I Believe in Striving to Get Better
What do I believe? I think that’s a very good question. If I had to use a single word to define my educational beliefs, it would be “striving”. This word means a lot to me and has shaped not only how I approach the classroom, but life in general. To understand where this word comes from and why it matters to me requires a trip back in time to my high school orchestra class.
As our conductor, Dr. T always expected excellence and didn’t have time for those not taking orchestra seriously. He was an old school teacher who wasn’t afraid to raise his voice or even toss a chair across the room to make a point. Despite his short temper and low tolerance for goofing off, Dr. T. was also a brilliant musician and a teacher who usually got the best out of his students. At some point during my tenth grade year—probably after a lackluster practice—he developed a saying to help define our goals for his class. In his words, we were to be “striving for the perfection which is unachievable”. In other words, I could always get better as a violist. He didn’t want me—or anyone else in class—to become satisfied or complacent as a musician. Years later I spoke to him about this expectation with some surprising results. I came to realize that I approached most things in life with this same mindset. I could always be a better student, friend, boyfriend, electrician, teacher, you name it. Some would call me a perfectionist…guilty as charged. I don’t have a 4.0 after three and a half years of college by mistake. The key for me is translating this mindset to my cooperating classroom, which is shaping up to be a greater challenge than any day in orchestra.
As a student, I only have to worry about my performance in class. I am responsible for my grades and nobody else’s. However, a teacher is responsible for every student that sets foot in their classroom. Although I don’t have absolute control over whether my students pass or fail, I do have a great deal of influence. I don’t believe in lost causes yet, although many people seem to think I should. If I can always get better as a teacher, why can’t I reach any given student? Maybe I’m setting my sights too high. After all, I am really new at this whole teaching thing. Maybe cynicism will set in over time and I’ll be just another teacher who has lost faith in their students. It just doesn’t seem right to be satisfied with any number of failing students except zero. Even if I can’t save them all, it certainly won’t hurt to try. I guess that’s my philosophy of education. Although I’ll never reach perfection, I hope to always be striving to be the best teacher I can be. That’s what I believe.
First of all, congratulations on your 4.0 in college! That is an amazing accomplishment. Second of all, I totally understand the motivation to always strive to be better. I am also a perfectionist and continue to live by that motto. I love that you are encouraging your students to strive for perfection that is unattainable." What a great slogan for your future. One piece of advice that I have is to find that balance. Sometimes I drive myself to exhaustion trying to be the perfect...whatever, and sometimes I have to recognize that there are some things I can't control. That is important in a classroom, but students are human and they will have control their behavior, sometimes in ways that you would not have wanted. But that does not mean that you can't strive to impact them all in one way or another. I think you can reach every kid and I don't think that it is unrealistic to strive for that goal. And I agree with you that we should always be striving to be the best teacher, friend, family member, and human. Can't wait to hear how you inspire your students this semester.
ReplyDeleteDr. M