The Importance of Saying Thank You to Teachers

I have officially finished my student teaching in North Carolina and it has left me with an incredibly bittersweet feeling.  I am so very excited for my upcoming trip to Brazil and am looking forward to everything in store for me there, yet I truly will miss my students who were all so very wonderful.  I am also becoming increasingly stressed about finding a job upon returning from my study abroad trip.

The constant barrage in the news of the “dire state of our education system” has left me feeling vaguely discouraged.  I am so very excited about becoming a teacher and enjoying what I have long considered to be the main benefit of teaching, and indeed the main reason I chose to pursue teaching as a career: the sense of fulfillment it provides to know that I am doing something meaningful and worthwhile with my life.  So many of the debates about education today focus on the negative aspects of the profession and those in the field, while losing sight of what makes education and educators such a unique bunch. By no means are all teachers wonderful teachers, but on the opposite end of the coin neither are all teachers bad.  In fact, I believe that most teachers probably have good days and bad days. 

Our education system certainly needs a change, which is part of what this study abroad in Brazil is all about.  By studying what other countries are doing to improve their education systems, we can perhaps adapt their ideas to meet our own needs and unique situations. 

However, we must also consider how our national conversation about teachers and education is affecting the desirability of teaching as a profession.  In order to ensure that individuals continue to choose teaching as an occupation we must remember to thank our teachers, tell them when they are doing a good job and help them do better when they are not meeting standards. 

Throughout my MAT program I have continuously learned about the importance of providing a positive model for students and of giving multiple positive remarks for every criticism handed down.  It has been found that this is the best way to keep students engaged with the material and striving to achieve beyond previous limits.  Yet our current education system lacks both positive models and positive feedback for teachers.  We must take this same advice given to MAT students and apply it to the treatment of teachers as we strive to better the profession. 

I have repeatedly mentioned on this blog the solitary nature of teaching.  Because no superiors, colleagues or peers see teachers working, compliments and positive feedback are few and far between.  In fact it is typically only given once a month to a handful of teachers at the faculty meeting.  (And I am saying this as a student teacher who has a cooperating teacher present in the classroom at all times and am continuosly provided feedback). Just this past week the teachers at the school I am placed in were required to go spend their planning period in another teacher’s classroom.  What a wonderful idea!  This idea has certainly been proposed before, but it is nice to actually see it being done.  Now if we could only incorporate this at all the schools on a regular basis.  How much we, as teachers, could learn from what our colleagues are doing just across the hall. 

From only a few months in the classroom I can attest to the often thankless nature of the job.   Those who do see the teacher working every day, the students, often at the time do not appreciate all the teacher does for them, particularly at the high school level. It is for these reasons that it becomes necessary for everyone: government, parents, communities and society at large to offer some positive feedback to teachers, to thank them for all that they do.  Certainly teachers must continue to receive constructive criticism, this is the only way to grow and develop as an educator.  However, teachers must also be reminded of why they chose to become a teacher in the first place, to know that they are appreciated and to continue to believe that what they are doing with their lives is meaningful and worthwhile.

My Teacher List

While I certainly do not have the insight of the millions of veteran teachers that have been in this profession for 10, 20 and 30 + years, I have discovered several things over the past two months student teaching.

A teacher must have:

·         

•     Tough skin
•          A sense of humor
•          An ability to laugh at oneself
•          An ability to say “I don’t know”
•          A willingness to help
•          A willingness to learn
•          A love of learning
•          A variety of “quick to eat” snacks
•          An ability to go many hours without using the restroom (this one is very hard for me)
•          A love of “teacher supplies”
•          An ability to bite one’s tongue
•          An appreciation of diversity and student’s prior knowledge
•          An acknowledgement that as a teacher, you often have no idea what each student is dealing with at home and in their personal lives
•          An ability to hide bad moods
•          Open-mindedness
•          Willingness to try new things
•          A positive outlook and ability to have fun
•          A 25 hour day
•          Unlimited copying privileges
•          Willingness to take criticism
•          Knowledge that you can’t please everyone
•          Knowledge that you may not always be loved
•     Knowledge that not always being loved is not necessarily a bad thing
•         An ability to explain why you are doing something
•     An ability to explain why you are making your students do something
•         Being an amazing actress (or actor)
•          A love of the subject you teach
•          A love of teenagers, and the wacky questions they will undoubtedly come up with
•          A genuine interest in the lives of students -- their non-academic interests and activities
•          Organization, organization, organization!
•          Planning, planning, planning!
•          Ability to be flexible and change plans at a moment’s notice
•          Ability to work in solitude… even when surrounded by students all day
•          Ability to handle a lot of paperwork
•          Creativity
•     An ability to say “No”
•          Negotiation Skills
•          Problem-solving skills
•       Ability to communicate with indifferent, irate and/or uncompromising parents
•          Knowledge of Justin Bieber, American Idol, Glee, Facebook and any other current trend of the moment
•          Unlimited energy… coffee helps – except for the need for bathroom breaks that it creates
•          Willingness to learn from students, they often have a great deal of knowledge to share
•          Ability to find the good qualities in each and every student that walks through the classroom door

I am certain that this list will expand as I gain more experience in the classroom, but I would say I have learned quite a bit in the past two months.  

More next week!

The Halfway Point

Wednesday of this week was the halfway point for my student teaching time in North Carolina.  It is amazing to think how quickly these past few weeks have flown by and how much I have learned in such a short period of time. 

Each day, as I look at the group of kids I have, I find myself feeling incredibly grateful.  I love each one of them so very much and am truly going to miss them when I leave next month.  I often wonder if I will find myself at a disadvantage next year when I get my own classroom because I will not have experienced a disruptive classroom environment during my time student teaching.  It will be a new challenge for me when I am finally faced with a serious classroom management issue. 

I, at the moment, am still abiding by my belief that if you respect the students they in turn will respect you.

My trip to Brazil is rapidly approaching and I am becoming increasingly excited and stressed.  There seems to be so much to take care of, from filling out job applications before I leave to getting the appropriate vaccinations, all while being sure to stay on top of my lesson plans and grading.  I suppose if I can make it through my semester student teaching I can make it through just about anything!

I am looking forward to meeting my “Brazilian Buddy” as our study abroad group has labeled them.  This is a student teacher in Brazil that I will be paired with for the duration of my stay.  I will have the opportunity to follow him or her throughout the various schools in Curitiba and together we will produce a final comparative analysis of the Brazilian and American education systems.  It will be an interesting challenge to produce an academic paper with another individual whom may or may not speak any English!

More next week, Adeus!

Exploring the Cultural Differences between Brazil and the United States

Geert Hofstede states that, “culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy.”  He is talking about the cultural variations that exist throughout the world, and the impact that these cultural differences can have on our interactions, business or otherwise.  Specifically, Hofstede explores five cultural dimensions: Power Distance Index, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty Avoidance Index, and Long Term Orientation. 

Here are the results of Hofstede’s research regarding the United States and Brazil:

It is important when visiting any new place, to be aware of cultural differences, particularly when working there.  According to Hofstede, the power distance index, or “ the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally” is much higher in Brazil than in the United States.  This does not surprise me too much as I am aware of the huge inequalities between the upper and lower classes in Brazil.  Individuality also was not too surprising as everyone is well aware of the United States being a highly individualistic society and most Latin American cultures being more collectivist in orientation.  Though, it is interesting to note that Brazil's individuality score is much higher than most other Latin American countries.

I did find the results for the final three cultural dimensions: masculinity, uncertainty avoidance index and long term orientation, to be slightly more surprising.

A description of all five cultural dimensions can be found on Hofstede’s website here:

I was not surprised by the designation of the United States as a masculine society as much as I was surprised by Brazil’s characterization of being less so.  I had in my mind a stereotype of the typical machismo Latino man and a woman tied to typical female gender roles.  I was also surprised that the US is considered lower in the Uncertainty Avoidance Index because we do tend to adhere to strict rules and laws, I had thought more than in a country such as Brazil.  I had long considered Latin American countries to embrace uncertainty and to “go with the flow” however, according to Hofstede’s research Brazil is a country that is very risk adverse and strives to control everything in order to eliminate the unexpected.  The results of the final cultural dimension of long term orientation did not surprise me for the United States though it did for Brazil.  However, after doing more research into the country, particularly Curitiba, I can see where the country would be considered high in thrift and perseverance.

I have found exploring these cultural dimensions to be immensely helpful in preparing me for my time in Brazil both in knowing what to expect and in being prepared to work with my Brazilian colleagues.

I believe these cultural dimensions can be useful in the classroom as well.  Our global society demands that students understand the complexities involved in cultural interactions and understand the sort of challenges that can arise in dealing with members of a society culturally different from their own.  I believe it is also valuable for high school students to be aware that there are resources, such as Hofstede’s research into various cultural dimensions, that can be used to gain an understanding and appreciation of the differences across various cultures.

Week Four: Let the Teaching Begin!

I just completed my first week of teaching, and what a learning experience it was!  Statistically I would say the week went pretty well: two awesome days, one average day and one horrible day (and one teacher workday).  So by the law of averages, I guess I will count my first week of teaching as a success.

The most important lesson learned:  every day is different.  This is one of the reasons I chose to pursue teaching as a career.  I tend to get bored easily and enjoy never knowing what to expect… and you certainly never know what to expect with 30 teenagers in a room.  From this I have also learned that one day a student will love you and the next they may hate you.  However, the teacher’s job is not to be a friend, but to teach.  I would of course love to be a friend that teaches, but am gradually recognizing the limits of being a friend to my students and the roles that I often may have to fill which will typically result in some students wishing I just hadn’t shown up that morning…

“You mean we have to write all that down?”

“Yes, you have to write all that down.”

Ultimately my goal is to have the respect of my students and to challenge them to grow academically and as individuals.  I am discovering however, that students often fight being challenged.  They often demonstrate fear of being wrong and don't believe they possess adequate knowledge, even though they often do.  My challenge and that of teachers everywhere, is to help students see that they can accomplish challenging tasks if they put in the effort and are willing to accept help.  In this one week alone I have seen several students get frustrated when I would not give them the answer to a question outright, when they were asked to think a question through and develop their own solutions.  Yet, when the light goes on and you can see understanding light up behind their eyes there is no better feeling.

I have also discovered this past week, the hard way, that I cannot please everyone all the time -- a life lesson if there ever was one!  At the conclusion of class on Friday I asked the students to provide me with anonymous feedback regarding my teaching and to note the various elements of the lessons they liked and disliked.  For every student that said they hated the group work, another would ask for more; and while many complained about taking notes, several mentioned that they actually LIKED taking notes.  This clearly illustrated for me a lesson stressed throughout my master’s program: the importance and necessity of teaching through a variety of methods.  While I want all of my students to have fun while learning and to be actively engaged through the entire class period, everyone learns differently.  Turns out Howard Gardener has a point.  I think that I did a fairly good job providing the material in different forms and geared to different learners, but will strive over these next few weeks to continue finding creative ways to teach to different learning styles.

I would have to say the best moment of the week was Friday before the start of second period.  As the students streamed in before the minute bell rang, several students stopped to tell me news about various aspects of their day.  One had received a bad mark on her report card and wanted to vent, another was excited to share her acceptance into a prestigious extracurricular program, and one just wanted to let me know that she knew I had missed her yesterday when she was absent.  It was at this moment that I knew for sure that I am going to love being a teacher!

Week 3 - Discovering Challenges

Well this week has certainly been full of edifying experiences.  The entire week was dedicated to exams, with Thursday and Friday reserved specifically for make-up exams.  Thus, there was not too much interaction with students this week.

I managed to get a firm grasp on the use of the copy machine and for the first time used the Scantron grader… I got cheers from the waiting teachers after my successful use of the ancient machine!  Ah…use of copiers and Scantron graders,  both very important skills for a teacher to have and experiences I am glad to have under my belt before the beginning of the next semester.

I have over this past week discovered the solitary nature of the teaching profession.  Though I am of course in the classroom with my cooperating teacher all day long, I do not very often see other teachers.  It is necessary, if the high school teacher desires any adult interaction, to step into another classroom and make that concerted effort.  I could see this being a challenge for me in the future as I am often apt to get lost in my work and lose track of time.  When I get my own classroom I will have to make a conscious effort to interact with fellow teachers throughout the day.

While I have been warmly welcomed by my cooperating teacher, administrators and teachers in other departments, I have found it difficult to truly make any connections with fellow teachers within my own department.  I am finding this difficult to accept, as I generally feel that people respond and open up to me very quickly.  I acknowledge that, with EOC exams and a new upcoming semester, this is a stressful period for teachers and that as a student teacher I am likely viewed as someone that is merely passing through; yet I really want to fit in with the teachers and become a part of the team.  This has been a challenge for me over the past week.

I have always felt that food is an excellent way to warm people up to you, so I brought Krispy Kreme doughnuts in for the department teachers on Friday.  The department chair made it a point to come down to the room and ask my name -- no longer am I so-and-so's student teacher!

Lesson Learned:  Yet again, food proves to be the best way to people’s hearts!

The new semester begins on Tuesday which leaves me with a mixture of emotions.  I am very excited to finally have the opportunity to teach.  Aside from the one lesson I taught last semester, I have not yet had any actual teaching time.  Therefore, as one might guess, there is a certain degree of apprehension in my household this weekend.

Fear of failure is always present for me, yet it is this same fear that encourages me to strive for success.  I do believe that over the past three weeks my mind has covered most probable worst-case-scenarios and I have adequately prepared for them.  Classroom management is the main concern.  Though I do have a Classroom Management Plan in place, this plan is only theoretical as I have never actually put it into practice before.  One can never tell how they will react when an actual situation arises.  Therefore, I can only say that I shall keep you updated on my classroom management strategy!

Wish me luck… Tuesday is the big day!

Week 2 – HELLO EOC’s

Week two of student teaching is coming to a close.  As I sit here typing, the clatter of the keyboard echoes through the open door and down the empty hallway.  This week I saw my first snow day, my first illness as a teacher, and the EOC exams.  Luckily for me the illness and snow day landed on the same day!  Thursday and Friday were spent proctoring exams…. quite the experience!  The long hours of watching students bubble in answers were daunting.  I can’t help but think that four hours to sit in a room taking one test is an unbearable burden for a sixteen year old adolescent.  Yet, the majority of students finished well in advance and one ingenious young girl pulled out her pillow and managed to take a nap I was envious of. 

Portuguese lessons are continuing... what a mentally arduous process learning a new language is.  This is a task every teacher should undertake so as to allow them a greater understanding of the challenges their own ESL students face on a daily basis.

Continuing with my lesson plans this weekend, as well as working on my Portuguese - and enjoying my Monday off!

More next week – Ciao!