Building Lifelong Readers
-
This blog post is written by NCTE member Dillin Randolph, 2024 Cook County
Co-Regional Teacher of the Year, reprinted with …
The post Building Lifelong R...
2 weeks ago
5 comments:
I loved this video! It’s so inspiring to see someone speak up to the teaching profession instead of down. Talk to any of your old teachers, and they’ll tell you they love their job and feel that they make a difference daily, just as the speaker suggests. Talk someone of a different career, like a lawyer, and you’ll find a different story. Thanks for sharing this video, David. It really made me feel like I’m in getting into the right career.
I agree that sometimes tough love works, at times & very much depending on the student. I once had a fifth grade teacher who was the study hall teacher Mali described-she had us in absolute silence and we were not allowed to go the bathroom. I absolutely hated her. I did well in her class but I don't think she had any real effect on me, except perhaps help me realize how far a simple smile can go. On the other hand, I had a 10th grade English teacher who also behaved in a way Mali described- the "definitely beautiful." Mrs. Urda however had us take weekly spelling tests, and just like in middle school write all the ones we got wrong 5x. A lot of my peers hated her for this, thinking she thought less of us. I however was well aware of my poor spelling and thought it was extremely beneficial. It now annoys me to no end when people use their, there, and they're wrong along with you're and your-I plan to go over this with my own students. I guess it all depends on the student, the time, and environment.
I like Kelsi's comment, I do believe older teachers have a lot of heart in their profession. Although, I do believe that now days young adults are more prone to go to college and become a teacher just to get a degree and a job. Teaching is obviously one of those professions that will always be cycling jobs. Therefore, I believe that, more or less, today there or more teachers willing to work from 7-3 just to collect a paycheck. My teachers towards the end of high school lacked supremely in the "helpfulness" category. My elementary and middle school teachers who were older were among the most helpful to me. Either way, the video definitely helps send the right message. Good post!
While he seemed like a jerk at times and his laugh was terrible he was inspiring at the same time. He really touches on the points of talking to parents about the positive things kids do and making us realize that children are capable of awe inspiring actions like the one he mentioned in the video. Another part I liked was when he said he can make a C+ feel like a congressional medal of honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face. Too often school revolves around the letter grades and not on the work or effort put into it.
I want to start by saying that, as a future teacher, I got chills when he said, "You wanna know what I make? I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could." I loved this answer, and I will keep it in the back of my mind for any time someone questions what my salary will be when I start my career, because as teachers, it's not what we make that matters, but rather what we do. It drives me absolutely insane how every Average Joe off the street thinks he can walk into a classroom and do what trained teachers do. People don't understand all the hard work and effort that goes into a teacher, myself included because I have not started my career yet. However, as a Secondary Education major, I respect and appreciate the challenges of teaching more than most (as I'm sure all of you do too!) I love Mali's attitude, even though he may come off as kind of a jerk, he's saying what most teachers are probably thinking.
Speaking of what teachers make, this is something that has always bothered me. Teachers make less than doctors, lawyers, CEOs--all these high powered positions that make 6+ figures. However, where would any of the individuals in these positions be if a teacher had not educated them at some point in their life? There are all of these professions that make so much more than teachers, yet there would be no individuals to fill these positions if it weren't for teachers. I think this is something that people really need to start contemplating when they bash the salaries that teachers make.
Post a Comment