Teaching as a Profession

(Today’s post is for the letter T in the A-Z challenge.)

In Why I NEVER Recommend Teaching as a Profession from The Tempered Radical, Bill Ferriter states,

“I came to pretty startling realization this week, y'all:  If I had it to do all over again, I'm pretty darn sure that I wouldn't choose teaching as a profession.”

When I read statements like this, it makes me sad. But it also made me look back at my career to decide if I agreed or disagreed with this. I’m happy to announce that I disagree with this totally.

Yes, there have been tough times in my teaching career and times when I have been utterly frustrated and depressed. But looking back at my whole career, if I had a chance to do it again, I definitely would. I might make some changes to the way I did things and also the attitude I had at certain times but overall, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The main reason why I say this is because I made a difference. No, I didn’t make a lot of money and no, I didn’t receive a lot of gratitude but I know I changed some lives for the better.

I don’t feel that I wasted any year in such a way that my students did not learn something or benefit from my teaching or knowledge.

The exciting thing for me is when I meet a former student and they let me know how something I said or did impacted their lives that they are living now. It gives me a secret thrill to realize that I may not be famous or rich but I have left a tiny mark on the future. These are the little “marks” that I know about and who knows how many other “marks” are out there that I don’t know about (and I hope they are mostly positive!).

I have always wanted to be a teacher ever since I was a little girl. I worked towards this dream and accomplished it. I realized that just becoming a teacher wasn’t the end of my dream but just the beginning. Every year I wanted to be a better teacher who was effective and able to change lives for the better.

It saddens me to see people think they want to be a teacher but want to be one for all the wrong reasons. Some think it is a way to get into coaching or some think it is an “easy” job. Some don’t realize how labor intensive teaching is, not to mention emotionally draining at times. I see many former teachers going into retail businesses or waiting on tables because they make more money or they don’t have to do so much paperwork.

I tend to think that any career that a person goes into is going to be labor intensive and emotionally draining if it is done right. This person puts 100% or more into being great at what they plan to do. I believe in that saying that “you get out of it what you put into it” and maybe that is why I loved teaching. Those who reluctantly put themselves into something won’t reap the same benefits as someone who willingly puts their everything into it.

I’m not saying that teaching is for everyone. I’m just saying that I am glad I went into teaching and have never regretted a minute of doing so.

If you are a teacher, would you do it over again? Why or why not? Please share.

Image: 'Teaching is not Rocket Science'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91312924@N00/2942564830

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 5/4/12

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Note: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.

Levels: E: Elementary; M: Middle; H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers

Subject Areas: LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing; M: Math; S: Science; Health; SS: Social Studies, Current Events; FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama; FL: Foreign Language; PE: Physical Ed; C: Career; A: All

Electrocity - “ElectroCity is an online computer game that simulates, in a very simplified way, energy management in New Zealand. ElectroCity allows players to create their own city and explore different approaches to energy and the environment. It is educational and fun.” (L:M, H ; SA: S )

HumanLine - “Humanline.com is a visual library related to our civilization's history, art and science. Our dream is to collect as many visual material as we can and contribute to the preservation of the world's heritage.” (L: G ; SA: A )

Hydro to Home - “Join us on the interactive journey of clean energy. Learn how all the rain and snow that falls in our province is harnessed as energy, how it makes its way to our homes and ultimately how it powers our lifestyles.” (L: G ; SA: S )

Engineering Interact - “Interactive science and engineering for 9-11 year olds” (L: E ; SA: S )

Wide World Science: Lizard Project! - “We are excited to present the very first "Youngzine Live!" series by Aaron Reedy. Aaron and the rest of the team are working on a National Geographic funded Lizard Project and are passionate about bringing science from the field to classrooms.” (L:E, M; SA: S)

Original Image: Tools by Pat Hensley

The Joy of Simplicity

(Today’s post is for the letter S in the A-Z challenge.)

In 7 Steps to KISS the Spring (Reclaim balance when your life is crazy) by coolcatteacher@gmail.com, Victoria A Davis, Cool Cat Teacher, gives great steps to keeping life simple. Check out her whole post to get the full benefit of her ideas. She is one of my favorite bloggers that I follow (not creepy stalking kind of follow but fan-girly hero worship type of follow because she has such valuable ideas and information to share). She asked her sister for some advice on not being overwhelmed and her advice was to

"Keep it Simple, Sister."

I thought this was great advice that I need to keep reminding myself to do.

Sometimes I bog myself down with all the details. I make lists, lots of lists! I have lists that list the lists. I spend lots of time reviewing and checking off items from my list. Then I stress out about what I may have forgotten to list. If I add things to my list, I have to go to the original spreadsheet on my computer to edit the master list so I will have it next time. I spend all day agonizing over the lists and wonder why in the world I even want to go anywhere!

Suddenly I realized that I was getting too wrapped up in the lists! This week we decided to go tent camping at our local state park. Of course I had my list and I decided to pack the car on Sunday but only spending an hour doing that. After that, I stopped and made myself do something that I enjoyed doing. That afternoon, I reviewed the list again and gave myself an hour to do what else needed to be done. That time in between gave my brain time to rest and keep me from stressing out. I was able to pack calmly and actually enjoy the thought of going camping.

My husband is so much more laid back about traveling than I am. He has no lists and waits for the last minute to pack his suitcase. His theory is that if he forgot anything, he could go buy it as long as we have our money and/or a credit card. He keeps things very simple and seems to enjoy himself a lot more.

On a daily basis, I have decided not to bog down on too many stressful things. As Vicki suggested, I am keeping a list of must-do items on my calendar. Each day I have assigned specific chores to do in the house. After I accomplish that one thing, I am done with my chores. Over a 2 week period, I have my whole house clean and start the routine over. Since there is just the two of us living here, we really don’t have a dirty house. It is more cluttered than dirty. This gives me more time in the day to do the things I enjoy without feeling any guilt. It really is working out well.

So, if you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, try to spread out the things that overwhelm you. Do you really have to get everything done right now? Can you do the routine things on specific days instead of all at once? List the things that you have to do (immediate one time things along with routine things). Have a calendar at hand and see if you can schedule these to be done over time rather than right now. Sometimes if you have a visual of when things need to be done, it can help you see that things are not as bad as you thought.

Once you get your life simplified, you can share this strategy with students. Many students are pushed into seeing the urgency of everything. Sometimes they get overwhelmed that they feel paralyzed (even I have felt that way before). Wouldn’t it be great if they learned to simplify their lives too at an early age?

What do you do to simplify your life? Please share?

Image: '8/52 - Simplicity'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32876353@N04/6783218380

Love and Haight - A Book Review

(Today’s post is for the letter R for Review in the A-Z challenge.)

I recently read the book LOVE & HAIGHT by Susan Carlton which was mentioned on The Picnic Basket. This is the review that I gave the book (I am not being paid to give this review):

It is definitely a YA book. I'm not sure the subject matter would be appropriate in a school library but I think it would be okay in a public library. It seems as if drugs and abortions are a main focus in the book and it would come up as a topic of discussion (and the parents of our students are just not ready for that to happen in a school setting). I grew up during this time and drugs and abortion was not the only thing about 60s that was memorable but this book will make young people think that is all there was to that era.

I would give this book a 3 out of 5.

Questions

(Today’s post is for the letter Q in the A-Z challenge.)

I try my best to encourage my students to ask questions. I may not know the answer but I will help them find the answer if I don’t know it. I have a chance to learn something too!

When I was growing up, I was told it was rude to ask questions. My parents expected me to do what was asked without asking why so I had a hard time in school with questions. I was terrified to ask a question and was willing to not understand. I was under the impression that teachers would consider me rude or insubordinate if I asked questions even though they encouraged it.

With my own background in mind, I try to remember that some of my students may feel the same way. So, when planning a lesson, I try to come up with questions that they might ask and plan on answering them. I even go over the questions as well as the answers when I’m reviewing a lesson. I might even tell them that these questions might be on a quiz or a test which helps some of them focus more on what I am saying.

There are also the students who won’t ask a question because they are afraid of looking “dumb” in front of their peers. I want to encourage these students to ask questions and I have to find a way to encourage them without scaring them. I sometimes meet with them one on one so they can ask questions. I ask questions so I can check out if they understand what I am telling them. Sometimes this helps them having to ask the question first. I also monitor what they are doing so I can see which steps they don’t understand.

Because of the way that I was brought up, not only didn’t I know how to ask questions but I didn’t know how to form the questions. So, not only should we encourage students to ask questions but teach them how to ask questions and what questions to ask.

Even today when I go to seminars, I try to observe questioning techniques. I also listen to the types of questions that are asked and how they are worded. It shows me how certain questions lead to certain understandings. This helps me guide questioning in my own classroom.

How do you encourage students to be more successful in asking questions? Please share?

Image: 'questions'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35880157@N06/4810954845