Something which hit me in the first day or two of my teaching life was just how broad the term "teacher" really is. The number of roles and intricately nuanced positions a "teacher" has to take is pretty astounding. Certainly teachers are far more than just lecturers, trying to pass on some curriculum to their students.
In addition to lecturers (which, incidentally, is most certainly not the majority of what I do), teachers are judges, motivators, parents, advisers, testers, leaders, role models, psychologists (both individual and group), lie detectors, entertainers, guides, and politicians (see: interacting with parents).
Teachers need to know when to smack a kid down hard, and when to be soft and give a little. We need to be able to talk to a kid like they're 2 (answering the "Wait, what page are we on?" question for the 8th time) and also like we expect them to be 25. We need to be able to be outstandingly blunt at times, and remarkably indirect at others.
We must know when to let things slide and when to make an issue. My students often think their teachers are oblivious because they don't react to certain comments, gestures or references. While sure, there can be a generation gap between some of the younger students and some of the older teachers, you'd be hard-pressed to find a seasoned teacher who was unaware that a comment was offensive or inappropriate. But the reason that seasoned teacher doesn't make an issue out of said comment is not because he or she didn't hear it or get it, but rather that he or she recognizes that it's not worth it to make a deal out of it.
I firmly believe that anyone with a few years under their belt as a teacher deserves an honorary degree in psychology.
Monday, January 7, 2008
"Teacher"
at 5:55 PM
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4 comments:
Well, as someone with an ACTUAL degree in psychology, I'll just have to say...
You're going to have to settle for your public servant's paycheck, no respect, and no word of thanks.
:))))))))
Okay, first understand that I was in high school back when the earth's crust was still cooling, and in general we treated our teachers with respect.
But, that said, I'll tell you that some of your rewards will come 20 or 30 years from now, when these errant students contact you to tell you what an important impact you made on their lives, and how much they are grateful for you. It's a very long turnaround time, but just you wait and see!
Tough job, crappy pay, but oh boy, you sure can make a difference. Never underestimate the power of a good teacher!
PS: thanks for blogging again! Always a little treat in my day to read about your adventures.
i can imagine myself wearing most of those hats, except politician...i always found it sleazy when ucla students made a habit of pridefully arguing up their grades. and i imagine if i met the parents that taught them to do it i would tell them point blank that their child needs to earn something for once in their life, with work not fluff talk. which, of course, would enrage them.
it's great that you have such a wonderful staff/support network though! that's definitely one thing i enjoyed about tutoring--the tutors.
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