A bit about me...
“This is the real secret of life – to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.” – Alan Watts
What is my work?
My work is the highest evolution of human nature; what separates us from animals and keeps us thirsting for knowledge's spring. Confucius was the first private teacher in recorded history. From there we have had teachers that have dedicated their lives to informing their students. As we move into the 21st century, my work becomes more technologically savvy, but it is the same work that Aristotle, Anne Sullivan, and Jaime Escalante have accomplished. As teachers, we work on the soul, we work miracles, we Stand and Deliver. My work is understanding students in a way that, perhaps, their friends and family never will. It is watching the sunrise every day; knowing not what is in store, as I drive through crisp mornings to my nook in the corner of Colorado.
Who am I as a teacher?
I am my internal nature and my external nurture. When I walk into the classroom, I bring with me my father, mother, and sister. They had huge roles to play in raising me, and they are apparent in everything that I do. My desires as a teacher? I long to instill righteous thinking in my students’ minds. As a secondary education teacher, I want my students to grow into intelligent young adults. I put more concern into ensuring these teenagers will not look like fools when they become adults, rather than concern with state standardized tests. What does that look like? I correct them when they do not back up claims with evidence. I tell young men not to touch young women without permission. I let the students engage with each other in an open environment, and then demand their attention when work needs doing. I praise and encourage every student. I persist with that one kid that refuses to do his work, knowing that his interest lies in creativity, not his grade. I refuse to admit surrender. I am an authority, a friend, a mentor, an actor, and a nurturer. I have ninety-something mind-plants to keep alive and I make sure their intellect is given proper nutrition, so that they may grow in the sun.
Who is the self teaches?
The self that teaches is the soul of the teacher. We are given one chance at life; to walk around on an inhabited globe, flying through the cosmos, in fleshy spacesuits. Inside our bodies lies an inexplicable phenomenon: the soul. That soul is the part of us that chose teaching as a profession. Personally, my soul requires doses of catharsis. It has been a struggle, in this first bit of student-teaching, to reach these 13-year-olds who act like they do not want you in their lives. But slowly, I see those walls crumbling. The cathartic feeling I get when these students smile and understand and learn is, without a doubt, one of the best experiences I have ever had. My soul is creatively unstoppable. I need to keep creating, or else I feel as though there is a dystopian quality to life. I cannot think of any other job that requires so much work, yet so much love, thought, and caring. When I am around teachers, I am surrounded by kindred spirits that care about their students. They constantly continue caring until their spacesuit is worn out and it becomes time to move onto the next realm. And in that, I feel at home.
What is my work?
My work is the highest evolution of human nature; what separates us from animals and keeps us thirsting for knowledge's spring. Confucius was the first private teacher in recorded history. From there we have had teachers that have dedicated their lives to informing their students. As we move into the 21st century, my work becomes more technologically savvy, but it is the same work that Aristotle, Anne Sullivan, and Jaime Escalante have accomplished. As teachers, we work on the soul, we work miracles, we Stand and Deliver. My work is understanding students in a way that, perhaps, their friends and family never will. It is watching the sunrise every day; knowing not what is in store, as I drive through crisp mornings to my nook in the corner of Colorado.
Who am I as a teacher?
I am my internal nature and my external nurture. When I walk into the classroom, I bring with me my father, mother, and sister. They had huge roles to play in raising me, and they are apparent in everything that I do. My desires as a teacher? I long to instill righteous thinking in my students’ minds. As a secondary education teacher, I want my students to grow into intelligent young adults. I put more concern into ensuring these teenagers will not look like fools when they become adults, rather than concern with state standardized tests. What does that look like? I correct them when they do not back up claims with evidence. I tell young men not to touch young women without permission. I let the students engage with each other in an open environment, and then demand their attention when work needs doing. I praise and encourage every student. I persist with that one kid that refuses to do his work, knowing that his interest lies in creativity, not his grade. I refuse to admit surrender. I am an authority, a friend, a mentor, an actor, and a nurturer. I have ninety-something mind-plants to keep alive and I make sure their intellect is given proper nutrition, so that they may grow in the sun.
Who is the self teaches?
The self that teaches is the soul of the teacher. We are given one chance at life; to walk around on an inhabited globe, flying through the cosmos, in fleshy spacesuits. Inside our bodies lies an inexplicable phenomenon: the soul. That soul is the part of us that chose teaching as a profession. Personally, my soul requires doses of catharsis. It has been a struggle, in this first bit of student-teaching, to reach these 13-year-olds who act like they do not want you in their lives. But slowly, I see those walls crumbling. The cathartic feeling I get when these students smile and understand and learn is, without a doubt, one of the best experiences I have ever had. My soul is creatively unstoppable. I need to keep creating, or else I feel as though there is a dystopian quality to life. I cannot think of any other job that requires so much work, yet so much love, thought, and caring. When I am around teachers, I am surrounded by kindred spirits that care about their students. They constantly continue caring until their spacesuit is worn out and it becomes time to move onto the next realm. And in that, I feel at home.
Professional Exhibition (PEX)
I. Title of Presentation
The Students' Two Cents
II. Media to be used
Large canvas (blank for audience), microphone, stage.
III. Feelings you are hoping to evoke in your audience.
My goal is to write a fantastic and heartfelt speech, which I know I am capable of. I am going to ask my students to fill out a HUGE canvas that asks "Who are your teachers?" I will then ask the audience "who are your teachers?" Let us see the dichotomy between youth and adult. In my speech, I want to talk about who the teacher is; and that doesn't mean only public school teachers. Who are your yoga teachers? Who are your music lesson teachers? Who are your mentors? What drives them? From which cloth are we cut? What is our essence? I want to philosophize with the audience as an interactive speech. Think of it like a TED talk where the audience can talk back.
IV. Summary of how you are going to use your artifact.
Collect student and adult thoughts on the "who" of an educator. Display.
V. Steps:
a. I will have a board filled out from EMS. Then I will bring a similar board for the adults to fill out as they come in the door.
b. I will riff on what is on the board, then go into my speech about the "who" of the teacher. No more than 7 minutes of pontificating.
c. I will invite people to come up and read what they wrote on the board. I will talk to them, in a mini-interview style.
d. I will close with these interviews and then answer questions from the crowd.
Key question?
"Who are your teachers?"
How are you going to facilitate the meaningful (not cursory, not merely polite) participation of your audience?
Volunteers get a small treat from me. Incentive with chocolate.
VI. Uses of your statement: "What is my work?" And/or: "Who Am I as a Teacher?"
This is a re-visitation of this. How does this statement inform/influence/diverge from/converge with your actual presentation?
I synthesized a question that reminds me of the questions Mr. Camp has given us. But instead of the teacher telling people who they are, the teacher gets an outside perspective on who they are.
You just going to read it aloud and hope folks will "get it"?
I will drive the point home that all teachers have played a special part in all our lives.
How does that all work?
The tricky part is having middle school students write upon a board without being snarky, inappropriate, or off topic. I will have to watch this board while it is at EMS, being filled out. The adult's board will be able to be written on while the attendees are mingling at the beginning of PEX.
The Students' Two Cents
II. Media to be used
Large canvas (blank for audience), microphone, stage.
III. Feelings you are hoping to evoke in your audience.
My goal is to write a fantastic and heartfelt speech, which I know I am capable of. I am going to ask my students to fill out a HUGE canvas that asks "Who are your teachers?" I will then ask the audience "who are your teachers?" Let us see the dichotomy between youth and adult. In my speech, I want to talk about who the teacher is; and that doesn't mean only public school teachers. Who are your yoga teachers? Who are your music lesson teachers? Who are your mentors? What drives them? From which cloth are we cut? What is our essence? I want to philosophize with the audience as an interactive speech. Think of it like a TED talk where the audience can talk back.
IV. Summary of how you are going to use your artifact.
Collect student and adult thoughts on the "who" of an educator. Display.
V. Steps:
a. I will have a board filled out from EMS. Then I will bring a similar board for the adults to fill out as they come in the door.
b. I will riff on what is on the board, then go into my speech about the "who" of the teacher. No more than 7 minutes of pontificating.
c. I will invite people to come up and read what they wrote on the board. I will talk to them, in a mini-interview style.
d. I will close with these interviews and then answer questions from the crowd.
Key question?
"Who are your teachers?"
How are you going to facilitate the meaningful (not cursory, not merely polite) participation of your audience?
Volunteers get a small treat from me. Incentive with chocolate.
VI. Uses of your statement: "What is my work?" And/or: "Who Am I as a Teacher?"
This is a re-visitation of this. How does this statement inform/influence/diverge from/converge with your actual presentation?
I synthesized a question that reminds me of the questions Mr. Camp has given us. But instead of the teacher telling people who they are, the teacher gets an outside perspective on who they are.
You just going to read it aloud and hope folks will "get it"?
I will drive the point home that all teachers have played a special part in all our lives.
How does that all work?
The tricky part is having middle school students write upon a board without being snarky, inappropriate, or off topic. I will have to watch this board while it is at EMS, being filled out. The adult's board will be able to be written on while the attendees are mingling at the beginning of PEX.