"Teachers are in an ideal position... to attempt to get all of the issues on the table in order to initiate true dialogue. This can only be done, however, by seeking out those whose perspectives may differ most, be learning to give their words complete attention, by understanding one's own power, even if that power stems merely from being in the majority..."
this quote by Lisa Delpit really caught my attention and psyched me up for the chapter. I have often said that teachers have such a huge impression on children especially in middle and high school just when they are beginning to understand who they are and where they stand in our society. In many cases we as educators spend more awake hours with our children then any other person, including the parent. So therefore we must concentrate fully on what opinions we share with our students and the topics we discuss.
I was so interested in this chapter because coming from a conservative high school education i sometimes felt that teachers left their own personal views guide their teaching and their interactions with their students. Yet I had one teacher, who was very liberal, that the first day of school she flat out told us her politics, who she was voting for in the democratic primary and he views on the world. Even though she declared her politics, every student regardless of where they sat on the political spectrum appreciated her and looked up to her. She made an effort to always show both sides, to point out holes in someone else's argument whether she agreed with them or not and more than anything she made her classroom a safe place to talk about anything. As a future educator, she is the model for the sort of teacher I want to be. Yet I always find myself asking if it is a good idea to blatantly share my political views with my students.
It amazed me in a school that was so centered on being multicultural could not actively talk about race. Their classroom was what society looked like and they spent so much time insuring that there would be black and latino students that succeed by didn't think about talking about racial implications.
How To Trade Forex
7 years ago
2 comments:
Of your teacher, you write, "every student regardless of where they sat on the political spectrum appreciated her and looked up to her."
I'm guessing students looked up to her because she shared. And because she was honest. (like you said..) Also as you stated, students spend most of their waking time with their teachers, leaving us in a wonderful and frightening position to have an influence on their lives.
I personally have always liked teachers like yours--ones who share parts of their outside lives with students. They seem more real. More approachable. It's much more difficult to connect with a teacher who only speaks of the content of the profession, making it all seem quite irrelevant. My belief is that our students need to see us as the people we are, not just the teacher they have for and hour-ish every day who drones on about English or Social Studies.
I think doing so also makes it easier for students to share about their lives. Although there's a lot we don't want to know(!), there are many things we can learn from our student's sharing. ...which is why we should do the same
I love when you bring up the point that, "In many cases we as educators spend more awake hours with our children then any other person, including the parent." I was actually echoing this same statement yesterday in a comment I was having with my grandma about being a teacher. Teachers are in a great position to do a lot of good with kids characters and world views by giving them the opportunity to explore issues in a thoughtful, kind and respectful way and to learn how to do this if they don't already know how. I was once told, "teachers are nurturers more than anything" and this is a lesson I will try to take with me when I am a teacher. We DO spend and incredible amount of time with kids and need to understand the value and importance that has when it comes to shaping a child's personality and values. That responsibility must be taken very seriously by all of us.
Post a Comment