An Emerging Identity
- hodginsjustin
- Oct 1, 2017
- 3 min read
For this week’s reflection, I will be both reflecting on my decisions to become a teacher and the teachers that initially inspired me to start this journey. I like to consider myself blessed in the sense that I can think of a few names when asked about examples of a good teacher. When I think of them, I consider them to be good teachers not only because I learned a lot in their classes, but I felt encouraged, empowered, and engaged (the three e’s) while they taught. Learning about the Standards of Practice, I feel now as if I can better articulate why they were such an effective educator. In examining why, I believe that they managed to apply their past knowledge of teaching into pursuing a better learning environment. One of the things that also stood out to me was their understanding of how education does not begin and end at the school doors, but rather is a never-ending process. In this, they understood that there was much more to youth development than simply just knowledge and understanding, and they respected the student’s rights to take control of their own learning – both positively and negatively. In this, I feel that they inspired me to join the teaching profession as they showed the influence a teacher has on a student’s growth, and how often the position of power that’s conferred upon teachers is wasted. By adhering to the standards, these teachers established themselves as the professionals at the front of the class, and the learners as the professionals-to-be, fully understanding their capabilities. When I was treated this way, I was on-task, engaged, and ready to discover, which I hope to inspire in my future students so that their learning will continue long after they’ve left my future classroom.
Building on that, my belief statement as a teacher is that education happens both in and out of the classroom. To understand why I’d use that for a teaching statement might be odd, but I’m finding it more and more important that the teacher find ways to not only help the students navigate their understanding inside the classroom but also to provide the students with the tools to engage with the new world. To build on this, it’s absolutely important to note that students spend a good chunk of their time inside of the classroom. That being said, students exist as people (and more importantly, citizens of a larger society) after they leave the classroom or once they finish their educational path. Thus, it is my job as the “experienced learner” at the front of the classroom to guide them and build on skills they can use to continue their learning and inquire about the world around them so that they can be individuals in a world that is constantly changing.
One of the things we should note as educators is that technology has been a growing industry, and it’s here to stay. Thus, I find it exceptionally important to embrace and adapt towards incorporating technology in the classroom so that the students don’t have to feel like they’re entering the stone age when they come to school. As well, I feel that if the students are accustomed to using technology as a learning tool in the class, they will learn to use technology as a learning tool outside of the class. After all, Wikipedia is only a few taps away for most!
A few questions from this week:
What are the merits in the systems that were developed in the time before (ie. “old-style” teaching methods) that we should take note of in our practice?
While the belief statement is a arbitrary in nature, how can a teacher track the progress on the implementation of their specific belief statements?
What are the downsides to integrating technology into the classroom with regards to student engagement?
image taken from https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/modern-media-tech-lake-bluff?select=1QmbGdHsDSjLvJvflaMkgg.
