As I think about my career so far, here are some of those moments that make the profession so valuable:
- My first year of teaching one of my students was resistant to being in my class all year long because it was supposed to provide additional academic support, and he (like many others) would have preferred to be in the "normal" classes with all his peers. Close to the last day of his senior year he mentioned that another teacher complemented him on his writing. Then he thanked me and said that he thought his improvements were a result of the regular writing we did as a class. Six years later, I still frequently think back to that student and all that he taught me throughout the year.
- I had read books and blogs of various teachers talking about the power of workshop teaching and its capabilities for inspiring a love of reading; yet, I don't think hearing about it could have ever prepared me for how good it feels to see students who previously did not care for reading to become engaged, passionate readers and to be a part of that process. It is equally fulfilling to have students who already were engaged readers become even more avid.
- I was expecting to impact my students as readers, but this spring one of my student's moms thanked me for all that I had done in my classroom to instill a deeper love of reading in her daughter and then also shared that through her daughter, I had impacted her as a reader. Through the books her daughter was reading, she added more books to her TBR list. When her daughter placed Scholastic book orders the stack was usually composed of books for parents and children in the family. Previously I had thought about the advantages of impacting older siblings who would hopefully be models of reading for younger brothers and sisters; however, it had never occurred to me that the impact would also reach to parents, though it makes perfect sense that it could. I have always loved the idea of fostering family literacy. I just overlooked the impact that individual classrooms have on whole family units.
- I always think about reading as a safe place for students to explore how different characters navigate obstacles and challenges in life, and I think of writing as an avenue to sift through emotions, to learn from life's experiences. I had not thought of the power of writing to teach older selves. This year I noticed how my students' realistic fiction was a means for students to think through the what ifs and realized that sometimes those what ifs end up impacting the students' lives. I would like to think that by writing and exploring those emotions it helps to prepare students in the event that something similar actually ends up happening.
What have been some of the most fulfilling moments in your career as an educator?
* During my first year, I was focused on catching the kids up to speed and preparing them for high school. Little did I know, the kids had observed me as a "writing" teacher. For the first time, they were presented with opportunities to share their writing with their peers (in small groups and whole class). I hadn't realized what an impact this had made until my students expressed how much easier it has become to do "presentations" (or speaking) in front of the class. It seems that sometimes, my primary focus isn't what has necessarily been the primary benefit for the students, which is a pleasant surprise. :)
ReplyDelete* While working to expose children to quality literature through read-alouds, I was blessed with the opportunity to reveal the differences in comprehension of students with auditory senses vs that of independent reading. I was amazed at how exceptional some of their oral comprehension was compared to individual. This small opportunity of exposing literature transformed into a large opportunity to help students in certain areas. Again, sometimes it's not what you see as a strong focus point, but it unexpetedly turns in to one.
* My first year was extremely trying and stressful. I was a bit down on myself at graduation because I was wondering if I really had done everything in my power to challenge these students and make them the best they could be. I felt frustrated that the year hadn't gone exactly as "chirpy" as planned, when suddently, a group of students surprisingly presented me with a certificate. It was then that I realized that maybe I hadn't done everything perfect, and maybe I hadn't felt satisfied with myself, but the students had thought the year was amazing; that we had learned so much while having so much fun; that I was somebody they could trust and count on. I then realized it wasn't only the academic aspect I needed to reflect on, but also the image that I portray to my students. To some, I was their mother, their counselor, their role model--someone they could count on to get them to where they needed to be. In that moment, I realized the wholesomeness of teaching; the multi-faceted world of being an educator is never-ending--and it made me proud to be a part of it.
Mrs. S, It is always nice to be pleasantly surprised by a wider reaching impact than we had anticipated.
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