When I was a senior in high school, my dad told me not to become a teacher. This statement came from a man who taught 30 years in Oklahoma and 15 years in Texas. Of course, I did not listen to him and have been a teacher for over 23 years, and over the years, I have witnessed the degradation of the teaching profession through the influences of the media, money, and politics. Everyone who has an agenda has tried to sway the public into believing that teachers are clueless on how to teach in the classroom, they need to be spoon fed the information so that they can teach, they earn too much money for a group that has three months off, or they are not doing their job so let's test the students to death to prove this theory. I have come to realize that when my dad first started his career, teachers received more respect. They weren't "just teachers."
Well, this "Just a Teacher" has some words of wisdom to share about teaching:
1. If we want our students to think out of the box, then we have to do the same. I always tell my students that I don't spoon feed them the information so that they can regurgitate back to me. We as teachers need to think out of the box, around the box, and inside the box. We have to be ready for any changes just like our students should be ready for any changes, problems, and roadblocks that happen in life.
2. If we want our students to voice their opinions, then we have to model this behavior. We have to show them how to do it the correct way. We do not want our students to be passive learners who become passive citizens. We as teachers should not be the same way when it comes to any situation in education. We should stand up against those people who demean our profession.
3. If we want our students to be creative, then we have to be creative in the classroom. Bringing creativity into the classroom does not mean that we have to be that way all the time. With creativity, students think of original ideas. School is not about just teaching the test. We need people who can think quick on their feet and create something that has never been seen before.
4. If we want our students to be independent thinkers, then we have to demonstrate this idea. We as teachers should not be dictated to about education; we should have a choice. We should voice our opinions without any hesitation. We should not be dictated to like little kids but treated as professionals. We want our students to be this way because if they are not, then they will lose their freedoms.
5. If we want our students to make a difference, then we have to make a difference. We need to show them what it means "to make a difference." We need to give them opportunities in school for them to do this so that they will be able to carry it on as adults.
6. If we want our students to have the complete understanding of the material, then we need to stop teaching from the textbook. The textbook only gives partial information that the textbook companies deem worthy for students to know. We as teachers need to use research, other books, and technology to help expand the ideas from the textbook.
7. Finally, if we want our students to understand why they need to know the information in school, then we need to relate it to the "real-world." School should not be just about a test at the high school level; it should be about career choices. Students are individuals who have different interests, and school should be structured to accommodate them.
It's time to make a change in education but not down the testing path. We are not "just teachers;" we are "the teachers" who have many important ideas to share.
