Being a beginning teacher will probably be the most exciting time in my life! However, it will probably be really stressful. What will probably help most is getting support from the teachers that have been at the school for a while and have lots of experience. We touched on this in class a little bit; Jill talked about how when you are a beginning teacher you will want to latch onto the positive teachers and use them for resources and to not be afraid to ask them for help. I think this little piece of advice really goes a long way! Teachers who work together are more successful, and I have heard that from many, many professors and teachers.
My friend, Teddy, is a high school Spanish teacher. Teddy always talks about how working together and collaborating with the other teachers in his school really helps him grow and develop as a teacher, as well as come up with innovative ideas for his lessons. He says that without all of this support, he would feel lost and would not have nearly the quality of lessons he does now. This is really astounding! I really am a strong believer in the fact that teachers learn the most about teaching from the people who have actually experienced teaching in a great deal, who have made mistakes, and who are willing to share things that work in their own classroom with new teachers who are looking for new ideas.
It is really beneficial to my classmates and I that we have professors who have been through teaching before, and know exactly what we need to learn in order to be successful teachers. I am very thankful for that because I feel as if I am really learning what I will actually need to know when I am a teacher. I really love hearing real, authentic stories about things that happen in the classroom from professors that have experienced exactly what we will be experiencing in our near futures. These little stories are way more beneficial than some people realize!
I really hope that in my future school the teachers will collaborate with each other and work together to improve their teaching skills. It is literally the easiest way in the entire world to learn! Maybe some day down the road I will eventually return the favor and help out a beginning teacher when I am the more experienced teacher in the school!
Hi Christy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thoughtful post! One thing I am wondering: when we are teachers, how can we seek out mentors and build systems of collaboration in our schools? I know many schools already try to use collaborative models, but if they are not in place, what can we look for in teachers that will make them good collaborators and mentors?
Christy,
ReplyDeleteI think you're exactly right. Our first year of teaching is going to be the hardest because everything will be new to us. But hopefully we can latch onto a teacher who has been doing it for years who can support us in a positive way. However, that's the thing about teaching, we are constantly learning new things. Even if you've been a teacher for 15 years there is always new things we can learn. We have to learn from other teachers mistakes and learn from our own mistakes. We have to be flexible!
Hi Christy!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. I feel like one of the pieces of advice that I have heard the most is to make sure you surround yourself with positive people who will be a good support system. There's no denying that the first year will be hard, so we'll all need that! I also think it's important to make sure that we do not become the negative people we are told to avoid. We need to embody the positivity of others and become the people that new teachers will seek out!
Christy,
ReplyDeleteI think this post is so relevant to my thoughts about teaching right now. I am so nervous and excited about taking the leap into this career and I think having good networks of teachers and asking questions is the best way to be successful. I think there is something to be learned from every interaction we have with other professionals in the fields. I hope that I am with a teacher that has a really effective teaching style during my student teaching because that time is so crucial in learning before being set off on your own! I think you will be just fine, and I am hoping that working with other teachers will make things a little easer!. Lucy also makes a good point, how can we find those mentors who are going to be useful aids in our learning?
I like how you included personal experience in your response. It shows that you have a connection with the concepts we have been learning in class. I think the point you mention about how teachers should collaborate is a very good point. I hope to find teachers I can collorbate with in my school, too!
ReplyDeleteChristy,
ReplyDeleteThis blog is exactly how I feel about teaching! I am really nervous for my career to start but I am also very excited. I think that networking is also important to have so it's easy to get help and support. My brother is an elementary teacher and he is in his third year of teaching. It's nice to have someone there who helps me out now when I am stuck, and it will also be super helpful when I become a teacher.
Christy,
ReplyDeleteI thought you did a fantastic job with your post! I especially enjoyed how you touched base on the importance of teachers working together collaboratively. I agree with you and think it's important that teachers have a strong work relationship since everyone can benefit from one another. I hope too that when I'm the most experienced teacher I can be a source to go too if anyone ever needs help! Great job and keep up the great work.
Jared Weisberg
Christy,
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you made it to the most recent Armstrong Panel, but a lot of the panelists talked about the importance of finding positive influences at school. This idea of finding positive influences has been repeatedly stated by professors and teachers alike. I feel that there is a good reason as to why this is the case. Finding other positive peers not only helps with your own teaching but also helps to create a community of teachers who aspire to be better teachers to their students.