What Does It Mean To Be a Good Teacher?

In my teaching blogs, I don't usually write personal posts. Most of the content you see in these blogs contains snapshots of our school year and the amazing projects and progress and memories my students are making. However, as I am preparing for my third year teaching fifth-graders, I am reflecting a lot about what it means to be a good teacher.

On the first day of school, I give students the following writing prompt: What does it mean to be a good learner? A lot of students mention listening skills, cooperating, working hard, being on time, etc. The reason I have students think about this is because it is their current 'occupation' to be a learner, as my occupation is their teacher. Our staff has been going through many trainings about Visible Learning, and what it means in a classroom setting. An example of visible learning is the following: When students go home and their parents ask them what they've learned at school and they say, "There's this really cool archeologist digging up Egyptian pyramids." That isn't wrong, but it isn't the standard they are expected to show proficiency in. What they really learned was comprehending and analyzing complex informational texts. This is a life skill and standard the students are expected to master before leaving the fifth-grade. The tool we use could be an article about archeologists in Egypt, and that is what captures the students' attention, but isn't necessarily the skills - though content serves just as much of a purpose as said skills. Visible learning is all about the students owning their learning and being able to articulate exactly what they are expected to learn.

Now, why am I rambling on about this? Because that's a huge weight on students' shoulders, and they need a lot of help to become really good at being learners. Just as I had to go through many education courses and first-hand experiences to get to where I am today as a teacher.

But college didn't prepare me for the deep emotional ties I would have to this profession.

As I sit waiting to meet my third group of students for Meet-The-Teacher night, I am overwhelmed with a plethora of emotions. I am the person I am today because of who raised me. I couldn't list the whole group of people involved in this because it is vast. My parents are at the core of who I am, and I will forever be grateful to them for raising me in a kind, caring, humble, God-fearing environment. But a large number of the people on my list is my teachers and professors. And now that I am a teacher myself, it's almost intimidating - living up to the standard they held before me, the responsibility of so many young lives, the power that comes with managing humans. Now that I've had a few years of experience, it's becoming more and more natural.

But it's hit me how paramount my role is in these students' lives. In the midst of keeping up with my lesson plans, testing schedules, birthday celebrations, current news, math problems, and helping to grow a cohesive classroom environment, I forget how deeply personal my job is. Our administration reminded us that we always have our students' best interests at heart, and they are here to support us - but they used the word 'personal' and it really made me reflect. I don't think about that... how teaching is intimate. I am raising a generation. I am investing every day of my year to these tiny humans who need so much guidance. Each and every child has a special place in my heart and will always remain there. It's crazy to think one heart can (so far) hold fifty beings so near and dear. It's so hard to leave the previous year behind and start anew without feeling emotional.

Both of the classes I've had know I am a very emotional person and wear my heart on my sleeve - and that it's absolutely okay to show this emotion. I cry when I am sad; but I also cry when I am overwhelmed with joy or am so immensely proud of my students' accomplishments. And I want them to know. This career is exhausting - but in the best, most rewarding way. I wouldn't trade these days for anything.

I wanted to extend my gratitude to everyone who has supported and mentored me throughout my time as a new teacher, in particularly my colleagues and comrades at Spitalny Elementary. Without my team, my friends, my coworkers, and my administrators, I wouldn't be able to thrive and serve these students to my full potential. For those far away, I always feel the support - especially on the most overwhelming of days.

A good teacher is a teacher who invests in her kids. A good teacher is a teacher who keeps each name in her heart. A good teacher never gives up on a child. A good teacher is a good learner and can't beat herself up when something didn't go as planned. A good teacher needs her students as much as her students need her~