Hello Bloggers! As you can see, my name is LaNai and I am a senior at Cal State Northridge. I am taking my last four classes and I await excitedly, yet patiently, for graduation day. I, like many of you, wish to become a teacher. I want to be the nice, laid back teacher that everyone loves to learn from. However, I have a great deal of fears about becoming a teacher. One of my fears of teaching is failure. I am absolutely afraid of my students leaving my classroom the same way that they came in. I want my students to leave my classroom everyday with a new knowledge, not only about English, but also about themselves and life overall. A concern I have with going into the education field is the availability of jobs. Its all over the news-- cut back in teacher's salary; teacher layoffs! I am afraid of not having anywhere to begin.
Well since you now know a few of the things that I am afraid of about becoming a teacher, I guess I'll tell you my reasons for still wanting to pursue a career in the teaching field. I have had so many teachers that would have done a better job being a pet trainer or a drill Sargent, that I have took it upon myself to set out and break this curse. Teaching is not a job in which you have to babysit kids or train them to be obedient; it's a job in which you have to help, encourage, and guide. I want to share with others my thoughts and beliefs. I think that language is beautiful. Language is the center of life. I want to show students that English is not just about reading and writing, it's about looking deeper, comparing the old to the new, it's about recognizing change, and exploring ideas. I want to be the teacher that my students learn from, the teacher that my students have fun with, and the teacher that helps my students understand, consider, and debate ideas. I want to be everything that the teacher's I had were not!
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This is such a wonderful introduction. I can understand your passion for wanting to teach others your drive and love for literature.
ReplyDeleteWhat genre of literature do you enjoy most? Novels, poetry, plays, etc... And which do you think is the easiest to discuss?
I completely agree with the efforts of finding a job being tedious, especially with the budget cuts and teacher cuts. But because we have a drive to enter this profession, we will find work. "If there is a will there is a way." :)
Your last line says, "I want to be everything that the teachers I had were not!" Is that regarding your high school or college level classes? Doesn't it suck that bad teachers make us want to be better ones.
I have to do field work this semester for eng 406 and am looking into highschools.. which ones around CSUN do you recomend?
Well, I will see you in class :)
Have a nice weekend...
I totally agree with what you say about having to help kids learn instead of being the babysitter. I've had so many teachers that just don't care and just call the class a success if we are at least quiet. Teaching shouldn't ever be that way. That defeats the whole purpose of education. I'm glad to see that someone else was inspired to teach after having bad teachers. I've heard so many people say they wanted to teach after having a good teacher that I thought maybe I was the only one.
ReplyDeleteThe budget cuts and other things are really uninspiring and make me want to find something else to do. But I can't do that. And I'm sure you'd agree. The point of teaching is the kids and it's cool knowing that we share the same insight.I guess that's what we have to keep in mind through this all. Well Congratulations on your graduation this May. It must be really exciting.
Hey Lanai!
ReplyDeleteI’m also graduating at the end of this semester If everything goes according to plan! You are not alone on having fears of becoming a teacher. I am also afraid of failure. I know I’m capable of teaching an English class, but I don’t know if I’ll be good at it or not. I guess none of us will ever know until we actually get into the classroom. I do think it is important that we do keep our beliefs about teaching and avoid being those bad teachers that we all had in high school. About the budget cuts, my parents have been looking for alternate jobs and print them out for me because they are fearful that by the time I graduate I will probably have a hard time finding a job. They aren’t alone though, I’m afraid I’ll have a hard time finding a job as well.
Hi LaNai! Wow, I have the exact same fear about the job outlook for teaching. I was just watching a special report on CNN the other day about how the economic recession is affecting the public school system. It really scared me to hear about all the talented, young teachers who are being laid off. As far as fear of failure goes, I’m sure you’re going to be a wonderful teacher. Just the fact that you care about changing your students in a positive way says a lot about what kind of teacher you are going to be. And I also agree with you about the “drill sergeant” type teachers or teachers who feel like their job is to baby sit. I have had and have observed many of these types of teachers. Sometimes, I wish they would go find a job as an office manager and leave jobs open for teachers who truly want to do some good. We can only hope. You sound like you have a lot of enthusiasm for English and language, and the profession of teaching and your future students will be better off because of your passion for this field!
ReplyDeleteHey I really appreciate and am taken aback by your commitment to lead by example with vitality and spirit! Also, I really look up to your your unwillingness to compromise any of your principles and ideals. I too also think language is beautiful and sensible and something worth restoring and communicating its value. Whether it is expressed in music or a layed out in broken dialogue thru screen writing and would agree that we need to drive home the value of it as it relates with the world outside their preconceived beliefs or ideas. Because like you said there is value at a deeper level only found thru exploration.
ReplyDeleteAs far as money is concerned I think there is always a silver lining. I know my suggestion maybe cliché but I too like **CeCe** believe there is a way to make money. I was on craigslist and saw many many job offers however the only catch was they were overseas in Japan(lol). Almost sounded too good to be true but I don’t think the ones I saw were scams since they adamantly demanded a B.A in English & in some cases even experience. disclaimer; I could be wrong yet some listings were even gung-ho enough to offer paid training, flats and you need not understand the Japanese language because they will pay to train you.
Also when I was in Argentina last summer I met Brazilians who said there was a strong demand for English instructors. Sounds like the market Is wide open for those brave and daring enough to venture (lol). Also contrary to the economic global slowdown the “real” (Brazilian currency) is stronger , almost closely pegged to the dollar and is on the rise. Sao Paolo her e we come!(lol)