How are you, or is your approach, different than your favorite teacher?
I've been thinking about this post all week.
I'm stuck.
I look back fondly on my years in school and yet...
I don't have a favorite teacher. Is that weird? I liked so many of my teachers.
But I just don't remember much about them.
I have things I remember about them.
I only remember one field trip, but I must have gone on a few...
Elementary school highlights include the time Mrs. Carpenter brought a card to my house when I had the chicken pox.
Making cardboard computer in third grade with Mr. Ray. We made a little red light turn on by touching brads with the correct answers.
My fourth grade teacher Ms. Regan reading The Black Cauldron to us each day after lunch.
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The Royal Readers field trip in fifth grade where I met Jane Yolen and she signed a copy of The Acorn Quest that I still have today. She's still one of my favorite authors and I LOVE Owl Moon!
Middle school? My PE teacher looked like Richard Simmons.
Dances. Oh, the slow dances. Kind of awkward when your dad is the principal.
Why don't I remember anything about my teachers?
High School
I remember Driver's Ed, taking behind-the-wheel lessons in a giant boat of a car.
Hands-on learning indeed.
The Scarlet Letter with Mrs. Schuler.
Dissecting earthworms is actually the most awesome thing I remember! (And for some reason I did it twice!) They have ten hearts, but WHO was my teacher then? And why did I not dissect a frog?
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What stands out to me more than anything is how much I don't remember. More than anything, as a teacher, I wanted my students to remember what they learned, how they felt, to be excited about learning. I still feel that way.
And although I can't say I had a favorite teacher, I can say without a doubt that I loved learning when I could make something or explore something. I still love books as much as I loved The Black Cauldron as a 9-year old. I will never forget meeting an author in person and I still feel like I'm meeting a movie star when I meet authors today, or even when they reply to my Tweets!
More than anything, I remembered how my teachers made me feel.
Do you have an example of a student who loves learning much the way you do?
ReplyDeleteI loved how your article took me back to my school days :) I remember having a favorite teacher, Ms. Renu. She was so loving and always helped the students who needed her attention and she encouraged kids to explore. I was so shy and she helped me express myself. I have had teachers through out middle school and high school that I learned so much from but Ms. Renu always stood out because she made me feel good about myself. Love the quote. thanks again for the article.
ReplyDeleteSupreet