Me, the Teacher

Let me just say that it is gorgeous outside today. So I'm sitting on the couch reading my Tovani text. For this week, we read Chapter 4: Real Rigor: Connecting Students with Accessible Text. The thing that I enjoyed most about this chapter was that Tovani stressed the point that often times, there is "too much content to cover (and not enough time to cover it), and the textbook for the class [is, oftentimes] too difficult. If teachers want students to read difficult texts, we have to first give them the opportunity to read texts that are related to the topic but not as difficult, and teach them how to improve. We as teachers need to find accessible text. Tovani says that "accessible text helps students to make connections between school subjects and the real world because it helps them experience reading that is done in the real world." It is our job to help our students. I think a great idea that she mentions is having a choice for students about which text to read. As long as the reading pertain to the class, and as long as the students are making connections, they can choose the reading at their reading level or one that challenges them the perfect amount. 

The thing I liked most about this chapter was that it reminded me of how I want to be as a teacher. I want to be there for my students. Middle school kids are an interesting bunch. I think they need the most understanding but challenging teachers. I want to challenge my students in a way that they enjoy learning. I know they may not always have a good day or enjoy the topic we're studying but I want them to be engaged. I hope to make all my lessons important to their life. It does concern me that there will be so many students and so many topics to cover but as long as I'm being myself and helping my students learn in a way that's best for them, I know that is what's important. 

The picture above shows a quote from Albert Einstein, "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." This quote has a lot to do with how I want run my classroom. I want to teach and test my students in a way that will help keep their confidence and allow for learning through their mistakes. I don't want any of my students to feel stupid or think a grade defines them. 

The teachers that I love the most were the ones that not only challenged me but talked to me about life and shared advice with me. With those teachers, I felt like me, rather than just any other student. 

So I know that seems a but short for this week but my teaching philosophy is pretty simple because of my prior experiences with teachers. I hope to be a little teaching fairy in their lives, trying to make each day a little more easy in their hectic schedule.

~The Teach Fairy