Teaching

Today has been an interesting day for me. I have been busy for the past five hours recording scores, writing notes to students for the close of the quarter, and making lesson plans for next quarter. I've always thought that this would be the thing that I would dread most if I was to become a teacher, but I'm honestly enjoying making these lesson plans and getting all of my stuff organized. I'm realizing that I REALLY like to be organized! Most of the time I'm just to lazy to put forth the effort to arise to my perfectionist ideals as to how something should be organized, so I usually end up just winging it. The funny thing is that I am honestly enjoying getting doing this stuff! I will probably say that a few more times before I'm done writing this because I'm pretty darn shocked.

It's making me think more and more as to whether or not I want to be a teacher. I have never given teaching more of a consideration than I am right now. I love teaching in the classroom, especially when I'm prepared, and I find myself liking teaching more. The more classes that I teach, the better I want to be at what I'm teaching. I hate it when half my class isn't understanding something in Algebra and it gives me the incentive to really take the time to look over my lesson plans so I can help them get it.

I've always enjoyed people's company and talking, but if there is one where I thrive- it is when I can help somebody grow. I have had so many teachers who have shaped who I am and I in turn want to give back to society by helping shape kid's lives. I was a little bit unsure as to how to deal with these kids when I first got here because I wasn't sure of the culture. After about the 3rd or 4th week I realized that they are just kids and they have the same emotions, insecurities, and hormones flowing through them as every other high school student does.

When I was teaching the 9th grade Vocab class the other day I remembered the chaotic gamut of emotions when I was 15. I don't know why it came up, but when it did I just laughed to myself and suddenly all of my students looked so much different to me. The crazy Sudanese girl who is always so standoffish and straight up rude became a girl who is insecure and needs approval. The Egyptian boy, Shenouda, who is always disrupting my class turned into a kid who isn't getting enough attention at home and needs people to recognize him.

I'm realizing, as the time passes, that I'm becoming an important person to many of my students. I know that I have the power to shape them and mold them into better people. I see that I have the opportunity to help them become more self-assured. I have the chance to show them that there is someone who cares about them. I'm beginning to understand that teaching might be what I'm supposed to do with my life. As I'm writing this, there is a flood of thoughts and doubts running through my head of, "are you sure?!"

I've had many good teachers in my educational career and I can say that I've also learned what makes a good teacher and a bad teacher. I enjoy teaching and that is something that everyone of my good teachers had, they enjoyed what they taught. Often times a teacher will sometimes just enjoy the subject that they teach and they might not have the personality for it, but I think I have the personality of a teacher. I'm patient, creative, understanding, analytical, and sometimes I have a sense of humor.

I'm still quite a kid at heart and I think that is something that is needed to connect with kids. I think that is the most important thing a teacher does is to connect with their students. Two of my favorite profs at WWU were Gary Wiss and Tom Thompson. They were in their 70's, but they had they were still kids at heart. They were really hyperactive and I would've never guessed they were in their 70's if they hadn't told me so. They were happy because they were livning a truly fulfilled life. I feel pretty fulfilled being here. Maybe I am supposed to be a teacher... Time will tell all and one thing is for sure, this day will stand out in my memory as a day of an enlightenment. I've had an epiphany as to one of the things I KNOW that I'd like to do with my life.