What I loved most about reading this book is that all of the insights about teaching can also be applied to your everyday life. I found this particularly true with Chapter 6. I loved in the beginning of the chapter Durka spoke of self-doubt. I believe that anyone who has such a great effect on children has experienced self-doubt at one time or another. When you can have such a major influence on someones life it can be a scary thing. There is a lot of pressure on teachers to do the right thing. It is a major responsibility, so of course self-doubt is going to happen because you want to make sure that you are always doing or at least trying to do the right thing. I also loved that this chapter spoke of the vulnerability of being a teacher. As educators we put ourselves out there on a daily basis to be judged, criticized, and applauded for how we teach. It is an openness that not many people have to face with their careers.
Another aspect of this chapter that I enjoyed was when Durka spoke of motivating our students to WANT to learn. Anyone who has been in a classroom knows that it can be challenging trying to motivate a group of children to want to learn when most of them want to go outside and play. Especially when we even know sometimes the content we are teaching them can be boring. Not only do teachers have to motivate their students, they also have to be able to establish control in the classroom. We have to do all of this with knowing that no matter how hard we try or how good we are at what we do there will always be someone there to criticize what you are doing. This is true both in and out of the classroom. Teachers need to learn to not only open themselves up, but learn how to protect themselves and as Gini said the other day in class establish appropriate boundaries. There sure is a lot on the plate of a teacher!
What I enjoyed most about chapter 7 was the importance of nurturing yourself before you can nurture your students. This is so essential in not only being a healthy teacher, but a healthy person. This statement is not only true in teaching, but also your everyday life. You really need to be caring to yourself before you can care for anyone else. I am so excited to start my journey as a teacher. I not only look forward to the fun and exciting times I will have teaching, but also the tough times so that I may learn from them. I believe I am lucky to have been chosen or to have chosen the path of teaching. I look forward to every smooth path and rocky path that teaching will take me on. All around this book was really uplifting. I know that it will be one that I will look back on throughout my teaching career to give me inspiration.
Blessed be God!
ReplyDeleteMaureen,
You have shared about the importance of nurturing yourself before you can nurture your students. This is so true. We cannot give what we do not have. I always have admired those who always are looking how to have a strong spiritual life because I know it is not easy. However, we seek God but He already was looking for us.
Your journey already has started it because as Durka says, “the more we work on our inner life, the better teachers we will be: ;)
Maureen, Self-doubt is part and parcel of everyone's life.It makes us to become more human I feel.As it is said that "Action speakes louder than words," so also what we do or say directly or indirectly have influence in the lives of our students. I do agree with you that we need to care for ourself first before we care for others. As in the Bible we read, do to others as you would like them to do to you.
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