Many years have passed since the first day I walked into a classroom. I have walked a long way, I think, and still have a long way to go. But many things have changed, on the way. Actually, that was not a long journey in teaching, but a long journey in learning. I have decided on what kind of teacher I would like to be, through this process. There has been a list of personal inquiries all this time :
"What do I want my students to understand?"
"Am I doing things right?"
"How does my attitude affect the students?"
"Do I feel bad about anything that went wrong?"
"Did my students feel bad about anything that happened?"
"Have I taken into account all their personal needs and characteristics?"
"If I change my attitude towards their learning, do they change their attitude towards my teaching?"
"Am I facilitating the students' learning process? "
"Was my focus clear to them?"
"Did I listen to what my students had to say?"
"Am I following my planning and learning goals?"
"Has their work improved?"
"Do they feel happy?"
...................
...................
...................
"Can I please CLICK on their brains to look inside?"
Nevertheless, I am in the most advantageous position as their teacher. I have the chance to rethink, to plan again, to reform and reframe, to examine deeply any gathered information, to research and find any new, useful ideas, to change whatever went wrong and make things right, to REFLECT !
And all this must be done in August, before going back to school. Because then, I must be well-prepared to face a schoolyear full of challenges and small "inquiring" faces! How can I answer any of their "inquiries" if I haven't answered mine first?.......
Sites to help you plan and find useful teaching practices shared by the teaching community.
http://www.proteacher.org/
http://notjustcute.com/2012/08/06/planning-a-new-school-year-10-tips-to-give-you-a-head-start/
