More than anything, I have the desire to make a difference in someone else’s life, and for this reason, I dream of being a teacher.  As that day draws closer, I think about what it means to teach and to be a great teacher.  A quote comes to mind when I think about what makes teaching such an incredible and rewarding career.  “In a hundred years, it will not matter how much was in your bank account, where you lived, or what kind of car you drove… what will matter is that you were important in the life of a child.”

    I believe that teaching is not simply speaking to a mass of bodies, but communicating with individuals.   Each child brings different experiences into the classroom, and these lend to their many different personalities and learning styles.  Children carry their troubles with them and are sometimes unable to “leave them at the door.”  Some carry more baggage than others.  I believe that it is important to take this into consideration when working with children, because these issues can affect every aspect of their lives.  I am a firm believer in focusing on the child and not the behavior when problems arise in the classroom, because I think it is more important to figure out the “why” than the “what.”  Another part of communicating with the individual is catering to each child’s learning style.  Not all children can learn a concept after reading about it in a text book.  They may need to “feel” the concept, sing about it, or even talk about it with their peers.  Just as we all have our own personalities, we also have particular strengths and weaknesses when it comes to learning.  It is important to set children up for success, and one way to do this is to help them figure out the way they learn best and cater to that need.  Teaching is helping the students find out what makes them special, and using it in a way to improve their self-concept and self-esteem.  To teach is not only to help students obtain information that will help them pass an End of Grade test, but it is to touch their lives in such a way that they will be successful not only in the classroom but in life as well.

     When the day comes that I finally have my own classroom, I will strive to be the kind of teacher that her students remember.  I want them to remember me as the one who encouraged them to do their best, made learning an adventure, and helped them figure out who they were and who they would soon become.  I believe that a “great teacher” makes an effort to get to know her students, their goals and dreams, their strengths and weaknesses.  I do, however, believe there is a fine line between teacher and friend, and I do not plan to overstep that boundary.  I want to be a friend to my students, as well as all of the other roles a teacher has (not listed in the job description).  They need to know that I love and care about them, and that they can trust me, but there comes a time when you have to decide which role you want or need to play in their lives.  It is important that your students respect you, and the only way you can gain their respect is to give it in return.  I think that sometimes, teacher’s get caught up in the desire to be likeable and lose sight of the main purpose of their career… to educate.  A phrase comes to mind as I think about this ideal and it is called “tough love.”  It is the kind of love our parents sometime have to give, in order to do what is best for us, and I think that as teachers, when we slip into our “parental” role, we need to initiate tough love at times too.   I think this illustrates that the teacher genuinely cares for her students, and is putting their needs above her desire to be liked.

    Along these same lines, I think that to be a “great teacher," it is important to take a risk with your students and give them a piece of yourself.  Though it is tough and scary sometimes to trust others with a part of yourself, I think it opens the doors of trust and respect for students to peak inside and realize that teachers are real people with real feelings too.  Once you establish that you are not much different from each other, just playing different roles at this time, then I think students will become more comfortable with you and trust you to figuratively take them to places they have never been.

     I believe that the environment and atmosphere you set up for your students have an enormous impact on their attitudes about learning.  It is important to set the stage for a “community of learners” in your classroom.  Students need to be allowed to work together, learn from each other, and help each other.  I think it is imperative that students collaborate and share ideas, because I believe we learn from each others’ experiences as well as our own.  We all bring something new and different to the table when we come together as a “community,” and through those varying views and ideas we can learn from a new perspective.  Talking and communicating are essential parts of the learning process, and I think we learn best when these aspects are incorporated into the classroom.  Creating a family-like classroom atmosphere is important to me as well.  I believe that it is important to feel comfortable and safe in the learning environment, and I want that for my future students.  Sharing thoughts, ideas, hopes, and dreams creates a more personal atmosphere, that encourages trust and understanding.  I want to give my students the option to share their “high” of each week, so that we can celebrate together the joys of their life.  I also want to encourage “catching acts of kindness,” because all too often, children, and adults as well, get wrapped up in pointing out another’s flaw and never see the excellence.  By helping them focus on the virtuous, I believe that an encouraging, supportive, and relaxed environment will be created.  Expectations are key to the success of a child.  Academically, and morally as well, if you set high expectations of your students, they are more likely to desire that goal.  If children know that you believe in them, even at times when they may not believe in themselves, it could make a world of difference in their effort, self-esteem, and overall self-concept.

     We as teachers have great power in the lives of others.  We can make or break someone’s self-concept personally and academically.  It is up to us to be supportive to their individuality, and view them as people with individual desires, problems, and needs.  I think one of the most important criterion for teaching is to love what you do and who you teach.  “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” - William Arthur Ward