Karmen
Wade - Blog post 3: October: Chapter 1:
Simplify Your Teaching Life
The
title: Simplify Your Teaching Life called out to me!! As a new teacher I
quickly realized that teaching is a never ending job! Each school year it feels
like there is always more and more for teachers to do. Introduce and learn new
standards, new methods of instruction, center based learning, new age
technology… that is just the beginning of the teacher’s new to do list! With so much that teachers MUST do, when do we
have time to teach? To truly teach? To read a book for fun or play a game with
our students? I completely agreed with the line that said “Teachers are working
way too hard! “We’re overburdened with too much to do and too little time in
which to do it.” “We’re under huge pressure to cover so much material and for
kids to do well on the tests.” Yes that is all true but what next…Continue
complaining and doing the same things over and over until we are so overwhelmed
that we hate teaching? While reading this chapter I began to reflect on my own
view of teaching. I completely agree with the author when he states “that this
job is very overwhelming!” However as I read more, my mind filled with
questions! Yes this job I have chosen is
extremely overwhelming but when does it become so overwhelming that I or
another teacher loses sight of why they wanted to become a teacher in the first
place? Why did I become a teacher? It wasn’t for the pay or the summer
vacations. I wanted to help children
learn. I wanted to teach children that education is the key to success! I
wanted to remind young children that education doesn’t judge where a person
comes from or what they look like. I wanted to teach children. After typing
that sentence I realized that wanted should not be in the past tense. I want to
teach children and I can. This chapter really helped me take a look at what the
big picture of teaching is. This chapter provided wonderful strategies to help
make a teachers life easier, more efficient, more meaningful, and more fun.
Just
as I want to teach my young students that knowledge is power, I too must realize
that. I definitely suffer from a lack of self-confidence, however that doesn’t
mean I am not capable. Just as I tell my young students “Everyone is smart just
in different ways.” In order to gain more confidence as a teacher I need to
focus on the big picture- to teach children! One way I can become a better
teacher is by realizing that I am smart and use my common sense!! I can also
use valuable and credible teacher research to guide my teaching abilities. I can
also engage in more professional conservations. I love how this chapter gave so
many examples of different ways that a teacher can help simplify their life in
order to teach…yes TEACH!
Your positive attitude is wonderful. Yes, there are a lot of expectations on teachers, but we all came into this profession because we want to help children. That should be our focus regardless of the new requirements. Our job is to continue to educate ourselves on what is the best way to educate children and not become stagnant in our own growth. If we continue to rely on the same approach for every class we teach, we become less and less effective. I'm so glad you picked up on this and that you are moving through the changes with an open mind!
ReplyDeleteKarmen Wade!!! I will have to hug you the next time I see you for writing this poignant blog post! In a wonderfully written narrative you have captured why I choose to stay in this profession in spite of it being overwhelming, in spite of long hours (I am reading and responding to blog posts at 11:00 on a Friday night!) and in spite of all of the obstacles. We can teach! We have students who deserve teachers like us who desire to learn and to grow and to provide our students our very best and who look for and find their very best! Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you for your encouragement and thank you for all you do every day to make a difference. I see it! I know your students do! Sincerely, Dawn
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