Jan 30, 2011
Jan 3, 2011
VIP
"My Grandparents always made me feel I was the most important person in the world. Most children will make it if they have just one person who makes them feel that way.” -William Jefferson Clinton
You know, Clinton was never a teacher but in his autobiography he carves out the core of Education. Recently, I've rediscovered the secret to teaching in its simplest form. Caring. Simply... caring. till it hurts. It’s sad because after 4 years of Education Theory classes, "Believing in Students" has almost become cliche... and even worse, underrated. It wasn't about till my second month of school that I even realized I wasn't really committing to my kids. Eventually, I had to stop trying so hard to become a good teacher because it was getting in the way of helping my students grow. There's a huge difference between, "How can I be better?" and, "What do they need?"
I started investing in my students personally. emotionally. financially. I would think about them constantly... during the weekends. I started seeing their faces everywhere. The first image as soon as I wake up. Last thought before I fall sleep. I was lesson planning in the shower. Reciting motivational speeches in the car. My day started and ended in room 205 of the 11th grade wing. And slowly, things began to change. When I lectured, she would listen. When I questioned, he would answer. They could see it in my eyes.
My students began to really respond to me when I started becoming personally destroyed by their failures. When I'm genuinely hurt that they cut my class. Extremely disappointed when they miss homework. My commitment laid the foundation for my discipline. My yelling and screaming that they refer to as "Super Saiyan". I've earned the right. But my heart had to break for theirs to move.
At the peak of my "Denzel" swagger, I sound like this:
"No. That's NOT good enough. Yes. You ARE smart. And NOT later. Right now. We're going to finish and we're not leaving this room until we do."
Then, he hangs his head and starts to scribble in his notebook. And in that moment, he is the most important person in the world.
You know, Clinton was never a teacher but in his autobiography he carves out the core of Education. Recently, I've rediscovered the secret to teaching in its simplest form. Caring. Simply... caring. till it hurts. It’s sad because after 4 years of Education Theory classes, "Believing in Students" has almost become cliche... and even worse, underrated. It wasn't about till my second month of school that I even realized I wasn't really committing to my kids. Eventually, I had to stop trying so hard to become a good teacher because it was getting in the way of helping my students grow. There's a huge difference between, "How can I be better?" and, "What do they need?"
I started investing in my students personally. emotionally. financially. I would think about them constantly... during the weekends. I started seeing their faces everywhere. The first image as soon as I wake up. Last thought before I fall sleep. I was lesson planning in the shower. Reciting motivational speeches in the car. My day started and ended in room 205 of the 11th grade wing. And slowly, things began to change. When I lectured, she would listen. When I questioned, he would answer. They could see it in my eyes.
My students began to really respond to me when I started becoming personally destroyed by their failures. When I'm genuinely hurt that they cut my class. Extremely disappointed when they miss homework. My commitment laid the foundation for my discipline. My yelling and screaming that they refer to as "Super Saiyan". I've earned the right. But my heart had to break for theirs to move.
At the peak of my "Denzel" swagger, I sound like this:
"No. That's NOT good enough. Yes. You ARE smart. And NOT later. Right now. We're going to finish and we're not leaving this room until we do."
Then, he hangs his head and starts to scribble in his notebook. And in that moment, he is the most important person in the world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)