I've been teaching for about 10 years now. I have enjoyed it quite a bit. I have taught across the spectrum. I have taught at a university, I taught at a nursery school. I taught at businesses, I have taught housewives and seniors. I have taught in an elementary and at high school.
I taught EFL (English as a foreign language), English lit, history, health class, and now math at high school. In elementary it was the whole she-bang.
I am thankful probably for the EFL teaching the most. It gave me the chance to work with adults. This was important because it gave me a chance to meet a lot of people and talk to them. It also taught me that caring about my students was more important than the subject matter. Of course, you have to know your stuff, but simply having a Ph.D is not as good as having a solid grasp of the material and figuring out how you can help your students get it.
My biggest mistake? Probably (I hope) thinking that I had to be out in front of my class waving a flag of education for them to follow after me. Follow me and my big plan and you'll be okay!
So while I have to get through the curriculum, I have to remember it's not about me, it's about them. And that can be both freeing and stressful. It means that I can facilitate the learning, I can be interesting and provide engaging activities, but ulitmately, they have to choose to learn. And all govermental and parental expectations aside, that's how it has to be.
If a student (mainly I'm talking about high school here) chooses not to do the work then the student will get an education on what it's like to make choices. Show me your trying and I'll try to move heaven and earth to help you, but don't try? Well, welcome to consequence land.
The other gift I got from teaching EFL was time to grow up and mature. When I first started subbing (first step to get a full time job in district I lived in then and was in high school I was completely intimidated. I was 7 years older, but some of these kids had more...adventurous lives than I did. I was overwhelmed.
When I when back into public school, I was 31 and I looked at my high school students and though, "they're just babies!" I also didn't have anything to prove. I had a strong sense of who I was and my capabilities.
In my opinion, I think that teachers should have some more life experience rather than graduating from uni and then getting a job in the classroom. Some people obviously develop this sense of self earlier than I did (late bloomer?) but I think that I also teach more effectively for having seen more of the world (I had lived overseas in the interim) and done more things.
At the time of graduating, I wouldn't have said this about myself. I would have said I was a tough nut and ready to work. I think those things are still true of me, but certainly tempered.
Maybe I am like a taco now-- well seasoned. Or should that be a marinade?
But other things I learned about myself. I am flexible (a lot of things don't bother me unless I am lacking sleep) and I don't like routine. I think this means I am no longer an ideal elementary school teacher. ?Routine is important and in school, and I don't like routine.
Okay..... brain jamming again.... lack of sleep issue
will finish later maybe
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