I finished watching the special series that was on TV last night about teachers called TEACH. I don't know how many of us teachers watched it and what they think about it. The show brought up many good and bad points of teaching. I personally was inspired when I watched it. It did bring a tear to my eye and I knew how they felt cause I have had those feelings many times.
I am glad Bill and Melinda Gates put this together to show America just a taste of what we teachers go through every day. The show followed 4 years in 4 different schools in for different areas of the country. We teachers walk into those classrooms everyday wanting our students to be successful. How do we do it day after day when we as faced with so many challenges from low students, being tested to death, to budget cuts left and right. These four teachers had students in their classrooms that were almost 2 to 3 years behind their peers. This is happening more and more everyday. We struggle to teach to all the students and to insure their success and growth while in our class.
Each teacher had to examine themselves and how to reach all students. Each of them felt they failed their students. The series showed how we test students progress so many times and that progress is then reflected on the teacher and their teaching. I have many days where I feel I am failing to reach kids. But like these teachers did they persevered and found ways to better their teaching and their students, I too get up everyday to continue making a difference to reach each student.
These teachers used new ways to reach their students. One was 360 classroom. The room is full of white boards all over the room 360 degrees. The students then worked their math problems on these boards while the teacher was in the middle of the room turning to see each student's work. (Traditional math we teacher don't get to see their work when they just sit at the desk working on their own.) The teacher and the assistant principal tracked their progress with the districts tests. Then mid way through the year the teacher was struggling with following district expectations or teaching at the students pace. She chose their pace but in the end data showed her students out did the district in those taught areas but was behind on the material she didn't cover.
Another teacher received training and a grant (i think) to have her students participate in the Khan Academy. Students all received new laptops then the teacher could have groups(the middle students) work on assignments through Khan, or another groups(the higher students) peer teach, while she work with the struggling students. This teacher had her struggles as well but in the end she had to think like a student and learn how Khan works for students in order to understand what her students needed. Her data showed her students moving up 2 years to be able to enter the next grade at grade level.
Another teacher was great at teaching math but her struggled with teaching reading. He had students who were almost 3 years behind. These 4th graders were at 2nd grade levels. He finally learned that he needed to find what interests the students. He went and bought books for his students that were of their interests.
Overall teaching is a hard profession but a rewarding one too. Each year I reflect on the year before and look at what I could do better or change about my teaching and how to reach my students. Last year I had to do that day to day and adjust. For those of you who are not a teacher please don't just look at us "Oh they get summers off, etc" cause teaching is a 7 day a week job and not an 8 hour job either. Please vote for those who will help education and not "Think" they know best when they have never walked in a teacher's footsteps.
