Truth be told, I did not start out with the desire to become a teacher. I really liked school until third grade when the math got hard and my teacher, though I'm sure her intentions were good, made me feel less than for not being able to handle fractions. I worked really hard to a point and then just prayed for a C so my parents would be happy. School has always been a challenge for me both academically and socially. I do not have a learning disability or social disorder to speak of but for some reason, other than reading and writing, I really struggled to do well. Many people assume I was a straight A student but the reality is I was a solid B-B+ student from third grade on. I think my struggle and teaching myself strategies for success guide my teaching. I understand when students say "reading is hard because they're a slow reader" because that is my truth as well. I had to develop methods for myself to make reading easier for me and I do my best to give my students the tools they need for success. I think the most important teaching tool in my arsenal is my ability to listen and persevere through the challenges learning presents. I listen to my students when they ask a question, when they speak to me, and more importantly, when they speak to each other. I've learned students only tell the truth when they're alone or have perceived isolation. I don't know why but students forget that I can hear their conversations and while I would rather not hear about their antics last Saturday night for the most part, I learn important information that guides my teaching. "Jimmy" works two jobs, takes care of his siblings, and will be joining the military when high school is over to help support his family because his dad left. "Julie" just wants to be a medical doctor, why should she care about the nuance of Fitzgerald's narrative technique in The Great Gatsby. "Mike" wants to go to UCLA and major in business and become a major CEO by age 25 and retire. These are just a few of the students I see on a daily basis. I hear them and they make me want to get better. My perseverance is important to the challenges teaching presents as well. I don't think of myself as a quitter. My parents always said that once you've committed to something you see it through to the end. I can't say I haven't wanted to quit this job because it just wouldn't be true. I can say that being a teacher has shown me how fortunate I was to have parents who cared for me and the quality of my character. It has taught me the immeasurable value of being a life-long learner. My students have had too many adults quit on them and while I know I can't save them all hopefully I will be one adult who didn't give up. Nine years later, I cannot imagine being anything other than a teacher because the rewards this profession brings cannot be seen in bank statements, if that's how people defining success, but rather in smiles, laughs, and the students who say "Thank you!" I rambled here. I will do my best to be more precise and concise in future posts. I will share what I know about teaching, learning, and what my students are doing in the classroom.
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AuthorMy name is Sarah Todd and I teach freshmen and junior English in Southern California. Archives
August 2018
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