This week we were assigned to read the blog post of an amazing teacher with very valid and useful points.He is a 4th year teacher that is very dedicated to his job and inspiring. I chose to read At the Teacher's Desk and What I Have Learned This Year. Each blog reflected his third and fourth year teaching which turned out to be very informative and helpful. I believe we, as teachers, learn more from our students than they learn from us but it seems as if Mr. McClung did not. He was so wrapped in trying to please his co-workers/"peers" that he neglected the real reasons he became a teacher. I know that we sometimes put ourselves in situations to feel like that, but he shows us in his blog that through his students he found happiness in who he really as a person.
Mr. McClung also mentioned that you can not expect others to be excited about new ideas and that is true. Everyone is not in the teaching profession for the right reasons and that sometimes can spoil it for others who are. One rotten apple does not always have to spoil the others. If you separate the apples the bad apple can only rot by itself. I think we take others opinion sometimes to help fuel our own decision making, but we do not always have to. Its called an opinion for a reason. Do not be afraid of being an outsider. Odd is what gets you noticed in my opinion. People, students in this case, are always looking for a mentor; someone to look up to other than their parents. Why not be that mentor?
Never get too comfortable and that seems to be a reoccurring them in both blogs. This indicated to me that this could be a major problem that all teachers either have already faced, still facing, or will face. It kind of gives me the heads up and keeps me on my toes. Always have something new and innovating for the children in order to keep their brains active and attentive. It is so easy to lose them.
Ardriana,
ReplyDeleteI can say for a fact that I have already seen just what Mr. McClung is talking about in person. So far I have had two placements (one at a middle school and one at a high school) this semester and in one of them the teachers seemed miserable. They were not excited for the students. I hated it. It is so very important to enjoy your job and keep the students excited to come to your class. We want students to enjoy learning! Good job on this blog post. Keep up the good work.