What it takes to be a teacher

After reading a few of the articles about what it means to be a great teacher, I quickly realized that it isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Mrs. Begay in her article “A ‘Wisdom Keeper’ Draws From A Deep Well Of Navajo Culture”, she mentions several times a little boy who is struggling with home life and school and that she wishes to help more, but can see him dropping out in a few years. It’s a real eye-opener, to hear first-hand accounts on how not every child can be saved, no matter how hard we try. I particularly liked how she talked about how just being there for one child is enough, and that makes it worth it because I do agree. As long as we’re there for one kid and make them leave happier then they came in with, I did my job. I do think the most surprising thing about this article was the fact that she went back to teaching even though she never thought she would – but it makes me think of several professors that I have had. Out of all the articles, Conrad Cooper’s is probably my favorite – because trust is one of the most important things. Relationships of any kind are built upon trust, and it’s so important for a child to trust a teacher – even if the teaching method isn’t always the best suited for that child. I think what surprises me most is how calm and rational Cooper seems, even though he teaches something so important and potentially life-endangering, and he can teach kids a vital skill in five days.

 Lastly, the final article that really resonated with me was Principal Ali Shalalha’s, and how he used something that for so long and to so many is a way to hurt kids and turned it into a way to help is so inspiring. It really brought to my attention how even if we, as teachers, are told to “teach the test”, we can still make something interesting enough, or teach it enough to be learned and not just taught.  It really adds to the important of teaching and being there for kids in more than just a way of a teacher – if you believe in a child and truly show them, those kids can do amazing things. His article ends with him saying that being “a man of education, you can make a good community and be better than what we have” and I believe in that more than anything.

Bates, K. G. (2015, July 28). The 'Swim Whisperer' Teaches Kids To Be Water-Safe. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/07/28/425617386/the-swim-whisperer-teaches-kids-to-be-water-safe

Harris, E. (2015, July 7). How One Israeli Educator Turned His School Around. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/07/07/419146910/how-one-israeli-educator-turned-his-school-around

Sanchez, C. (2016, January 12). A 'Wisdom Keeper' Draws From A Deep Well Of Navajo Culture. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/01/12/462141655/a-wisdom-keeper-draws-from-a-deep-well-of-navajo-culture