Part 5: Teachers, Learners, Roles & Relationships, and Diverse Characteristics

What I believe about teachers and learners, their roles and relationships, and diverse characteristics.  Robert Frost said, “I am not a teacher.  I am an awakener” (Connelly, nd).  I believe teachers have a profound effect on their students by simply showing up each day.  Some will leave a lasting legacy with their students and others will be examples of what not to do, but teachers do leave an imprint.  No matter how aloof students try to act, they really want their teachers to think they are cool.

I believe that ALL students can succeed academically.  Some need encouragement.  Some need help.  Some need to see things from a different perspective.  And some need to just get over themselves (Arnold, nd).  As a teacher, there is probably no better sight than a student who finally “gets” what they’ve been struggling to learn.  And though technology plays an important role in education, it should not take the place of teaching.  The teacher/student relationship can increase learning potential exponentially compared with reading alone (Slavin, 2006). 

A teacher’s positive attitude can go a long way.  A teacher shouldn’t take herself so seriously that she cannot joke around with her class a little.  Some people may worry that students will not respect an educator who is not serious, but respect can be mutual and no adult should demand it from a child based solely on age or position (Arnold, nd).  In my personal experience, I have received the highest respect from my students after giving them a measure of it first.  Enthusiasm is also contagious and students can talk themselves into being excited about something (even something they did not think they wanted to do) if their teacher can show enthusiasm for it at a level that does not cause them to feel embarrassed.  It is difficult to be bored when in the presence of someone who is excited.  Learning something new is exciting.  Activating prior knowledge is also exciting.  The smart teacher is one who knows she can learn more from her students than she can ever hope to teach them (Schultz, 1993). 

Perhaps the most challenging issue a teacher must navigate is that of student diversity.  Diversity is simply that which makes someone different than someone else (Hallahan, Kaufmann, & Pullen, 2008).  It could be race, religion, socio-economic status, academic ability, physical ability, or any number of subcultures present in almost any American high school.  The fact is diversity is an issue and its implication brings out the need to respect the culture with which we personally identify, as well as strive to understand the cultures of which our fellow human brothers and sisters identify (Hallahan et al, 2008).  Perhaps it is the opportunity to think beyond one’s own comfort and habits that diversity brings out.  It causes us to recognize our own shortcomings when faced with something like a disability about which we know little or nothing (Arnold, nd).  Diversity can affect instruction to allow for teachable moments regarding relationships, social interaction, and even special events native to a particular culture (Hallahan et al, 2008). 

Perhaps the most significant outcome of positive student/teacher relationships, role definitions and diversity training is the ability of the individual student to believe in his ability to positively affect society around him.  Every person will make a difference in this world: the only variable is the caliber of difference they will make.  It is simply not possible to traverse life on this planet without making an impression somewhere.  Teaching the young people of future generations to believe in themselves is quite possibly the most effective skill a teacher can teach her students.  It is one she must possess herself before she ever steps foot in a classroom (Slavin, 2006).

References

                                   

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