In class, we are learning about becoming the best teachers we can possibly be. Easy enough right? I mean, we all went to school all these years and had plenty of teachers along the way, so we obviously have an idea of what its all about…Well, not exactly. I learned that us aspiring teachers need to hold back to what we think teaching is all about. Times are constantly changing and so should we. We can’t stick to what we are familiar with and what we are comfortable with.
In The Complexity of Teaching, It states “since most educational workplaces are organized around traditional learning and teaching methods, the teachers who enter the schools, no matter how they were trained, quickly slide into acceptance of the dominant practice of the school.” This is referred to “wash out”. In addition, “many beginning teachers were exposed to traditional instruction methods for most of their student lives, so the traditional view becomes their default philosophy of teaching.” After reading this, I think I fall into this category one way or another. I think I know the formation of teaching, but in reality i don’t. I merely have an idea. I can name a few teachers who I’ve looked up to over the years and pictured myself following in their footsteps by wanting to teach just like them. But I am beginning to learn that there is more to it. What I perceived to be excellent at that time, may not be the absolute best. The new generation of teachers need to branch out and resist falling back to our past. This creates a new outlook on a career like this because we were exposed to teaching for so many years. It is one of those jobs in which people are quick to judge in many ways, because over time, people all had different experiences. In order for schools to be better, we must stand our ground and start a new trend for students as we endure this new growing experience. I don’t think we should forget our past by any means, just not let it dictate who we become in the future.
In Other Words... 