I know it is no secret but I love to teach! I pretty much go all "Crocodile Hunter - Steve Irwin" when I get the opportunity to inspire others in some way. For me teaching is play! It isn't always exciting (it's not like I'm wrestling crocodiles) but there is something that happens when a student and teacher connect that gets me wired! Learning something about oneself is generally when it happens - something profound that will change you forevermore! That "Aha" moment - and no I'm not talking about the 80's band.
I just got back from teaching a 2 hour session with Sunday school teachers at a local church perhaps that is why I am posting this. It doesn't really matter where you teach - at home, at work, at school, at church, at a kids club, outdoors - what matters is that you have something exciting to share!
People are attracted to passion and all secretly love being inspired to action! I asked my class of twenty students who their favorite teacher was? I saw my class get quite excited and started to share their many mentors. What was it about that person that made them great? The response: they had passion, they showed love, they inspired me to action, they treated me as a person/an equal, they had a sense of humor, etc. It doesn't matter in what teaching situation - the answers are always the same to that question. Parker Palmer says, "We teach who we are!"
Here's a question for yeah all - what gets you excited? What are you inspired by? Are their any teachers in your life that still affect you today in a positive way?
5 comments:
I find the teachers who I have had over the years (and there have been plenty!) who have had the biggest impact on me are the ones who are genuinely passionate about what they are teaching - and show it every day! Also, the ones that take a genuine interest in the students in the classroom. Going from a huge university setting where you are merely a number, to now where I am in a class of 9 - I find those personal connections of having a teacher know about you, what you want to do in your life, and even your own sense of humour makes such a huge difference.
So true about how a class size makes a difference. The worst class I ever took at University was biology - offered three times a day via video to a lecture theatre that could hold 300.
Graduate school was the complete reverse - the smallest class I was in was 2 (a guided readings class) in which we met with our professor for lemonade at his house to discuss our understanding of educational philosophy. This prof - continues to be a mentor in my life and every time I teach I reflect a bit of his style in my own.
Thanks for posting!
G
The Lemonade approach reminds me of the novel "Tuesdays with Morrie". If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.
The past few weeks I have randomly handing out candy from our staffroom to students as I meet them in the hall. I think someone donated it to us but I figured I'd bless our students with some sugar - energy to get those papers done! Most people seem genuinely surprised...I have the book on order - thanks for the recommend! I had heard of the movie but I don't think i ever did rent it. Usually books are better than screenplays - any chance you saw the movie JL?
Wow no, I actually didn't know there was a movie! I will definitely look for it! I agree about the screenplays not being as great as the books. I am really interested to see how the Da Vinci Code turns out. I saw a bit of a preview tonight and it looks very Hollywood Glam.
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