This I Believe

It’s the first day of school. The slate is clean, ready to be written on. The halls of the school feel fresh, vibrant, and full of unknown experiences. New sneakers. New book bags. New schedules. Another year. The exited murmur of students is heard throughout. In classrooms, they wait in anticipation of the new teacher. Thoughts and questions race through their minds: What will the teacher look like? Are they nice or mean? Easy? Hard? Then the new teacher walks in armed with knowledge and training yet everything is obsolete. What am I to do with all these students? How can I teach them? In the classroom, this moment defines all.

What is my theory of teaching? Effective teaching is communication between the instructor and the pupil that engages, educates, and enhances both parties. I use the word ‘communication’ instead of words, such as ‘lecture’ or ‘discourse,’ because communication implies both parties are actively working together. It is the instructor’s responsibility to be prepared to present the necessary material in a clear, concise manner. Also, the instructor should prepare with a variety of instruction methods. It is the pupil’s responsibility to ask questions, learn the material, and comprehend the underlining concepts.

I address my theory of teaching in the singular, most simplistic form. How does this alter with the complexity of multiple students and one instructor? We, as teachers, are striving to reach all students. We want them to learn, understand the importance, and to improve and find themselves in the academic world. We must understand every student learns differently but by implementing a few, effective techniques we can reach them.

As a future teacher, I want to share my passion in learning. If I reach just one student or just a few in my career, I will consider it a success. There’s an underlying principle in biology that illustrates this concept. Many species mass produce sperm cells with the intention of fertilizing an egg to pass on their genetic information to the next generation. From observation, it is apparent that not all sperm cells fertilize an egg. For example, during the spring, trees produce pollen that covers our cars, affect our allergies, and occasionally reaches its target--fertilization. The students are the seeds. We, as teachers, spread an enormous amount of knowledge, or pollen, in hopes to reach our target. From that tiny fertilized seed, giants of the forest emerge and the cycle continues. It is an eternal cycle. Always growing and learning and spreading. If one student or a few is reached, they have the potential to reach thousands.

My theory of teaching mainly is based on personal experiences and influential teachers. I know discussion of religion is not seemingly in the classroom but my religion underlines my personal experiences. I’ve been taught eternal principles, to ask questions, and seek for answers. I love learning about the world around me. My life is my personal quest and exploration of the world. How will this affect my teaching practice? My practice will be very professional, only addressing the subject material in the curriculum. While my practice is professional, I can infuse my passion by preparation, knowledge, and incorporating relevant outside sources, such as new findings and on-going experimentation, into the curriculum.

It’s the last day of school. The halls are old, experienced, and smell funny. The sneakers are old and worn. The book bag has traveled many miles. The last test is finished. A sigh of relief exhales from every student and teacher. There’s a moment of reflection before the last bell. The students find their once clean slates are filled with knowledge and questions. The year closes. The teacher wonders if they reached anyone. Was all the stress and frustration worth it? They are asking themselves if they were ever truly prepared to teach these students. Yet knowing they will never be prepared enough.