I recently caught a This I believe segment from NPR and heard the story of William Wissemman, a young man who shared all the life lessons he had learned from solving the Rubiks cube. This got me thinking about all the things I believe about teaching, learning, and education. And with this school year shaping up to be the toughest of my current assignment, I really need the inspiration of my core beliefs to sustain me to do the work well with these teachers and these students at this time. So this I believe.
I believe that whatever you think about learning (learning is fun - learning is a bore) your students will come to believe the same thing.
I believe that many factors affect student's academic growth, but one trumps them all by a landslide: teacher quality.
I believe that high school drop outs are born and bred in elementary school.
I believe that some kids fail because of poor family support, lack of background knowledge and skills, etc, ad nauseum, but I'm going to focus all my energy on what I can control.
I believe that intervention must begin the first day of kindergarten if we want all students to succeed.
I believe some teachers are hungry for the kind of adult learning that will allow them grow, risk, change, and my job is to help create an environment for them to do just that.
I believe that I'm an accomplice to poor teaching every time I fail to confront an ineffective practice.
I believe that the professional teachers deserve my respect, admiration, encouragement, and gratitude and I need to go out of my way to give them everything that they need.
I believe that reading and writing are joyful, creative activities that are motivating in themselves.
I believe that reading and writing sometimes can be drudgery and hard work and we have to show kids how to persevere through those times as well.
I believe that every class and every teacher should be good enough for my own children or I need to do something to make that so.
Just writing these out has encouraged me to stay the course. I highly recommend some others join the fray and share their thoughts as well. So, what do you believe?
4 comments:
I believe that my six grade teacher knew that I could grow up and be an artist. She gave me a lot of confidence. My husband and I are both educational artists, painters and muralist. Please view our art which promotes reading and learning. www.gemartstudio.com Hopefully our art could be part of the children's life at your school.
I believe that the greatest thing a teacher can do for a student is to enable that student to get along without the teacher.
I believe that reading is even better than an MLT-- a mutton, lettuce. and tomato sandwich where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is so perky... I love that--and obviously I believe in The Princess Bride.
But seriously, I believe that while we take learning seriously, we need to be joyful about it.
Ms. Cornelius,
Your insight is refreshing. I love your thoughts about student responsibility and joy! They strike a great balance. While I'm hoping that my own kids become independent and joyful learners, how can I not hope the same for all the students passing through our schools.?
i believe having best friends is a gift , it is like solving a rubic cube you never know which comment will make your friendship stand stronger . what makes a person a good teacher or educator is having a lot of BFF 's
claud reiss your bff
"southern man you better keep your head:
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