Teaching Isn't All Fun and Games

There comes a time in every teacher-to-be’s life when you realize that deciding to become an educator is more than a choice to spend every day with students. It’s more than preparing lessons, coming up with fun review games, writing tests, and grading homework. At the core, choosing to teach is choosing to give of yourself in order that the children with whom you work daily can learn. It’s about preparing children to become wonderful young men and women, and preparing young men and women to be well-rounded, stable parts of the functioning adult world. Teaching isn’t about forcing information into students, but about using what they already know as a basis to broaden their horizons and have new information flow through them. And sometimes, practically, I think that is such a hard task.

How do I teach the kids the information they need to know without feeling like I’m shoving it down their throats? How do I motivate them to care about my subject matter if it’s something they don’t see the value in? How do I come alongside every student so that they can achieve their best, but also make sure that the schools standards for learning on the whole are where they should be? The scary part is, I don’t know how to answer these questions. I have ideas, but they are not comprehensive. I’m not sure any “plan” ever will be. Maybe that’s pessimistic, but I think it’s realistic. All we can do is our best and even when we do that there will still be things—maybe small things—that slip through the cracks.

In my education class this semester, we recently had a discussion about how to deal with a class full of students all at different learning levels. We gathered ideas from each other on how to make activities that can encompass students at all varying degrees of academic ability: those highly gifted and way above the rest of the class, those struggling with even the most basic concepts, and those at every point in between. I do believe that every child can learn and I really do believe that every child can achieve their personal best in school, but I understand that those will not all be at the same levels. That still won’t stop me from trying to accommodate those who have trouble learning; it won’t stop me from being a creative teacher when I can be.

I will be presented with many challenges as a teacher. Some of which I can prepare for in my time of studying at Calvin. Most of which I’ll never even think about until I end up in my own classroom. In our discussion in class and subsequent conversations with people I’m close with, I began to realize that on the outside, I’m a real pessimist. I exaggerate my problems and complain more than I should. But deep down, I am such an optimist. My heart tells me that everything will work out in the end, that life is beautiful, and that there are always positives to focus on. I think this plays well into my calling to teach. Though teaching may be challenging and sometimes draining, each student has something unique to bring to the table. Everyone has their own individual strengths and weaknesses and I want to help students realize them. Sometimes the hardest part of learning information is learning how your brain works, and what you struggle with. Moving past the failures, facing the struggles, and embracing the strengths is what true teaching is all about. You cannot just focus on all strengths or weakness, there has to be a balance, and as a teacher you have to be the one to set that balance.

Sure, teaching might not be all fun and games. But it’ll be rewarding, I know. It’s the most rewarding career I could think of because I have the opportunity to make an influence. I still have so much to learn, but I’m ready to take it all on. I am so thankful to have wonderful educator examples in my life to run to when I really don’t know what to do and I am equally as thankful for those who listen to my dream and spur me on towards my goal. I’m not looking forward to the times when I struggle and don’t succeed in the classroom, but I know I’ll learn from my mistakes to ultimately become a better teacher and a better person.