We can all relate to having a really good teacher right? What about a really bad one? I think at some point every child has a teacher they really love and a teacher they really can’t stand. In this blog post, I am going to talk about the teachers and people who shaped who I want to be as a teacher.
Influences:
I never really liked school, so when I found myself in an education program after high school graduation, I wondered what I was doing here. I would be spending the rest of my life in schools (which I hated)! After thinking about it, I realized that me not liking school is actually what drove me to be a teacher. I had some teachers who were not great. They were mean and didn’t care if you succeeded or not. I was always in trouble because teachers never changed the material to challenge me. Those teachers did not know what I needed, and I want to be a teacher who can do the opposite of that and meet my students needs. Looking back I realized that although I hated school, I did have some pretty great teachers also. My first grade teacher was one who was particularly influenced me. It was her first year out of college and she was young and energetic. She taught in a way that was fun, and changed the lessons to fit what was happening in our classroom. I remember learning about bugs in first grade, and my family found a praying mantis nest at our house. My first grade teacher allowed me to bring it in and taught us all about the parts of a bug and it’s life cycle by watching them hatch. She was so influential and one day I hope to be as kind and caring as her. All of my teachers from elementary school to my current college professors, are shaping the teacher I am going to be one day soon.
Pedagogy:
The one theorist that I believe really influences how I want my classroom to be is Maslow. His theory is about the hierarchy of needs. It basically says that students are unable to learn if their basic (Physiological) needs are not met. If students feel, hungry, thirsty, cold or not well rested, they
will not be coming to school ready to learn. Maslow’s theory also mentions the need for safety and security. This is also something that I aim for in my classroom. I personally love his theory because it inspires me to do as much as I possibly can for my students. I want to ensure that they feel welcomed and supported with whatever they need in my classroom. His theory does not necessarily impact my teaching, but it impacts my classroom environment. To learn more about Maslow’s theory, here’s a great article! https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
Who is Teaching the Why and How of the field?
In the field of Early education I think that my professors are teaching me the why and the how. I also think all of the teachers I had as a child taught me things I do want and do not want to do as a teacher. I ultimately think that we teach ourselves they why in our field. Each and every one of us has our own reason for teaching. (Even though everyone’s first answer is “for the kids”) We all went in to this field for a reason, and the more we experience the more we know about why we are all here.
Who Speaks the truth and shares insights with me?
I believe that all of you-fellow teachers, education majors, and professors speak the truth and share insights with me. Hearing all of the stories from other people’s experiences inspire me to do better and work harder. Many of my professors were teachers for many years, and they definitely are not afraid to tell us the truths of what happens in their classrooms. Collaboration with all of my peers allows new insights into the world of education. I can’t wait to call myself a teacher and hopefully share my insights with future educators like all of us!