I read through some educational blogs out there and I am really intimidated. Is every other teacher out there smarter than me. Reading posts, and thoughts teachers post on-line, it seems that there biggest problems are, where do put all the quality assignments my students have turned in? Or what do I do with all these parents who volunteer in my classrooms?, or how do I get my students to stop working so hard?
I love teaching, but it is a daily struggle to keep students motivated. I will not play the "I teach at a really low income school, with no parent involvement game." I do teach at a transient school with plenty of problems, but every school has problems. I want this blog to be a place where teachers can be honest. Teaching is hard. Every lesson is not a good lesson. I can be a better teacher.
When ever you talk with another teacher, you only hear the stuff they want to tell you. "I do this and it works." " I have had so much success doing things this way." This blog is a place to be honest. Let us discuss the things that we need help with. Let us discuss the areas we want to improve and grow. Maybe I am alone in my fears, or maybe I am committing professional suicide, but I will be honest. Teaching is hard, and I need help.
Hi Michael,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your honesty and I am definitely a realist. I think that's why I enjoy teaching 8th graders (w/learning disabilities) because I know how tumultuous their lives can be at this age and I realize school is at the bottom of their priority lists sometimes. This only makes my job harder but I welcome the challenge and my students know this up front. I could never teach elementary age students; I don't have the patience and I feel silly singing little songs. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sandy Christian
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThank you for creating a comfortable space where we can collaborate, share, and grow together as professionals. You are correct, teaching is hard, and the support of others is essential if one wants to be successful. I am leaving New Mexico and a teaching job I have had for 11 years. Myself, my husband, son, and six animals are moving cross-country and I will be teaching at a new school that is very different than the one I left. Although this is a good thing, I am very nervous about this transition, and am seeking advice and support from anyone who has survived this type of major transition in their professional career. I have a positive attitude about this move, but like you, feel somewhat alone in my fears. I look forward to collaborating with you more!
ReplyDeleteAllison Berglund
Hi Michael,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you put into words what I have been feeling! I always feel that maybe there is some withholding of important data of teachers to make their classes look better. I know my kids do try, but are nowhere near what I have read on some of these professional blogs! I had 2 kids last year finish the semester with single digit grades, which took effort. But I feel like a failure because I did not have all my students pass.
I hope that through this blogging experience in class, that we all learn some new tricks to better help ourselves, which will help our students!
-Catherine Bennett
Here, here! I am very much in favor of dropping the politically correct filter that inhibits progress. Sometimes we have to get down and dirty to see where we are going wrong and how we can improve. Part of being a reflective practitioner is accepting our lumps along with our accolades.
ReplyDeleteThank you for saying this! After reading through a lot of blogs I felt like I had no clue as a teacher. You don't know how many times I have heard that if my students just understand that I care about them, then they will work harder. Sometimes this is true, but sometimes the student just doesn't care and I really don't think there is anything I can do about it in some cases. I'm not saying I would give up on them, but I think it is important to realize that not every student is going to miraculously change behaviors they have had for years and that are often instilled at home. Reading some of those blogs was very discouraging, I'm sure for every success those teachers had, they also had failures that they did not share. I think sometimes it is those failures that you learn more from and I wish more teachers were willing to share them.
ReplyDelete