There is a quote by Martin Luther King Jr. that I have always loved. It reads, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice". I remember when one of my college professors shared that quote with us, my interpretation of MLK's words was so wrong. I understand what he meant so much more now. MLK knew that we were on a long journey, with the final destination being a just society. Unfortunately, we all know that we still have a painful ways to go to arrive at MLK's vision for the world. This is how I also feel about myself as a teacher.
My version of the quote is, "the arc of teacher progression is long, but it bends towards excellence". The act of becoming an excellent teacher is much more demanding and tedious than I ever could have expected. I remember during summer school when Sam Williams spoke to us about the fact that within the world of teaching, you really don't always get what you give. It is painfully true. I have put such thoughtfulness and effort in many of my lessons, but when I got to school and started my instruction, it was a painful flop. There are so many parts of lesson planning and delivery that one must get right in order to be an excellent educator. I think it takes quality mentors, coaching, and resources to help an average teacher become an above average teacher.
The transformation I see in myself this year is promising. It lets me know that I am growing and improving in my role. I also have never even felt a sliver of complacency in how I do my job. I have high expectations for myself. I have an instinctual feeling that I am capable of being an excellent teacher, I just have to keep grinding and working and seeking out opportunities to enhance this craft called teaching. I know that I will be better for it, and most importantly, all growth I make will directly impact the most important part of the puzzle: my students.
My version of the quote is, "the arc of teacher progression is long, but it bends towards excellence". The act of becoming an excellent teacher is much more demanding and tedious than I ever could have expected. I remember during summer school when Sam Williams spoke to us about the fact that within the world of teaching, you really don't always get what you give. It is painfully true. I have put such thoughtfulness and effort in many of my lessons, but when I got to school and started my instruction, it was a painful flop. There are so many parts of lesson planning and delivery that one must get right in order to be an excellent educator. I think it takes quality mentors, coaching, and resources to help an average teacher become an above average teacher.
The transformation I see in myself this year is promising. It lets me know that I am growing and improving in my role. I also have never even felt a sliver of complacency in how I do my job. I have high expectations for myself. I have an instinctual feeling that I am capable of being an excellent teacher, I just have to keep grinding and working and seeking out opportunities to enhance this craft called teaching. I know that I will be better for it, and most importantly, all growth I make will directly impact the most important part of the puzzle: my students.
I will never forget the first day I saw my classroom. I remember being shocked by how hard it was to look at. I had no idea how to make such an ugly space look welcoming for children. I obviously thought that plastic tablecloths was the answer....oh, jeez.
Throughout year 2 I have worked hard to make my classroom a positive space. I have also learned about the power of making our learning visible. My Instructional Coach insists on anchor charts and now I understand why. It is really helpful to have so much information on my classroom walls. My students are always referencing what I have up, especially during daily bellringer time. This year I have realized that a teacher's classroom is really an expression of what they want their classroom to be. My goal for next year is to simplify my room a bit and insist on upkeep. I want to keep a really orderly classroom, but in regards to behavior and the cleanliness of the room itself.
Much of my transformation has been a direct result of my efforts to improve. Just like with anything in life, you can not sit around and hope to become better at the things you do. Teaching requires intentional work. I have learned to make my improvement into my own hands. I wish my school had more experienced teachers that I could learn from, but I have to accept the reality of my situation. With this said, last summer I applied for a summer program through the National Endowment for the Humanities. I was offered a spot on their summer professional development trip in the Mississippi Delta and immediately accepted. I spent one week living and learning at Delta State University. I was in the company of 34 other teachers from around the country. I learned so much from them. It was amazing to be in their company, and they were a wealth of knowledge.
In my attempts to become a better teacher, I have begin to play with novel studies. I really threw myself into my first novel study and figured that I would learn from trying. I bought a popular and well-rated novel study on Teachers Pay Teachers and it went fairly well. As I had assumed, I learned a ton through the process. My lunch period has since read Holes and Freak the Mighty. With each novel we read, I learn more and more about how I need to plan for a novel study. My hope is to bring this kind of learning experience to all of my students next year.
When I reflect on my first summer school experience, I think about how earnest I was to handle this experience well. I wasn't filled with ridiculous whimsy, and I understood that teaching was a lot of work. Of course I hadn't ever even a classroom teacher, but my parents had always raised me to admire teachers and I came into MTC knowing I was entering an incredibly noble profession. Two years later, and I have transformed in many ways. I respect myself more than I did. I know that even in the toughest of situations, I can keep my head up and still be where I need to be. I know that even when my students treat me unkindly, I am still willing to go home and work on my lesson for the next day. I know that when a huge challenge is put in front of me, I can rise above and handle myself. I know that I am willing to work everyday, all day. What I did not anticipate, however, is the heartache. Teachers love their students, which makes seeing them make poor choices and deal with setbacks in their lives very difficult. I have gone to bed most nights worried about my students. The weekends stress me out because I worry about their whereabouts. Summer break is wonderful for obvious reasons, but I also think of them constantly and pray that they are doing well. I have transformed due to the simple fact that my heart has grown so big these past two years. It had to, I fell in love with two hundred children!