Something I always kind of thought about in the back of my mind, but never really explored. I liked school, and I realize I was probably weird for liking school. The majority of my classmates hated school, and I would often fake sympathize with them about this assignment, or that one, but I didn't really mean it. When I have my own students one day, I have to make sure to remember that I was the minority.
The majority of the students are thinking about track practice, or a show they were watching last night. Anything to keep their minds away from the task at hand, learning. In order to not have a disconnect in the classroom between teacher and students, there needs to be empathy. Especially if the teacher was one of those over achievers in high school. Putting yourself in the shoes of the kids who really don't want to be at school, will help prepare lessons that more students will enjoy.
It was fun for me to edit my friend's essays, and to make flashcards to study. I realize that for a lot of students, this sounds like torture. The people who become teachers are usually people who liked school. They are choosing to spend the rest of their lives in the same kind of building and environment that they were forced to be in for 13 years.
Some students probably think these people are crazy. Who in their right mind would choose to come back to a place like school? I am. I'm completely, and utterly insane according to these students. And, I must keep this in mind. School is not like College. These kids are not paying for an education that they are choosing, so it's a different kind of environment. It's my job to show them some of the better things about school, and maybe just how to make it a little bit more bearable.
I was an "A" student. I loved making friends with my teachers. I was on student council, in the Marching band, on the Bowling team, in Kids escaping Drugs, in National honor society, etc. I was one of those kids. But, a lot of the students I'll be teaching one day won't be. I have to figure out how to make my class as enjoyable as I can for these students, and not only enjoyable for the students who like coming everyday.
It's a long day for these kids. They wake up at the crack of dawn, go to school, go to practices, and work, and then have hours of homework each night. It's kind of hard to stay optimistic about school, when it's a repeated cycle of exhaustion. Even as a student who enjoyed school, it became too much to handle at times. These kids are under so much stress, and on top of that are teachers who keep demanding more.
These kids are pushed to the limit. As a teacher, I want them to learn, but I also want them to have some sort of enjoyment in their days. I will try to implement interesting, engaging lessons for all kinds of students, ones who like school, and ones who don't. As of now I don't think giving homework will be necessary. Students already spend so much time in school, they don't need anything extra on top. I realize this blog turned into my own philosophies as a teacher. But, it stemmed from the thought that many of my students will not have an intrinsic desire to learn, like I did in high school.
