Chapters 3- Personal experience, transmitted knowledge, and values all play a large role in who and what we are as teachers. I found it interesting that it was pointed out, how we are more driven by values, because those values shape how we experience something as well as how we perceive information/knowledge. As I was looking back and considering these three factors I feel that values effect my teaching most, then my personal experiences ( I seem to hang on to some things and cannot let them go... be it good or bad) and last then is transmitted knowledge. I do however feel that the more I teach and learn, I think the transmitted knowledge will start to pull into second place and have even more of an effect on my teaching. Chapter 4-Emotion behind teaching... "Teachers create emotional relationships with their students, and Connell maintains that managing these relationships 'is a large part of her [the teacher's] labour process." p38 The amount of emotion involved in teaching, well at least for me, is hard to put a size on. Especially in the elementary level, I personally am very emotionally involved in my work, but my students also have more than enough emotions to go around :) Best student emotion of all... the excitement created by discovery and pride! The idea of the metaphor of teaching is difficult for me to describe. "Thus images are part of our past, called forth by situations in which we act in the present, and are guides to our future, Images as they are embodied in us entail emotion, morality and aesthetics" (Connelly Clandinin, 1998, p 60) This ending to the paragraph struck me as I was reading. I am trying to figure out what images do I have that are floating around in my brain that I emulate or that keep me from making certain choices as a teacher... I was sad to come up with more negative images than positive images. I suppose that those who I did not find as great educators, who did something so "bad" as a teacher, that it stuck with me, has changed how I approach students or certain teaching moments- falling back in with those "personal experiences" that have changed my teaching ideas.
“What motivates the impulse to teach?”
The first thing to that came to mind as I was thinking about this idea of why teach? was "why not?" For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a teacher. There is only one defining moment when I remember making the switch in my brain to say I will be a teacher. It was in middle school. But I have to be honest I just kept hearing the same answer... I have always felt that teaching in some way or another was my calling. Even as a young girl I recall children being oddly okay with me- toddlers I had just me wanting me to hold them, or being every one's babysitter and playing with the children for hours.... A thought comes to me just now that I wonder if it has any relevance to my need to teach... Some of you know that I am an only child, and this was a topic that I started exploring in Hyatt's studio class this summer. Basically I have always wanted and longed for a sibling... I wonder if teaching is my way of getting that "fix" for nurturing, playing and friendship. Hmmm interesting-Going to need to chew on that one for a few days.
I know a big reason I still feel the impulse to teach is that I thoroughly enjoy the look on a child's face as they learn something new, or work really hard and finally get it figured out. It is a self centered reason I suppose, I like to be involved in other people's success, I want to help others along that journey and support them as they go, not just stand back and watch.
Like you Kelley, I always loved children as a kid / teenager. I loved to babysit and take care of kids, creating projects with them and playing games, running around and nurturing their imagination. When I was in college and started to do field experience work (where it wasn't an art room per say, but tutoring or after school programs), I discovered that kids say the darndest things. At the time I was actually quite disturbed by some of the things I heard and had to fight the urge not to flick them in the head. Kids were just so mean to each other! I guess I had forgotten. When it came time to student teach, my top choices for placement were elementary and high school. There was NO way I was going to a middle school - - that time is horrible! I am so glad that I was assigned to a middle school because it totally changed my mind about that time period and being with kids. Much more my speed. I could be goofy and sarcastic and still have students interested in learning. I liked being able to support them through a time I know is tough for many kids.
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