I just finished my 18th year of teaching...wow, that is a HUGE number! As I looked around at the faces of teachers today when we were discussing student's grades, I saw complete exhaustion on most of them. Bags under the eyes, feet dragging, voices strained and tired...typical. When I first started teaching, a relative of mine who is not a teacher made this comment: "You teachers have it easy; you go to work about 8 a.m. and you are home by 3 p.m. What an easy life!" Only a non-teacher can make such a comment.
Funny things happen at the end of the year. Students who rarely paid any attention in class are suddenly participating during the last week, and being very friendly with me. Hmmmm, wonder what THEY want?
At the end of each year, I take a bit of time and try to do a bit of self-assessment. When I was a young teacher, I was really hard on myself, seeing all the mistakes I'd made, and I'd often feel quite down. Now that I can call myself a "seasoned" teacher, I have a bit more objectivity. Also, I ask myself very different questions now: Did I love that kid who constantly drove me crazy? Was I patient with the one who just doesn't have an ear for languages? How did I respond when students came to me asking miss my class for a "good cause"? Was I patient, kind, loving, caring, long-suffering, joyful, peaceful, good, gentle and did I show self-control? In other words, was I like the Master Teacher?
No comments:
Post a Comment