Today my daughter Gaby who just started middle school told me that they changed one of her favorite teachers. He was her Social Studies Teacher and she told me that this year for the first time she was liking the class. However this teacher, was actually a Math Teacher who had been assigned as a temporary teacher to give the Social Studies Class until they were able to hire a permanent teacher.
I do understand how a Math teacher should really be teaching math and fortunately he was able to get a job teaching Math at another school. I mean, if he was a good teacher teaching Social Studies, I bet he will be an amazing teacher teaching Math.
What got me sad though was my own memories of Middle School. How my 6th grade teacher was a History/Social Sciences Teacher and how she was so mean. How I hated her, and how much I hated Social Studies since then. This got me thinking. If I hate Social Studies because I had an awful teacher, would I love the class had I gotten an awesome teacher?
On all my years of Study, including College, I only recall 2 good Social Studies/History Teachers. My eighth grade Social Studies teacher who was fairly nice and my College History Professor who I had for only one semester. I remember going to that History class in College and thinking that I wished I had that teacher since I was young. He was amazing and gave the class as if it was all some gossip, so it was really fun. But had it been too late for me? I have all these years of history lessons with horrible, mean or deathly boring teachers and it left me ignorant on the subject. I did not learn Geography, or History, or Social Studies all through my teenage years so now when I read the news paper or try to help my daughter with homework I feel dumb. I don't know almost anything. So how am I supposed to learn years of History Lessons now? When I really don't care enough to learn it. I just give up on it and maybe grasp a thing or two from my daughter's homework throughout the years.
Then I questioned myself, are teachers really that much of an influence in a child's life? I always thought that the course of study one chooses was mainly based on a basic inclination that we are born with, some kind of innate skill. But this made me doubt my theory. What if a child with a natural ability in a particular subject, say math for example, what if all his life his Math teachers were mean and even abusive to him. What if never in his life he had a nice inspiring teacher on that subject? Would this child avoid math in his career even if mathematical skill was natural in him?
I always found that my favorite teachers growing up where English teachers, I absolutely LOVED all my English teachers and what I Love the most is to write so it makes sense. However when I was in college, I had a horrible English Teacher who discouraged me from writing, not because she said I was a bad writer but because she thought I had a "disturbed mind" when I wrote. This teacher discouraged me to the point that I stopped writing for over 10 years. It was only after I got inspired by other mentors, friends which in a way are teachers as well even if not in a classroom, that I was able to start writing again.
Did I see my English Teachers as Amazing Teachers because they were teaching me my favorite subject? Or did English become my favorite subject because I had amazing Teachers?
What do you think molds us more? What experiences did you have growing up? What do you think influences more our decisions? Our innate passions? Or Inspiring teachers?
Cocoons to Butterflies, is not only about helping our children reach their potential, it is about every one of us. It is about finding a way to make our dream develop into butterflies and fly. It is about finding our true potential, it's about life. Please join me in this journey through the unexpected, the wonderful and the mysterious that leads us to our true potential, our own butterflies.
Hi Laurita....Well my case is similar to yours....I think that we are born with an inclination to do certain things because that is what we hear around us ....even inside our mothers belly.
ReplyDeleteTeachers take that seed and great teachers have the ability of planting it on great soil. Those are the teachers that we cherish and we remember. The teachers, me being one too ....are the ones that encourage and help the students to open their minds and to want to look for more.....and those same great teachers look after, help and stay until their goal in this case [see the student achieved what she knows he or she is capable...is not until that moment that the teacher stops her work]
So I understand that at home....the parents have to ask and be interested in their children activities and if there is something ....like what happen to Gaby....you look for ways she will have a great time....in this class. That will be your job ....understanding what you went trough with your teachers.
We rather remember the great than the bad.....So teachers have two ways....to be remember or not. Teachers have the KEY to success but there are teachers that really do not care....and they prefer to scare than to share.
I do trust the kids and my goal was to be the best teacher ever and I was.....=)
Maybe if you contact this teacher ....he can give Gaby once every other week ....[you staying with them of course...because we don't know him]....private lessons....That will be great! Don't you think? Gaby will love that and she will pay more attention because she needs to know the material in order to have the lesson.
Well Laurita....You are a great Mother and I hope I gave You some great ideas....Love You....Ma