Why Teach?

Why does one become an educator? We all know it is not for the pay…Whilst I was reading Letters to A Young Teacher by Jonathon Kozol, he wrote, “It has to do with the exhilaration that I get out of my day-to-day immersion in the lives of certain glowing resilient children who, no matter what the painful things they may experience at school or in their homes, are able somehow to retain their faith in the essential goodness of the grown-up world and to keep their little lights of hope alive.” I really agree with what Kozol wrote that no matter what children seem to be going through they always seem to have a sense of hope and faith in the adult world, while maintaining their honesty. It is important for us to remember the innocence of children, and understand there will be times that we might not know or understand what our students are going through in their personal lives. We should never assume that we know what are students are experiencing, we should be willing to invest the time and energy to learn about our students on a personal level. There are many reasons why someone might become an educator, but it is important that we remember children and “their lights of hope.” I imagine that we will face many challenges in the classroom, and we should never shy away from standing up for the rights of our students no matter the consequences. Knowing the many challenges that you might face in and outside of the classroom, why did you decide to become an educator?   

Hypocrisy

There’s a lot more hypocrisy than before. Racism has gone back underground. Richard Pryor

I agree with the idea that there is a lot more hypocrisy than before, and racism has gone underground. Richard Pryor was a comedian during the 1980s he was most famous for his use of the N-word. He argued that it gave him the right to “make fun of everyone, poor blacks and rich whites.” He had this idea that people could say what they wanted if that is how they felt. Hypocrisy is very prevalent in today’s society, whether it is the news or political parties, we constantly hear people lecture about moral values that they are lacking. There needs to be more honest discussions about topics that people disagree on and that make them uncomfortable in order to prevent hypocrisy and ignorance. People are so afraid to discuss issues that make others uncomfortable that they suppress their feelings. How are we to learn about others and accept each other’s differences if we are afraid to discuss the diversity that our country was founded on? Hypocrisy in a society that prides itself on liberty and justice for all will prevent the people living in that society from coexisting together. “Racism has gone underground.” Everyone is so worried about being political correct that we have taken our issues with others underground, where we harbor differences instead of embracing them. Hypocrisy is so easily acquired that we deny and forget that honesty will help us to embrace those things that we do not understand. Because we are afraid of the unknown; the unknown race, ethnicity, social-class, sexuality, and gender, we will never truly experience the beauty of diversity, and all the wonderful things we can learn from one another. Stop being hypocritical, and reflect on the things social issues that make you uncomfortable, and overcome these walls because the people waiting on the other side are remarkable.     

National Teacher of the Year

Danette Valdez has just been selected as The National Teacher of the Year for her work in the Albuquerque Public Schools. She has been employed with APS, as a government teacher, for the last five years, and is currently working on completing her masters. Ms. Valdez has accomplished many of her goals by creating one the first “We the People Honor Civics Competitive”at a local high school. She continually pushes her students to be effective agents for social change with their community, state, and nation. Her administration describes her as being a “sophisticated and knowledgeable teacher that knows what it takes to be a supportive educator in APS.”

“As a teacher in APS you’ll find your classroom to be diverse ethnically and culturally, and as an educator it is your job to provide your students with the knowledge and skills necessary to find their own voices.” Her goal for the last five-years has been to help students reflect on their constitutional rights as American citizens living in a democratic society, and help students to improve and develop their own minds by cultivating their own understandings of societal norms. Ms. Valdez argues that she has seen many inequalities and injustices occurring in her local school system, and that there are different levels of support given to schools and students based on their location within the city. Over the last five-years she has brought much awareness to the different attitudes toward the diversity of her students. She explained that ethnicity and social-class show the inequalities that a lot of her students experience on day to day bases. Through the diversity of her students and the honor civics program, she continues to enhance the quality of life here in New Mexico. Her students describe her as being “motivating and inspiring.” Ms. Valdez is grateful for even being nominated and considered for The National Teacher of the Year Award, and notes that the most rewarding aspect of her job is the diversity of her students. As one of her senior students put it, “She has shown us that we have a voice and choices outside of what is ‘Socially prescribed to us by society.’”

The Purpose of Teaching

In order to be an effective teacher you should be able to cultivate many characteristics by being internally motivated, flexible, creative, and hardworking, my purpose in being an educator is to help my students improve and develop their own minds to think for themselves by cultivating their own intellect. The goal that I will have for my students will be for them to learn from their experiences, and develop their own minds. Being an educator will allow for me to teach positive behaviors and knowledge so that students are able to be continual learners in society. In today’s society it is important for students to be accountable for their actions, and know why society deliberately transmits certain values and knowledge to them. It is should be okay for students to question things and develop their thoughts about why we do certain things in our society. It is important that teachers find qualities within themselves, reflect on their experiences and the possibility for growth because it will model positive characteristics for students. A classroom environment is quintessential to facilitating a place where students are able to experience positive learning. Having a positive learning environment for my students is important because the students must feel comfortable both physically and mentally, in order to improve and develop their own minds and intellect. It matters to me that my students are able to be continual learners throughout their lives, and arise their own values and experiences to expand their own knowledge about the way society works.