12.16.2009
What Kind of Teacher?
My friend and I were having a conversation about the kinds of teachers we want to be. Teachers tend to be *known* for something, either "the crazy teacher", "the tough guy", "the easy teacher", or even "the good teacher". Who do we want to be? Is this a conscious decision on our part? Will our personalities, paired with our efforts and preparation, be enough to come together to form us as teachers? Or is there more? I think the most important thing to remember is that students *know* when their teachers care. They can sense when a teacher loves teaching, and they can sense when a teacher would rather be doing something else. It is important to let kids know that you care about them, their minds, and their characters. I think it's an extremely important aspect to teaching... showing students you care about them, and that you're dedicating your life to bettering theirs.
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I think you're quite right about the importance (and the value in terms of motivating your students) of *showing* your students that you care about the subject you're teaching. This probably also means that they get some glimpses into who you are, your interest and your quirks. This is all good, as kids need role models, and they need to see what it looks and feels like when adults interact with the world of ideas.
ReplyDeleteI think that your question about the kind of teacher you'll be, or your image as a teacher, is an intriguing one. Some say that you can create an image and sustain it for the long term. I'm skeptical about that, since I quite strongly believe that teaching is a rather personal act in many respects, and we ultimately dig back to who we are...it's that self-discovery process that is a big part of what's fun about this line of work.