On Teaching.

“Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.” – Confucius

Education is an important and influential aspect of each person’s life, but it is the teachers who have the ability to make a difference in the lives of students. As a teacher, I strive to incorporate active learning in the classroom and create a positive environment where my students are inspired to reach their goals and are encouraged to be life long learners.

As I enter my ninth year teaching, it’s important that I look back at my experiences and the valuable lessons that I have learned. Firstly, I discovered throughout the past eight years, that if the teacher respects the students, the students are more likely to respect the teacher. In addition, through my experience with adolescents, partnerships are of utmost importance. I have found that when working with teenagers, partnerships provide them with empowerment, which allows them to be confident in themselves. As a teacher, I have also learned to be sensitive to others’ differences. Whether it was cultural, religious, or political differences, I do my best to develop strategies to make sure that every student is actively involved. I believe in implementing a critical pedagogy, where the diversity amongst students allows them think about their own experiences to help them learn, and also reflect on different perspectives. The experiences I had are also important to me because they have increased my passion for education. Without the passion for teaching, the students would not benefit from what is being taught. I believe that if a teacher loves what they do, and is as enthusiastic as I am, the students will enjoy the class more. Finally, my experiences have reinforced my belief in active and participatory learning. The positive responses I received from my students have shown me how engagement and participation truly enhances the learning experience. At the beginning of each school year, I commit to bringing this into my classroom, where I will have students actively explore the stories that create and influence our lives.

Overall, I truly believe that it is the responsibility of teachers to support, challenge, and inspire students. As a teacher, I will uphold this belief by continuing to grow professionally and by creating a culture of thinking in my classroom, where there is a spirit of inquisitiveness and critical thinking, as well as a respect for creativity.

What do you think makes a good teacher? Share your thoughts below!