Self-Esteem: All about the Earned

Intro

In the article entitled "Phony vs. Earned Self-Esteem" by Joel Wade, he states, "fkdkajfkljfdkl."

Within my brain, I see myself as having an earned self-esteem.

Conclusion

Nice to Know You

This past week, the Teacher Cadets have worked on a few "get-to-know-you's" under the disguise of Welcome Back activities.  During one of these such events for the BHS faculty during our in-service days, Arkansas' Teacher of the Year Randi House encouraged all teachers to take ten days and do just that...get to know students.  Later, that day Mr. Campbell supported that thought...just with fewer days.  I agree...especially at the high school level.  Why all this emphasis, though, on such activities?

Taking the time to chat and listen and engage allows greater opportunities to get to know one another.  Many educational leaders argue that this should be the primary purpose of all teachers.  Hummm...I do agree...(to some extent...more about this later), for teachers do impact lives, often becoming the person/role needed in a student's life.  For instance, just this week, I heard a student say about her third grade teacher, "She was my mom when I did not have one."  Ahhhhh...that is inspiring.  Truly.

Another reason for such activities...one I have never heard mentioned...is that students need to know one another and make connections with each other's backgrounds.  These conversations may be the beginning of a friendship that will develop throughout the year.  If nothing else, empathy...sometimes sympathy...may increase as students share the good...and the bad...and ugly...about their "real" lives outside the walls of this institution called Batesville High School.

Of all the activities, two have tied for my attention over the last week:  the Appositive Poems with my English classes and Life in a Bag.  (Or, at least thus far...as we have more scheduled for class tomorrow!)  Through these small glimpses into their lives, I begin the journey...sometimes a roller coaster ride!...to getting to know each of my students.  More than just their names...why they are who they are.  Always interesting.  Always a journey.

So...ten days?  Less?  The message remains:  time spent getting to know your students is valuable...and a lesson I am still learning (yes, here in year 28!), for as a secondary teacher, I tend to want to dive into the curriculum areas I love and allow those discussions to start that way.  But.  I am still learning...to slow down...and chat...and listen...for I do believe the payouts will be beneficial.

Soooo....

Hello.  How are you?  Which "Get-to-Know-You" have you most enjoyed...either in this class or in another...?

2018...and Teacher Cadets

Initial Thoughts on Being a Teacher Cadet Teacher

Exciting!  I so enjoy working with those who aspire to be teachers.  This, I have been privileged to do for several years, first, working with students through Lyon College in the Secondary English Methods class and now through our high school and local community college UACCB via the Teacher Cadet/Introduction to Teaching Class.  Last year's group included seven very inspiring young prospects; now this year, eight more have joined this prestigious group!

Why I Want to Teach

Not until my second semester of senior year did I ever presume to be a teacher, hoping to one day be one of those ladies that sit in the windows at banks and receipt money.  Then, about springtime in 1985, the idea was planted, cultivated, and came to harvest with my receiving the first of three degrees in education.  That fall, I began what has now become a 27 year career in education, having now taught English, journalism, debate, drama, and now this Teacher Cadet class to what must be nearly 3000 students.  Very awesome.  Very blessed to have been able to accomplish what I was born to be.

I teach to better prepare a person for life after me, whether that be high school, college, or on the job, as I also teach teachers in professional development classes.  I teach to inspire all of them to be more than what they were before they entered my class.  I teach to ensure success in their literary endeavors and with working with students using accomplished and mastered methods.  I teach to encourage all to be better writers and more avid readers than they once were.

Please go here to read more about those who inspired me to be.

Initial Thoughts on Education

Trends come.  Trends go.  In my previous twelve years here, I have witnessed at least a half a dozen shifts in curriculum.  Thus, one must be willing to change. To give up.  To expect less.  To never give up.  To expect more. 

Oxymorons.


All realities.

Here's what I know:  Education should be a blend.  When one goes too far to one side or the other, yes, the other side gets left out.  I firmly believe that no one method will ever solve any problem or concern. 

Here's what I know:  No one teacher style is ever the right one.  I do firmly believe that a teacher should always be striving to learn what his/her style is and then always, always, always work to better that method to ever become who he/she was born to be.

I am living what I was born to be.  I am beyond blessed.

Thoughts about The Eight Newbies

Interestingly, most of these plan to teach junior high or high school; whereas, last year's group were all elementary!  Therefore, as the year progresses, I can see myself modifying some assignments to better fit their chosen curriculum areas.

I am very much looking forward to working with these young teacher wanna-be's!

My Face in Education

Today, I gave this final blog assignment to the Teacher Cadets:

Your Face in Education?

• Jolly
• Stern
• Curriculum-Driven
• Distant
• Emotional

• Other? 

Then, I began to think...and ponder...and reflect...

Hummmm...

I am fairly certain that my students see me as stern, curriculum-driven, and maybe even distant?

My Philosophy of Education

Just as every child progressively learns, sometimes uniquely, other times comprehensively, throughout his/her educational career, so should every educator be ever learning about his/her curriculum or grade level and growing with the times and trends, for not to be learning is to become stagnant, a condition that ultimately costs the best for our students.

The responsibility of education lies not in just one single entity but within multiple sources, from the drivers who transport the students, to the ladies who prepare the foods that nourish body and mind, to the teachers who work minute by minute, hour by hour, with these future citizens, to the support staff and administrators who make the decisions that better facilitate the positive learning environment, to the families and communities that provide the encouragement and support for the well-rounded learning experience that each child needs.  It takes a village.

Choose at least four of the following:

• ·         Students
• ·         Teachers
• ·         Administrators
• ·         Support Staff
• ·         Families
• ·         Communities

Concluding Thoughts

Break It Down! School Breaks Needed!

Having just spent 17 days out of school (yay!), may I suggest that these breaks are needed...quite much so. 

Unless you are a parent...as they seem to appreciate teachers even more during such breaks!  Hummmm...are schools really just a state-paid-for babysitting system?  No!  Well, that certainly is not the true intent...although this does seem to be a perk for many parents. 

Schedule makers, we are!  Attending school on a regular basis does assist in our adopting a routine.
Mondays get us going until Hump Day on Wednesday, after which we glide into Friday afternoons with a smile on our faces...until Sunday evening when begin to dread the routine...that begins again on that Monday morning.