Being tasked to think about why I choose education as a major, I am able to say that my reason runs in line with what this video has to say about being an educator. I don't just want to be a teacher. This implies just imparting information. You use methods of gifting, punishing and intimidation to make sure the student learns or memorizes the material put forth. This isn't the type of person that I want to be.
I want to show my students why learning things are important. I want to try to lead my students in wanting to learn and how to learn. I want to impart to my students the skills that will help them in my history class but also will stay with them through many years of school then into their careers and even farther into their family years. This is why I want to be an educator.
Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home!
First I must say that I love Gertrude's title. Also if she really thinks that taking a pencil home is going to lower test scores then her title has gone to her head. But enough of that.
Mr. Johnson uses his post to show that burying your head in the sand is not going to help a situation. To me the "pencil" in this blog represents all that is wrong in schools today. The lack for ways to engage the students in the lessons. If student do not see that what teachers are trying to impart to them is important they will have no desire to learn the topic. It will be like the student playing hangman with their pencils.
But instead of bowing down to useless statistics, Mr.Johnson came up with a war plan. He initiates a plan to combat the "don't care" attitude of students. He involves the parents of his students. This in itself is a great leap forward. If you can get the parents on board and show an interest then you are half way to reaching most of your students.
So as educators we must admit there is a problem in schools and then start trying to find solutions. But if a solution is not working go back to the drawing board. I think the future of our children is to important to take an "it is what it is" attitude. What about you?
The pencil is a metaphor, but not for "all that is wrong in schools today." See the following three posts from last semester to unravel the mystery of what the metaphor really is:
ReplyDeleteMetaphors: What They Are and Why We Use Them
Metaphor Discussion Update
Everyone is Thinking About Metaphors
Ouida,
ReplyDeleteBeing an educator is something that I will also strive to be. I was surprised to see what the video termed teaching to be. I have to admit that I show more qualities of a teacher than I do an educator. Maybe I am selling myself short due to confidence. I am always willing to learn and look forward to becoming an effective educator. I think that you are well on your way to becoming a fantastic educator.
Well, I seem to have missed the metaphor myself. Shame on me! I want to be an English teacher and didn't even catch it. Like Dr. Strange says, "There's always more to learn." I will definitely learn from this. I did find the story strange, but I, too, took it too literally.
Great post!
Deana
@deananunn