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“Kids don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.” This quote was spoken by the creator of “The Muppets”, Jim Henson, and was published in his collaborative book of quotes; It’s Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider. Many questions arise when thinking about the true definition of what makes a “good” teacher. Is a good teacher ranked by how much information the students retain? Or by how much fun the students have? Or by how comfortable students are around them? What defines a “good” teacher? Although there are many factors that influence who a person is, I believe that the most memorable teachers were the ones who were passionate about what they were teaching.
Passion resonates from within and in most cases is contagious. A core value of mine as a future teacher is to be enthused about what I am teaching to my students. In Steven Wolk’s article Joy in Teaching, he depicts a classroom environment built on “helping students find the pleasure in learning” (10) to ensure infinite, successful learning. With the knowledge I have now, looking back on my past, I can clearly see the direct correlation between my ever-shifting grades and my mediocre to excellent professors. Butler University’s College of Education has four major values that shape a variety of students into true professionals. The fourth value, The Strength of Integrity and Responsibility, states that “candidates [must] model enthusiasm for teaching and learning”. Students aren’t the only ones learning in the classroom; it’s the teachers that learn from the students as well. Robert Fried, author of The Heart of Matter, defines passion as “the difference between being remembered as a ‘pretty good teacher’…or [a] person who can open up a new world” (1). This is very true in terms of leaving a legacy within your students. Teachers have huge impacts
In addition to passion, the other core values of mine are respect, equality, and communication. Growing up under a Catholic roof has ingrained the Golden Rule into my brain: Treat others as you would want to be treated. Students don’t have to like the teacher; however, they must respect them (Cushman and Rodgers, 19). Respect can be lost or gained, but in my eyes everyone has my respect at the first encounter. This correlates with equality. After my visit to St. Fabian, I got to see firsthand in Mrs. Daniels’ class the evenly-distributed treatment of all the students. Mrs. Daniels did not pick and choose who her favorites were and did not place any one student ahead of the other. I think often times people tend to “play favorites”, whether they know it or not and it’s a challenge I want to work on for the years to come. This is similar to another core value, which is communication. I believe that no social relationship can take place without communication. Mrs. Daniels was always explaining, teaching, advising, and listening to her students to show that she really cares. I hope to establish this type of relationship with my students that will lead to cooperation, order, and trust.
John Dewey once said, “I believe that every teacher should realize…that he [or she] is a social servant set apart for the maintenance of social order and the securing of the right social growth”. This is so true because teachers are given a huge role of preparing students for life and the next step. The representation I chose for my values was a book titled, Clifford’s Spring Clean-Up. It parallels a classroom environment by illustrating that Cliffords’ methods weren’t working at first; however, he was adamant and tried his best for the betterment of the community. Coming into this year, I was unsure of whether or not my new enrollment in the COE was the right choice, but as the months progress I feel comfortable and welcomed. I now realize the amount of difficulty and sacrifice necessary to be a professional teacher.
Passion resonates from within and in most cases is contagious. A core value of mine as a future teacher is to be enthused about what I am teaching to my students. In Steven Wolk’s article Joy in Teaching, he depicts a classroom environment built on “helping students find the pleasure in learning” (10) to ensure infinite, successful learning. With the knowledge I have now, looking back on my past, I can clearly see the direct correlation between my ever-shifting grades and my mediocre to excellent professors. Butler University’s College of Education has four major values that shape a variety of students into true professionals. The fourth value, The Strength of Integrity and Responsibility, states that “candidates [must] model enthusiasm for teaching and learning”. Students aren’t the only ones learning in the classroom; it’s the teachers that learn from the students as well. Robert Fried, author of The Heart of Matter, defines passion as “the difference between being remembered as a ‘pretty good teacher’…or [a] person who can open up a new world” (1). This is very true in terms of leaving a legacy within your students. Teachers have huge impacts
In addition to passion, the other core values of mine are respect, equality, and communication. Growing up under a Catholic roof has ingrained the Golden Rule into my brain: Treat others as you would want to be treated. Students don’t have to like the teacher; however, they must respect them (Cushman and Rodgers, 19). Respect can be lost or gained, but in my eyes everyone has my respect at the first encounter. This correlates with equality. After my visit to St. Fabian, I got to see firsthand in Mrs. Daniels’ class the evenly-distributed treatment of all the students. Mrs. Daniels did not pick and choose who her favorites were and did not place any one student ahead of the other. I think often times people tend to “play favorites”, whether they know it or not and it’s a challenge I want to work on for the years to come. This is similar to another core value, which is communication. I believe that no social relationship can take place without communication. Mrs. Daniels was always explaining, teaching, advising, and listening to her students to show that she really cares. I hope to establish this type of relationship with my students that will lead to cooperation, order, and trust.
John Dewey once said, “I believe that every teacher should realize…that he [or she] is a social servant set apart for the maintenance of social order and the securing of the right social growth”. This is so true because teachers are given a huge role of preparing students for life and the next step. The representation I chose for my values was a book titled, Clifford’s Spring Clean-Up. It parallels a classroom environment by illustrating that Cliffords’ methods weren’t working at first; however, he was adamant and tried his best for the betterment of the community. Coming into this year, I was unsure of whether or not my new enrollment in the COE was the right choice, but as the months progress I feel comfortable and welcomed. I now realize the amount of difficulty and sacrifice necessary to be a professional teacher.