I had a good teaching day yesterday 10/12/10. I don’t often get to share this type of excitement so I wanted to record it. I was frustrated on Monday because I learned from another teacher that the 10th graders were not understanding Chemistry. Even after I had gone over the topic multiple times, stopped to ask questions and practiced it with them over and over again. To hear they were still confused made me wonder, 1. Why didn’t they ask me when I stopped for questions? 2. Why did they go to another teacher? 3. Was it all a waste of time if they weren’t going to think for themselves anyways? I sat at my desk with my head in my hands. What to do?
Instead of eating lunch I went to the students, the ones that I knew could be honest with me, and asked them for their thoughts.
Their answers didn’t impress me- Some people don’t take notes, Others are sleeping, It’s just a hard class and I don’t get it…
Am I here to spoon-feed them the answers?
I prayed and asked myself, “Why am I a teacher?” To teach. Being frustrated was a waste of even more time. So before work yesterday I prayed for more strength and more love. I came up with a new lesson and direction and it worked! The students were learning in Chemistry, in Physics and in Physiology.
It was refreshing to have intelligent discussions, participation from all the students and a productive lecture. It was a very wonderful day yesterday.
Teachers: Keep it up!
