Here are some thoughts and reflections now that I have some teaching under my belt. :)
1. I love it. I am doing exactly what I’ve been waiting a long time to do.
2. Students don’t really see teachers as real people no matter how old they are. I have gotten questions like “You dated?” or “You know that song?” There is this strange and interesting stigma that comes with the title “teacher.”
3. I get annoyed by those teachers that seem to be in profession for all the wrong reasons.
4. Each student has a story, and each story is a real life.
5. Students actually read teachers pretty well. They can see past most gimmicks and experiment just enough to know what they can and can’t do.
6. Most teacher tips sound a lot better on paper than they work in the classroom. (There are exceptions)
7. Playing games is a necessity. Not all the time, mind you.
8. Rewarding good and punishing bad will always work.
9. The more you put in to your work and the students’ lives, the more you’ll get out of it. That could mean more pain, but it sometimes means more joy and excitement.
10. “There is a Savior, and you are not Him” makes more sense to me than ever before. As hard as it is to accept sometimes, I can’t save these kids or even help some of them. They all simply need Jesus.
I enjoyed reading this. Completely different perspective than your student teaching journal. hahaha. And to think we had a clue then..
Comment by jfolsom — February 27, 2010 @ 4:41 am |
Wonderful words of wisdom. Sounds like you have a lot figured out. There are so many young teachers who don’t. Save your thoughts…they will keep you going when times get tough in the classroom. I fully believe and try to practice each of these in my class each day.
Comment by Lydia Bozeman — March 6, 2010 @ 7:22 pm |