I don't want to jinx anything, but I have the most awesome group of students this semester! Every so often you get a group that reminds you, in case you forgot, why you love teaching so much. Sometimes you get a tough group that makes you wonder..."WHAT was I THINKING?!" No, even in a tough group there are always some who keep you grounded, but some groups just have a more challenging dynamic than others.
Today we wrote in-class essays. I'm doing more in-class writing this semester partially as a prep for those standardized tests and partly because they will all turn one in this way. If I make an essay a homework assignment I am lucky to get a 60% return rate. This way I think they are more likely to be successful. They learn by doing that they CAN actually do it and so later in the semester when we get to research papers they will approach that assignment with more confidence.
Two things were especially rewarding today. One was that after class, one of my girls held back to tell me, "Mrs. Austin, in your class, for the first time, I actually FEEL like I'm a good writer! I actually enjoy writing!" She went on to explain how last year she just didn't feel like she was very good at writing but now she feels more confident. WOW! That knocked my socks off.
The other thing that got me was that I got an essay from one of my boys, one who very seldom turns in anything; I can beg, hover, coax, prompt, and he will seldom turn in his work. He did his essay today. This may not seem like a big deal, but trust me on this one; it was. I could not wait to read it. It was a beautiful essay; very moving and personal. I was so proud of him.
The thing about teaching that I love is that I learn something from these kids every single year. This is year 14 for me and every year I am still learning. They all think that I am teaching them, but the truth is, they are the teachers. They teach me every single day not to underestimate them, not to assume anything, not to prejudge and not to give up.
(Image credit: discoveryeducation.com)
5 comments:
This is such a great entry. I grew up always wanting to be a teacher, because this is how I envisioned it being.
Thank you for your service to our children. They are lucky!
and...thank you thank you thank you so much for your contribution to the lifewalk. Its people like you that make me glad to be a part of something so small, but so beneficial. And, keeping someone's memory alive, in any way possible, is the best reward to their time spent here on Earth. I have lost many of people to this dreaded disease, have many more friends who are currently affected, and I know that each of them thank you for your contribution as well.
Take care!
luculent
www.firstgiving.com/aidslifewalk
web-justice.blogspot.com
That's so AWESOME! It is very difficult to get the little ones to write too but I am working hard to make it more approachable. This was very inspiring and motivational! I hope I can have a great career in teaching like you've had.
Even in year 14 I still feel like "a new teacher." Crazy.
Pat - great post! I read it last night as I was thinking about my decision to go back to school to become a teacher...it made me feel a little better about my decision.
Now, can you teach me to be a good writer? :-)
teachers can truly make a difference in your life. Dr. Mary Northcutt - my freshman English college teacher - took away the rules on "read a book/write a paper" and let me creatively write about the Odyssey and I wrote "Odysseus - The Rolling Stone Interview" and got an A. she set me free. good for you - that's awesome Pat!
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