The Teaching Life: Year One
It's April 25. There are 4 weeks of school left, with fewer than 20 days to actually teach and impact my students. What can I do in 20 days? I don't know, but I know what I've done this year.
I've walked into a foreign situation and said, "Here I am. Teach me how to do this." I've learned how to manage my grade book and--largely--how to manage my classroom. I've learned how to manage time better. I've learned about formative assessments and think-pair-share activities. I've learned even more about being consistent and I've dedicated myself to practicing integrity as fully as possible. I've learned that great kids with lots of guidance sometimes make mistakes; it's part of the growth process. Less-guided kids make more mistakes or, more accurately, make poor choices and then wish to excuse themselves.
I've learned that I still love Latinos; speaking and hearing Spanish makes my soul happy. Once again, I feel the urgency of improving my Spanish-speaking ability. Our latino students, especially the hard-working ones, hold a special place in my heart. I empathize with them and I want them to succeed. In fact, I want to be the one who helps them succeed.
I now understand better why many non-native English speakers struggle with expressing themselves fully in English, even when they are very bright or college educated or when they fit seamlessly into the American culture. There is a beauty and a close familiarity in speaking one's native language.
I continue to believe that God really doesn't care what language we speak, but contributing members of society seek to become contributing members of society wherever they are, and if that means learning to speak English, they work toward that goal.
I've learned that I definitely still want to pursue a masters degree and that there are even more appealing options than I had realized. Being in the classroom makes me want to understand reading and language processing. Specifically, why do so many non-native speakers have auditory processing difficulties? Why is technical vocabulary so much more difficult than everyday vocabulary, and what can be done in a classroom setting--from a linguistic standpoint--to facilitate understanding the vocabulary? How much do real-world, practical situations affect language and vocabulary acquisition?
I've learned that dedicated teachers are all around me. In their own way, every teacher I know strives to make a difference with their students. I respect each of my co workers for their efforts, but I particularly respect those who respect their students and treat them as the unique, responsible individuals we hope they will become. No one wants to be patronized, belittled, or made to feel inferior.
I've learned what it's like to be supported and built up by mentors and bosses. I'm glad to be in a situation where I can improve myself. Although I'm always relieved to go home and even more relieved to go to bed after doing school work all evening, I do want to be a better teacher. I'm almost looking forward to spending the summer reworking and improving my materials and my methods.
I've seen the way that Jareds support and help has sustained both the kids and I through this transition. When he says he'll support me in something, he means it.
Finally, I know that I'm doing what's right for me and for our family right now. Before this job, I didn't think I had time to give much to the world or my fellow men. I felt that the size of my family justified my feelings. Now I see how wrong I was. I can do something, one student at a time.
I'm not only a mormon. I'm a wife, a mom, a tough mudder-er in training, and I'm a teacher.
I've walked into a foreign situation and said, "Here I am. Teach me how to do this." I've learned how to manage my grade book and--largely--how to manage my classroom. I've learned how to manage time better. I've learned about formative assessments and think-pair-share activities. I've learned even more about being consistent and I've dedicated myself to practicing integrity as fully as possible. I've learned that great kids with lots of guidance sometimes make mistakes; it's part of the growth process. Less-guided kids make more mistakes or, more accurately, make poor choices and then wish to excuse themselves.
I've learned that I still love Latinos; speaking and hearing Spanish makes my soul happy. Once again, I feel the urgency of improving my Spanish-speaking ability. Our latino students, especially the hard-working ones, hold a special place in my heart. I empathize with them and I want them to succeed. In fact, I want to be the one who helps them succeed.
I now understand better why many non-native English speakers struggle with expressing themselves fully in English, even when they are very bright or college educated or when they fit seamlessly into the American culture. There is a beauty and a close familiarity in speaking one's native language.
I continue to believe that God really doesn't care what language we speak, but contributing members of society seek to become contributing members of society wherever they are, and if that means learning to speak English, they work toward that goal.
I've learned that I definitely still want to pursue a masters degree and that there are even more appealing options than I had realized. Being in the classroom makes me want to understand reading and language processing. Specifically, why do so many non-native speakers have auditory processing difficulties? Why is technical vocabulary so much more difficult than everyday vocabulary, and what can be done in a classroom setting--from a linguistic standpoint--to facilitate understanding the vocabulary? How much do real-world, practical situations affect language and vocabulary acquisition?
I've learned that dedicated teachers are all around me. In their own way, every teacher I know strives to make a difference with their students. I respect each of my co workers for their efforts, but I particularly respect those who respect their students and treat them as the unique, responsible individuals we hope they will become. No one wants to be patronized, belittled, or made to feel inferior.
I've learned what it's like to be supported and built up by mentors and bosses. I'm glad to be in a situation where I can improve myself. Although I'm always relieved to go home and even more relieved to go to bed after doing school work all evening, I do want to be a better teacher. I'm almost looking forward to spending the summer reworking and improving my materials and my methods.
I've seen the way that Jareds support and help has sustained both the kids and I through this transition. When he says he'll support me in something, he means it.
Finally, I know that I'm doing what's right for me and for our family right now. Before this job, I didn't think I had time to give much to the world or my fellow men. I felt that the size of my family justified my feelings. Now I see how wrong I was. I can do something, one student at a time.
I'm not only a mormon. I'm a wife, a mom, a tough mudder-er in training, and I'm a teacher.
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