A few weeks back, I was given the opportunity to interview some of my old high school teachers. It occurred to me that many people talk about what it is like to be in the educational field of work, but no one can give you the real depth of it except for the teachers themselves.
I interviewed three different teachers at the Canandaigua Academy, but I would like to share with you only one of the interviews from that day. My old Film teacher, Mrs. Sutherland, had some insightful information to share with me about what it takes to be a teacher. The following are the questions I asked and her responses to each:
Marissa: Why did you decide become a teacher?
Sutherland: Well, I was a copy righter for ad agencies and a freelancer for many, many years. I found myself being less and less satisfied personally and professionally, and I wanted something more meaningful. So I took my passion for films and began teaching with that.
M: So you thought that teaching would be meaningful; do you still feel this way? Do you enjoy teaching?
S: I really honestly love doing what I am doing. The fact that I am teaching something that I am passionate about, film, really makes me love my job even more. In my small way, I am keeping these films alive for future generations in a noble way. The thing I enjoy most is that I am finding more and more kids who have a hardcore passion for what I am teaching them.
M: I can see you love your job. So what would you say are the benefits of teaching?
S: Seeing young people really grow and become more aware of all the choices that they have and all the ways that they can see things in life. Particularly in film, when they see things that I haven't even considered, I just love it!
M: So how do you keep you students interested and wanting to learn more?
S: I think it is very important to scaffold what you teach to students, not just try and teach them everything at once. We cannot just throw them into a whole new level where they will be uncomfortable, we have to teach to where they are at and take them somewhere else with their level in mind - that keeps them interested.
M: Do you have a specific teaching method that goes along with your idea of keeping students interested?
S: Yes, by developing relationships with them, I am able to see what kind of student they really are and reach out to provide them with the teaching they need. If they know I care about them, then I ensure that they will do what I ask of them in the class because they know they are being asked by someone who cares about them and their futures.
M: You obviously care a great deal about your students and their futures, so what type of students do you like teaching the most?
S: There are really a mixture of qualities. All teachers like a student who is honest; even if they did something wrong, coming forward and telling the truth really says something about their character. The students who have self-honesty get far in classes and in life because they are the ones who are willing to look at themselves accurately and take judgement for the better. I also love having students with a sense of humor, I really do. I think that's a sign of intelligence, of individuality, and of a healthy rebelliousness. Oh, I also love having students with an imagination, those who are willing to look at things differently from everyone else and share their thoughts; those kids will get far in life.
M: I have already taken up a lot of your time, so I will leave you with one more question. We have heard a lot of talk about budget cuts, so how do you feel about teaching with the economy the way it is today?
S: It's tough, it really is. Everyone thinks that they can do this job and that they know what it takes to be in this field of work, but they don't even realize what teachers should do and how they should teach. It's just ridiculous, and the people making this decisions to cut certain classes and courses have no idea how they are effecting the students education. My class is in risk of being cut, and though I really want this class to continue, it is tough to be hopeful during this time period. Yes, English and Science classes are important to a student's education, but that does not make what I am doing any less important; film is a major part of the media today. This class is allowing kids to be more creative and use their imaginations more. If we get rid of all of the classes similar to my film course like art and music classes, the generation below us will not know how to express themselves and that will come back to bite us in the future. Along with that, I think it is important for the parents of children to know what their children are learning and the importance of what they are doing in class whether it is English, Art, Science, Film, or any other class. So if I were queen of the universe, I would make it so parents had to come in with the students at least twice a year, that way they would actually know what is going on with the education system and the importance of it all. It is sad that the future education of our students is being run by a bunch of people who haven't been to school in twenty plus years. They have no idea what school is like nowadays; it is much different than when they attended, I can guarantee you that.
We can take away a lot of information about Educational Psychology from what Mrs. Sutherland has stated. She spoke about all the details that make up Educational Psychology, which is how students learn and develop, and analysed each area carefully. The aspects she talked, like about her passion for teaching, what it takes to be a good teacher, what a teacher must deal with everyday, and even what makes up a good student, are key factors that are important to always keep in mind whether you are teaching now, five years from now, or ten years from now. For a teacher, it is important to know about this concept and to understand how to deal with different personalities of students. Even though teaching may change over time with the growing amount of technology, it will be important to know the basics of teaching; the simplest method like merely showing you care about your students is the best way of reaching out and getting a student to take interest in his/her studies. Those who are working to become a teacher in the future can learn from people like Mrs. Sutherland by considering all of the aspects of what teachers must go through everyday and what it takes to successfully help a student develop.
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