The teacher in society is given the image of an all-knowing member of society to his or her students. One that has most, if not all, of the answers in regards to the subject area they specialize in. The English teacher knows how to spell all the words, knows which all sentences are run-ons, and the math teacher can solve any equation or word problem given to them. We all know this isn't really true though, and while this seems to be a moot sort of point, I feel the need to bring it up because I have had teachers that believed they were all-knowing and flawless and used that against their students in anxious situations. All teachers are human, just like the students, and they learn just like the students. especially when it comes to the expanding technological world.
Chapter two of our Miller and McVee reading bring this up. How the teacher should not be afraid to ask the students questions whenever they do not understand something that one of them may have better knowledge of. This teacher-student relationship is very important, and one that can really aid future educators to effectively teach their children if it is made right. The teacher should not be placed on a pedestal above the student as a being of supreme knowledge, rather the teacher should learn alongside the student in today's ever changing world.
Now, I am not saying that a teacher should be completely unknowing of what he or she is teaching a class. They should, indeed, be very knowledgeable. I am making more of a point that a teacher should not be afraid to learn alongside his students whenever they do not know something or are teaching something incorrectly.
Carl, I am so glad that you have this attitude towards teaching, especially with technology. While we want to be respected as knowledgeable when we teach, sometimes it is perfectly acceptable to ask students for help....especially when it comes to technology. I used to be afraid to admit that I didn't understand how the editing system worked when I ran a schools' TV studio...and I would stay after school for hours and hours and drive myself insane. One day I asked a student for help and it was no big deal and it saved me from going crazy.
ReplyDeleteI agree and am glad that you understand that. It also shows that as teachers we are models because we never truly stop learning.
This will be a discussion that I believe will never truly end. While society continues to judge educators with the preconception that our life is contained inside the classroom, educators will balance enjoying a personal life of their choice and maintaining a spotless image. I'm sure most people can remember a moment when they were surprised to see a teacher at the mall, grocery store, or other public setting. When it comes to being inside the classroom, the educator should understand and use this concept to his/her advantage. It is inevitable that one day a student will take a discussion and turn it risqué. Two things can then happen, the teacher can ignore the comment and leave it out of the classroom or the teacher can adapt the lesson plan and conduct a responsible, informative discussion about the topic. Ignoring a student's question will only lead to that student finding the answer somewhere else. Why not, as the "all-knowing member of society," use your platform to provide an opportunity for students to share their opinion, and then conduct a discussion that will develop the students' skill of finding facts responsibly? Your role as the mediator also gives you the ability to decide "right" and "wrong." How to take on that responsibility is each teacher's right, as a citizen of the United States. However, the students we teach, whether they hate or love us, walk through the front doors with the preconception that we are preparing them to make the best possible decisions in their life.
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