i’ve missed this feeling
by rie on Jan.21, 2010, under teaching
been pretty down on my teaching the last couple of years. i’ve not felt terribly effective, creative, motivated, dedicated. felt darn lame, actually — like i’ve been phoning it in. i’ve connected with my students, as always, but i haven’t been convinced that i’ve taught them anything of substance, you know?
but this semester… hmm, i feel alive in the classroom again. like i know what i’m doing. like i have something to say, am not just amusing my students for a couple of hours a week, but truly teaching them new ideas and helping them discover new abilities in themselves.
the difference? i don’t know. maybe it’s that other parts of my life have gained a clarity they have not had in several years — so i have more mental and emotional energy to focus on my teaching. maybe it’s that i was forced to re-do my curriculum this semester, per program dictates, which annoyed me at first, but has had the happy result of getting me to really think through what i’m doing and why and how. maybe it’s the growing confidence in myself as an educator, as a professional, that i’ve been experiencing this academic year.
whatever it is, i like it. i’ve missed feeling like i am worth my students’ time. my partner says i’m sexiest when i teach — i’ve missed feeling like that.
it’s good to be back.
January 22nd, 2010 on 7:17 am
It sounds like it’s probably a combination of most of those things. In any event, good to hear that it’s feeling good again! Or better, perhaps; I don’t mean to imply that it ever dropped out of some level of “good.”
What were the mandated curriculum changes that you had to deal with, out of curiosity?
And, are you again pointing your student here?
January 22nd, 2010 on 7:14 pm
it probably is a combo of all that — whatever it is, i’m not arguing. lol!
changes = re-instituting a unit/paper some of us had worked long and hard to get rid of… it still has some issues, but is actually better than it had been — and they folks that did the revising to the curriculum are really open to more changes to make it more effective, so i’ll work on that.
you know, haven’t told the kids about my blog. probably should — nothing like obnoxious students complaining about a lack of posts to keep me motivated. (-;
January 23rd, 2010 on 6:16 pm
so pretty much you were always an amazing teacher, I mean come one… Amber refused to take another english class until you were teaching it and she could get in your class. You def helped me realize that english can be fun!!! i loved being in ur class!!!!