For about 12 hours a day, I'm a teacher.
Yes, e v e r y d a y. Weekends. Evenings. Christmas Vacation. Summer Vacation (aka, right now). I'm constantly thinking of my job... well, it's not really that, it's another part of my daily life, another part of who I am. I eat, sleep, breathe, think about teaching or teaching related things at various points each and every day. (In fact, this week I'm participating in a Math Academy for sixth grade teachers, and the true geek in me is loving that I'm learning so much!)
Come September 1, I'll be starting a new teaching assignment. To some it would be considered an easier assignment than my previous Primary through Twelfth grade assortment. Others wonder why I'd want to "just be a classroom teacher". Me, well, I don't quite know what to think, other than I'm very excited to be a teacher of the grade 5/6 combined class in the school I've taught in for 10 years. It's exciting, exhilirating, and a tad bit scary! (lol)
I'm going from the "teacher of many courses/disciplines" to the "classroom teacher of your child".
My questions for you around what you, as parents, want to see from your children's teachers:
- What makes them good?
- What's the best way to communicate?
- What do you want communicated?
- What's your opinion on homework?
- What do you really want your children to learn?
Thanks!
I won't answer all your questions (because I'm lazy during the summer holiday). I'm a teacher too. But I will admit that being a parent of school-age twins has helped me articulate what I want in a teacher for my kids. I want someone who will love them for who they are, not who they aren't; someone who will get to know them, who will help them to capitalize on their strengths and strengthen their weaknesses. Someone who will make them laugh. Someone who will set high expectations and who will be compassionate. I would have had a different list before having kids.
ReplyDeletePS. No more Gaelic?