all bear some responsibility. I include myself in these statements as well.
It is with this in mind that I wanted to start this blog - to talk about the issues and complexities of teaching and being a teacher in our American society, in public education, and in this moment in time. The thoughts here will be my own, unless quoted and cited (that's the English teacher in me), everything I say will be done with the understanding that I, too, have much to learn in order to truly be "good" at my practice. Look for weekly postings and feel free to comment. I'll read and respond to comments as best I can given any time and workload constraints. If nothing else, allow this to be a forum for educators and parents to discuss and sound off on public education and the issues that entangle this complex system.
Prior to my first issue - to be posted by July 1st - how about sharing what your first day in a classroom, as a student teacher or in your very first classroom as "the teacher," felt like and how it feels teaching today. I'd love to know, so speak to me!
Whoa Mike! You are asking me to reflect on a specific day over 25 years ago?? lol Funny though, it doesn't take much thought in beginning to piece together a patchwork of memories.... 1st day as a student teacher: the disgust voiced by my uncooperative "Cooperating Teacher" when she learned that she was to receive a stipend rather than credits for "hosting" me in her classroom. 1st day as the only adult in that particular classroom? Well, I can honestly say that none of my college courses prepared me to deal with the hallway exorcism of one of my 4th grade students by two of her classmates. "There are just certain things we don't do at school!" was my classic response, "Now let's get back in the classroom and do our science lesson!"
ReplyDeleteWhen receiving my own classroom at Honeydew Elementary (I'm not kidding), I think the first two years of teaching are now seen as a complete blur.
Student teaching was amazing. I had the opportunity to have two different experiences because I took a dual major as K-8 regular ed and K-12 Special Ed. My first day in the fifth grade class I was to student teach in Filmore, UT (original capital of Utah) is a blur. What I do remember is the teacher introducing me to her class and asking to watch for the day. At the end of the first day, she turned her lesson books over to me, told me she would see me in a matter of weeks and left the classroom to my own resources. She did not return until two days before I was done. I loved working in this school because of the variety of students. (Same reason I still like teaching.) Each student has their own story which unfolds over the weeks spent teaching them. Many of them worm their way into your heart and are never left behind, even though you never encounter them again.
ReplyDeleteIt is the point of when a lightbulb goes on and you hear the worms, "Oh, I get it! Why did I think this was so hard?" that makes me keep coming back.
The sad part about teaching is my love of it has never gone away, but my energy level is not the same as what it was in 1987. I find myself watching too much for discipline problems and not enough for the "Ah ha's". I would love to be able to capture beginning teachers' enthusiasm and energy and drink it through out the school year.
Thanks Mark and Natalie!
ReplyDeleteNatalie, I find myself wondering if my enthusiasm & energy will last - I hope it does! It took me so long to get here and the joy I feel everyday is so incredible. I believe (and hope I'm right) that if I keep my focus on the students, the energy will last. I will admit, the politics of education is tiring and so many fellow teachers have fallen victim to its constant irrational and irregular expectations.
In addition, I think after teaching for so long, you need to take a break - recharge - and remember the reasons you want to teach to begin with - after all, working with you people takes everything you've got! Have you ever taken a sabbatical?
Michael, I call the summers my healing time. It is the time that my energy can be renewed. This post will ramble. It is because I love to teach, but over the years I have found frustration in the changes in society. It is not like it was in the 80's. It is much more difficult to teach now, than at that era. There were not as many discipline problems. We did not have to contend with cell phones, iPods, etc. Many homes still had one parent staying at home. Our economics and the daily cost of living has found many of our students spending way too much time being taught by media. Their values and the values of their friends are very much affected. It used to be father knows best. Now its father's stupid, sometimes mom stupid (Marge Simpson), and the kids know best.
ReplyDeleteI took a couple years off from teaching to become licensed for the military as an LPN. I loved working as a nurse with the military, but even during the training times, I found myself tutoring peers who were struggling. I missed being a teacher and this filled my need. Even after 23 years there are few times that I step on campus on the first day without excitement.
BUT...If I were to teach summer school I would not have the time to renew my energy. It is why I loved the long summers. I always have a variety of projects that I would finish. They are almost always solitary projects and usually take a month or more to complete. Stripping and refinishing furniture. Painting the inside or outside of the house. Cleaning cupboards, etc. These are great because they get finished. So often in teaching we only get to reach a small surface of our students. We are only the primers and they have to finish their final coats.