(and some still considering...)
I have mentioned before (here) that I have the privilege of teaching the introductory course for the Teaching and Training Pathway at Cheney High School. The class is called "Teaching as a Career" or many times as I refer to it as my "future teachers."
I LOVE this class. And these students.
This class has been insanely hard to prepare for as a teacher. There is SO MUCH to learn about teaching, how do you narrow it down? Where do you start? How much "teaching" should they do? Where do you go observe? How often do you observe? What should the final look like? How do you teach it? How do you take the material from a college level textbook (that expects the class to be "sit and get") and create lessons that reflect best teaching practices?
I have enjoyed spending the last year getting to know these eight high school students. Their personalities say so much about what their classrooms will look like someday (IF they choose teaching...there are still a few "undecideds")
After spending the year with them and watching their opinions about school and education develop, I wanted to make them something, something that would show them what I SEE IN THEM and what they could do with their classrooms someday.
So I started writing. I created an "Inspirational-Educational saying" that was based on each student and what topics, theories and ideas they seemed to latch onto. And then I went to one of my favorite classroom tech tools...Adobe Spark and created these.
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This young lady, was my youngest in the class, as a Sophomore, she was adamant that teachers be respectful of students as they require respect from their classes. She will make sure that she never calls out a student's mistake in front of the class. Such wise advice for us all!
I expect this lady's classroom to be filled with bright colors and creative activities that make students want to be in her classroom, instead of "have to be" there. She is one of the most creative thinkers I have met and I can't wait to see what she does!
God Bless her. She wants the "littles." Kindergarten. And she will be great at it! She really seemed to take a liking to the Multiple Intelligence theory and loves the idea of coming up with various ways for students to learn and interact with content. As my oldest heads off to Kindergarten in August, I hope her teacher possess these same interests!
In case you missed the reference...she's a Star Wars fan. I just see her connecting with her students on a whole different level. And being one of my only two students who were considering secondary education, she will be able to make her classroom a part of her personality. Students will know who she is from walking into the room!
I think, out of all the students in my class this year, this young lady surprised me the most. She came in, a little unsure of her path. She is leaving my class this year confident and strong. She has mentioned many times how she was inspired by teachers, so she wants to inspire the students in her classroom. I have no doubt that she will.
Goal oriented, strong leadership skills, and striving for perfection are qualities that Ms. Campbell possess. She doesn't just want to be a good teacher, she wants to be great. I am positive that whatever goals she sets for herself, both professionally and personally, will be met, if not exceeded!
This young man will be successful at whatever he chooses to do. Strong in people skills and many talents, he struggles knowing which career path is the best for him. I, however have a feeling, deep in my gut, that he is meant to be in education. IF he does choose teaching...his classroom will be an active one. He despises the "sit and get" methods of instruction, and will create the classroom he would have learned best in as a student. The current trends in education are just perfect for someone like him.
As the year closes and these students walk out of my door, many head to the internship phase of the education pathway. I see them as eventual colleagues, and hope that they come knocking at my door when they get the keys to their classrooms, wanting to chat about all things teaching!
Good luck and inspire many.
