This week's readings collectively make the argument that part of being a teacher includes work beyond a a particular classroom and even school. Have you ever thought of the job in these terms? Discuss...
In terms of education, the topic I think about the most is the teacher’s political role inside and outside of the classroom. I believe teaching is inherently political. The “politicalness” not only applies to the subjects we (do not) choose teach, but also how we (do not) teach these subjects; it not only applies to the rules, routines, and procedures of our classrooms, but also the manner we pose these structures. When people talk of keeping politics “outside the classroom,” I think that is also political in the sense that it leans towards denial or apathy, which are two of the most dangerous political views. No matter how hard a teacher tries, politics will seep into the classroom in a blunt or subtle manner. The classroom is not an escape from reality, but rather a place to face reality and hone the skills we need to wade through it. Of course, not every second of the school day should be a heated debate, but including important political/human issues in the classroom (examples include the death penalty, fundamental rights- what they are and how we exercise them, women’s rights, LGBTQIA rights, etc.) guides students to go through their lives with a clearer picture of what they believe in.
This leads to the teacher’s role outside of the classroom. In order to guide these important discussions, teachers need to have firsthand experience with them, not only as an educator but also as a community member and government worker. One role for a teacher could also be seen as advocating for students outside of the classroom. If I knew that my students were not getting the support they need in (and out of) school, I would be advocating to changing the situation, which is the basics of politics. Thinking about intersectionality makes this far more complex and even more significant. What policies affect students and schools? Since schools are a part of a community, what policies affect the community? How do teachers use their knowledge and power to stand up for the policies they believe in and to resist the ones they don’t believe in?
I like the questions Ayers poses in Chapter 1: “What am I teaching for? And what am I teaching against?” in combination with the questions Sachs poses in Stemhagen and Sober’s article: “(1) What is the best place to accomplish the project of becoming activist professionals in teaching? (2) What is the best place for me to be? (3) What can I do from where I am?” In order to teach for what the teacher believes in, s/he must first delve into the non-stop journey of figuring out exactly what it is they believe in politically, and explore ways to incorporate this into his/her life as a teacher, community member, and government worker.
Before starting my classes here at VCU, I never deeply thought about the role of a teacher and whether it would extend outside of the classroom or school. I always assumed that the teacher goes to school, teachers his/her students, and leaves for the day. But of course, this is clearly not the case. As teachers, it is way more than just teaching the curriculum. Us, as well as our students and children, face social, political and economic issues every single day. We see it in our classroom and deal with it outside of our classroom. I believe we must recognize and do something about these issues. This can be done by working with the community and parents, having student organizations or organizing and mobilizing teachers to come together. Like the article said, the struggle for justice doesn't end when school is over; it is something that continues on in our students everyday lives. Our students come from so many different backgrounds; races, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds and disabilities. It is our job to try and make a change in the injustices and inequalities that our students face. But, not just one teacher can make this change; it takes a community of efforts to make these changes. We can also make these changes by using the curriculum. In the Teacher Activism reading, it gives an example of Rosa Parks. As kids, we learn about how Rosa Parks was arrested and then she boycotted for her rights. But what it doesn't tell you is that this boycott was strategically planned and thought out. If her story was told this was instead, it could teach students how to make choices. I believe that in order to be effective teachers, we need to understand and reflect on what we believe in- socially, economically and politically.
I have always thought about teaching as a job involves work outside of the classroom because for one, we must plan and that doesn't always happen at the school. Also, when we are out in public, we want to make sure we dress appropriately and act professionally because we never know who we may run into while we are out and about. Just like for students, their learning doesn't just exist inside the classroom. They have homework and projects they must do at home, and if their home life is not well, then they might not get their work done or even have what they need to get their work done. Now, in regards to the readings for this week, they focus on teaching as a job outside of the classroom having to do with being an advocate for teaching. It's important for teachers to be active in the community within where they teach and get to know organizations that they can be in. As teachers, we must remember that we are not only teaching students content based material, but also how to be a citizen in the real world. This means we most know what is going on out in the world, so that if need be, we can talk about it in our classroom. Being active outside the classroom is important for teachers. One thing I read for this week mentioned how schools serve society and society shapes our schools. That to me says a lot about teaching right there.
Growing up, my teachers always seemed to have it together and to work towards some goal that I was unaware of at the time. When I chose this profession, I knew that my life would be forever changed and that I would serve a role in lives in which I would have to make a choice; a choice of how I wanted to teach and support my students. I knew that I would always bring my work home with me each day and carry a weight of decisions that I had to choose what to do with. Although when you are young, teaching seems to be filled with butterflies and rainbows, it is evident that our job is something greater; we have the ability to unite community and classroom through empowerment and the fight for social justice. As teachers, we serve a larger role in students’ lives by having the ability to educate them in the classroom and empower them to seek change and stand up for what they believe in. One thing that really struck out to me from the readings was the constant reminder of how the world (and it’s education system) wants to destroy independent thought and critical thinking. As teachers, I feel as though we need to promote and foster our students’ independent thought for that is where the start of change derives. The moment we suppress our students’ ability to question the world and think critically on the repercussions of various situations not only in the classroom or at school, but also in the world, we fail to educate and empower the next generation of activists. While here at VCU, I believe that we have been exposed to the importance of teaching social justice and working to empower our future students, and need to take note of this information in order to better prepare ourselves. I believe very strongly that in order to do this, we must learn how we ourselves can serve as activists in our community and school. Change starts from a question and the ability or desire to make a change. As teachers, I believe that we can teach our students to look through a magnifying glass and think critically about what they are learning and learn to question what they see or are told to believe. Although we may not have a direct discussion on politics depending on appropriateness of the topic, I do believe it is our duty to educate our students on how to make a difference and how to fight for what they believe in. Teaching is not an occupation that stops when you leave the classroom. I believe that we have the ability and need to speak out for not only education, but also justice in our society and community itself.
I want to say I have thought about my job as such, though I am not going to be a teacher. As social workers we are trained to enter our professions as life-long learners and to be the best advocates for our population, clients, in my case students. I plan on working in schools as a school social worker. If we are going into our line of work because that is where our passion is we have the duty to provide the best we can for our students and if that means becoming a teacher activist, so be it. But if this line of work is more of a convenience one has to do some self-reflection. I share the value of wanting students to be free and aware. I personally enjoy and want to working with inner city youths because schools in the city tend to be the most disadvantaged. Its more difficult to reach freedom and to become aware in such a setting. What we do for the students when we engage with them goes a long way. We want to make sure we are providing them with the best tools so that our future generations take our society forward.
Hello All, Having been a public school classroom teacher for two years, I have had occasion to reflect upon the many facets of the teaching profession. Dr. Ayers writing is quite thought provoking. In my opinion the goal of a classroom teacher is to have the students learn the material. This means, to me, that when asked, the students can correctly answer a question or have thoughts that demonstrate an expanded understanding of the subject. That being said, a teacher has a wonderful opportunity to model an approach that is beyond questions and answers. Curiosity can be contagious. If a student asks a question which may not directly relate to the material at hand, but allows for a relatable moment, I think that an effective teacher has allowed for just enough time in their planning in order to get 'off subject' for a moment and travel down a path that may lead to, in fact, a greater understanding. Being somewhat flexible is a good trait for a classroom teacher to have. When I think of the phrase, "work beyond the classroom," I think of it possibly meaning, "work beyond the syllabus." Having awareness of an opportunity to engage the students in a wide perspective, critical thinking can be of great benefit to students as well as to the teacher. Dr. Ayers asks, "As educators, what do we oppose or resist?" The fact that this question exists give one pause to consider that social factors that are 'outside' the classroom often become 'inside.' It could be that the more information that a teacher has at their disposal, the more clear it is as to when an idea should be opposed in the classroom filled with students. As far as I understand, a teacher's social opinions are to be used sparingly within the classroom setting. There are, however, moments when the teacher's (and the student's) opinions will be unavoidable. As Dr. Ayers writes, "Teachers in an open democratic society must learn to think freely and without fear. This is required of us if we hope to teach students who will continue to develop minds of their own." To me this means that a teacher must be willing to go there; to discuss with students issues that are 'outside' the classroom. An effective teacher must determine for themselves what moment is appropriate for this kind of social, and even sometimes political, engagement. This is not an easy thing to do and to me is one of the trickier aspects of classroom teaching. Thanks, Sunny
This week’s readings had a lot of good information. In particular I enjoyed the Ayers Introduction. I felt that the message is very poignant given the climate of our country recently. Unfortunately, like Ayers, later mentions (can’t remember if it’s in the intro or chapter one) we are not a nation of readers, unless the material is loud and fast. I share the sentiment that freedom must be actively fought for, and feel that it is more important to pass on this idea of self starting, perseverance, and commitment to future students.
Sunny, I like your thought of, "work beyond the syllabus" more often than not I find myself frustrated the lack of choice in a syllabus, yet at the same time find it a necessary evil. Perhaps there's a happy medium.
I have thought about my job in these terms from the early days of thinking about pursuing teaching. I think of this in the most general sense of caring. You can look at caring in a variety of ways or combinations; caring for your job as a teacher, your students, and the difference you're going to make in the education system/your community. But at the end of the day, this is something I think that should happen in and outside of the classroom. Of course, we as educators/future educators I feel can collectively all say we care about our students when we are in that classroom. We may not always like our students and have our frustrations at times, but that doesn't mean you don't care about them. Just as we would, in the classroom, care about our students, express safety concerns ("don't run with scissors") and hand out positive encouragement, why would we stop caring when we leave that room for the day? From here, I feel as if this can be looked at in two ways. You go home from teaching for the day and care about your students in the sense of you want to provide them with great educational content so you work on lesson plans and activities for the next day. But I also think the second half of caring for students outside of the classroom also involves being aware of what's going on in your community not only for your sake, but for theirs. For some, that means being aware of community happens for neighborhoods or lifestyles that are different from theirs. This also means being aware of the politics happening in our society from a local to a national level. It's one thing to be aware of these things for your own self preservation, but when you're an educator or anybody that works in a field of helping other humans develop (such as teaching is) it takes a different mindset, or your "Teacher mind" to interpret and make sense of these happenings. Because no longer are you only responsible for you, but you are making an impact on the world through the students you teach. In fact, Ayers mentions in CH 1 that we as educators must be aware of social orders, how do we justify/warrant/defend the world, how do we oppose/resist, and explore alternatives that are possible. I feel as if that alone should hold all of us responsible for caring and all that caring encompasses.
Though I am passionate about education, I am not going to be a teacher. I am at VCU for Social Work so I will answer this question based on my own career choices. Social work is deeply set in working for social justice so being an advocate outside of my job is something that is unofficially required in order to be a social worker. I entered this field because I am passionate about social justice and wanted to dedicate my life to speaking out against oppression and discrimination. However, there was a time early in my undergraduate career where I did want to be a teacher and during that time I never thought about working advocating outside of the classroom. I knew I wanted to make a difference in children's lives, but I did not view it as being an advocate or working towards social justice. Now that I am older and and have learned a lot more about inequality and activism, I feel that it is imperative that teachers work collectively in order to fight inequalities.
Work beyond a particular classroom and even school. I think this is true of most teachers, they work beyond their classrooms and even school. It's hard to do everything within the designated school day. I find it especially hard if you plan outside activities, bring in outside resources, or just plain and simple want the children to have fun. I knew when I decided to teach, my first goal was to create an atmosphere or classroom that fostered a love for learning. I knew my style wasn't the traditional sit on the floor in an upright position, or walk in a straight line. I wanted the children in my room to have opportunities to explore learning at their individual levels. Due to the fact that I work with a very young population I want them to enjoy learning. My classroom is considered a self-contained class. The students in my room are ages 2.5 to 5 years old. They have various delays, so a lot of effort go into modifying routines, activities, play, and etc. So, whatever I choose to do stretches beyond the classroom. Actually, I really enjoy going beyond my classroom. I learn new things about myself and learn new ways to do old things. I meet new people and we share ideas, recipes, games and strategies for our students. When a teacher is committed to going beyond the classroom they give more of themselves, not just to the student,but the entire school. I work with my parents to find community resources, activities, and things they can do at home within their family routines.
When I first started my journey to becoming a teacher, I didn’t really think about work beyond the classroom other than grading papers and lesson planning. However, as I have gotten older and moved through the program, I have found that my chosen profession is a much more far-reaching role than “just” a teacher. Of course, it is a top priority for teachers that their students make strides throughout the course of the year and are successful in learning the material necessary, but I also believe teachers should be involved and aware of the politics that affect their job, students, and community. Teachers need to be aware of legislation that is being written and passed by lawmakers and politicians to seek out what will benefit their students, community, and profession, as well as what can cause potential harm. As important as it is to be a part of the community and take action when necessary to protect our students and profession, it is also important for teachers to educate their students about the importance of activism and what can happen when a group of people come together, such as the Civil Rights Movement and more recently, rights for the LGBTQ community. On this same note, I think it is important for teachers to educate their students on how politics work and how they can make their own voice heard/count. Teachers should nurture the idea that each student’s voice is important and their ideas can become powerful realities if they believe in themselves. In the climate we are living in today, I think this is incredibly important and relevant.
I think it's hard for everyone to imagine teachers as human beings with other things to do besides teaching. Besides the effort put into lesson planning and organizing school events, teachers do have lives outside of the classroom. As a matter of fact, I was shocked to learn a professor of mine LOVES going to WWE events and invited another professor along with him. They both lost their voices because they were yelling all night. I kept having to remind myself they’re allowed to scream at guys in elaborate costumes for fun and weren’t just holed up in their offices all of the time. Anyhow, I think we imagine the teachers that "teach toward freedom" to be like the teachers portrayed in The Dead Poets Society or Stand and Deliver. As for the teachers that promote "unfreedoms," we recall teachers who may have belittled us or suppressed critical thought and creativity. I was particularly struck by Ayers’ point that, “Teaching becomes ethical action, the practice of freedom, when it is guided by an unshakeable commitment to working with particular human beings to reach the full measure of their humanity , a willingness to reach toward a future fit for all” (Ayers xi). While a noble thing to strive for, perhaps an issue to discuss is what the “full measure of humanity” is, as that’s something philosophers will banter about for centuries. I think all teachers have their own ideas about that as well.
As for me and what I’ll be doing outside of the classroom, I’m already a freelance writer and I’m sometimes concerned a school district will tell me not to write about certain topics or I’ll get in trouble for something they might consider “inappropriate.” I haven’t written anything scandalous, but growing up in a conservative town where teachers and books (such as To Kill a Mockingbird in the 60’s; Harper Lee sent a witty and snarky response to the county shortly after) were sometimes censored. But as a professor told me, I don’t want to be working in a school district where I can’t voice my concerns. That’s why I’m impressed with the Richmond Teach-In site, as it blatantly opposes Devos as Secretary of Education and creates a community of like-minded teachers.
I absolutely agree that teaching is much more than presenting information and giving grades. It is a career that reaches far beyond the classroom, something that most people don't realize. As Ayers noted in his introduction, teachers "meet students where they are," meaning that they go above and beyond their job requirement in efforts to make sure each of their students has an equal opportunity to succeed. And it’s often a fight, especially for those who work in urban and high-needs communities. Even so, everybody has their problems, and it is inevitable that the injustices and/or obstacles students face in their personal lives with spill over into their educational experience. Therefore, it becomes the job of the teacher to figure out how to work with and around the student’s circumstances, whatever they may be.
Morgan, teachers should definitely be listening to Tupac's message! That's what teachers are trying to do in the first place, they are trying to open the minds of students and prepare them to grow into their own self.
Before I ever had the notion that I wanted to be a teacher, I had never thought about work beyond the classroom. Once I came to VCU and began taking teaching courses, I learned that teaching is much more than just going through a lesson plan and activities to teach your students required material. You first come in as a teacher as yourself, your beliefs and personality effect those that are taught. And how did you form your beliefs? You took in what was around you such as what's on the news. The most recent news that comes to mind that shows that teaching is working beyond the classroom is the new president. Because of the president's harsh ideas, there are families that are afraid of what will happen in the upcoming presidential term. We as teachers need to understand the information behind this because our students are going to ask us questions that we should know the answer to. One of my practicum b teachers told me that after the election, a younger elementary student had asked her what will happen to their family after Trump is elected. Understanding what is going on around the world politically, economically, and socially effects what teachers bring into the classroom.
I found it interesting that Ayers noted that schools exist at the heart of history as well as culture. Culture, for one surrounds us, and understanding the multitude of cultures from your students in your classroom requires work outside of the classroom. Teachers are not obligated to learn about their students different cultures, but it creates a connection between the teacher and the learner to show they understand and they care. History is happening right now, to which teachers need to work beyond the classroom to learn and share to their classroom what they have found. For example, telling students about the recent Women's March in numerous cities shows an example to students. Ayers noted that freedom began as freedom-in-action. Sharing with students history happening right now and connecting it to history that has already happened gives a better understanding to the student what is going on around them. Teachers need to be aware of what's going on beyond the classroom, so they are able to analyze it and bring it back into the classroom to share the knowledge with students. Teaching will always require work beyond the classroom because teaching is much more than just teaching.
When I chose to pursue teaching as my profession, I was not aware nor did I deeply consider the work it entails beyond the classroom and even the school. I, like Ashley Boehling, assumed that the work I would be doing outside of the classroom would include grading papers and lesson planning. However, the classes and practicum experiences I have had here at VCU have changed my perspective. This week’s readings were rather inspiring to me. One quote in particular from William Ayers, Teaching Toward Freedom stood out to me, “Democracy demands active, thinking human beings—we ordinary people, after all, are expected to make the big decisions that affect our lives—and in a democracy education is designed to empower and to enable that goal” (pg. 10). Our work as teachers extends well beyond the classroom. We need to be active and stay informed on what is going on within our community and governing body. We as well as the future generations we are going to be teaching are the big decision makers. I think it is just as important to teach our students about community involvement, politics and activism as it is to teach them about subject matter. They should be encouraged to be active thinking human beings who stand up for what they believe in while also respecting others views and/or differences. Their attention should also be brought to the resources, activities and relationships that can be formed not only inside the classroom but outside of the classroom as well. People tend to take these for granted—I know I have in the past. In the society we are living in today, this is extremely important.
As a government major in my undergraduate classes, politics has always been of great interest to me. When I decided to become a teacher, I knew that I wanted to be in the classroom for several years, but more so than that, I hoped that this experience in the classroom would help me to make a change in how we view education at the governmental level. In our practicum course last week, we discussed that in other professions, it is a group of their peers that make legal and licensing decisions. In education, lawmakers and career politicians make these decisions. I have always wanted the opportunity to be an educated decision-maker, however, after reading these articles, I realize that it won’t take just one or two people. In the Stemhagen and Sober piece, what really struck me were the obstacles that stand in the way of teacher activism. Although I have never really thought about this, perhaps it is why I felt that I needed to take on a role in government in order to effect change.
I think that my love of politics and the idea of engaged citizenship will carry over into the classroom. Ayers says, “Democracy demands active, thinking human beings.” The thing that I take away is that we cannot just hope that our students will become engaged in society and will be active citizens without setting an example. Be no means should students agree with their teachers’ opinions all of the time. What kind of freethinkers would that create? However, I do think that teachers should become more active in modeling for students how to become effective actors on society. I have seen more teachers being engaged in society and voicing their political opinions during the process of Betsy DeVos’s confirmation hearing than ever before. It should not just be this one issue though. In my high school this year, a Gay-Straight Alliance Assembly was to be held. However, the administration cancelled the event right before it was to take place. The city and many teachers fought against this decision and it was re-scheduled and held last night. I believe that this kind of activism is important for teachers to emulate. If we are going to tell our students that they can accomplish anything they work for, we as teachers should work to provide real-life examples.
I have wanted to be a teacher ever since high school. In my eyes, teachers always had the hardest yet the most rewarding job. The fact that I have the honor and the privilege to teach our country's next generation is still mind boggling to me. When I was young, I thought being a teacher would be difficult because you were responsible for taking care of and educating a classroom full of students. Through my time at VCU, I have realized that going though a lesson plan is one of the simplest parts of teaching. VCU has taught me so much meaning in hidden curriculum and how much power teachers really have on their students. Our every little actions and words have the potential to impact a child in a good or a bad way. Also, I have realized that if you are a teacher, you are kind of like a public figure because every year, you have a classroom full of students that look up to you and sees you as a model for everything! Therefore, I think it is very important to take what you teach (both education curriculum and hidden curriculum) outside of your classroom and be a positive example for your students. I believe that teachers have a 24/7 job because we really have the power to change the world. I hope that when I am a classroom teacher, I can appropriately bring in important social issues and demand equality and justice in my classroom!
When I was in elementary school, I used to think that my Kindergarten teacher slept every night underneath her desk and kept her clothes in one of the many closets in the classroom. It made sense to me since she was there in the classroom even when I got dropped off early, and made no motion to leave the building at the end of the day. It wasn’t until third grade that I ran into my third grade teacher at the grocery store and realized I was wrong and how silly I was to think that. Now that I’m on the path to becoming an elementary school teacher myself, I’ve often thought about teaching in terms of the time I’ll spend in and out of the classroom, and the time I’ll have remaining after weeks of planning, testing, and organizing. The nature of school is ever- changing, as Ayers references several times in Chapter 1. Many aspects of schools a hundred years ago have changed and even become illegal. You could also argue that the purpose of schools is changing, but since we did that last week, I won’t go into further detail. To me, keeping up with the changes or proposed changes of school goes hand-in-hand with the profession. It seems absurd to me that I wouldn’t want to be aware of how my life and job could potentially change, just like I can’t stand to not be informed on many aspects of the news. I’ve thought about teaching in terms of ways I’d like it to be: Inquiry lessons, less standardized testing, and so on, but also in terms of what I would do if I get a job where I have to stick to a very outdated curriculum and methods. I think many teachers are passionate about children and learning and want to make their lessons as engaging as possible for children. We all have ideas about how best to do so. As Ayers says on page 9, “Who, then, do we want to be? What shall we do? What are we teaching for? … “What does it mean to be human? What is society for? What is the meaning of life and what is the “good life?” I think all of these questions pose deep reflection, and are the aspects that teachers encounter aside from the lessons they plan. For instance, how do you answer questions students ask you that aren’t related to what you’re teaching? How do your lessons stick with your students? What will your students remember years after your class is over? What do you want them to remember? What do your students need to gain from your classroom, academically, and socially, that will guide or help them into adulthood? To me, the term outside the classroom can refer to the hours spent outside of 9- 4, when you’re planning, conferencing, organizing, or crafting. It also refers to all that you bring to the classroom that isn’t covered in the common core standards. It has to do with what you answer to the questions Ayers poses on page 9. It has to do with the lasting impact you make on your students, and how you answer the question of the purpose of schools. I’m not trying to say that there’s a hidden curriculum that goes on, but I think we all know that we end up learning so much more in school than just math, science, social studies and reading.
The readings posed the question of what the purpose of education is in the first place. Why do we teach? Ayers stresses that education should be used to benefit humanity; that is, allow students the opportunity to grow and become more human through teaching them how to be engaged and participatory and free. As teachers, we need to consider our moral and ethical professional foundations. These readings made me reflect on my teaching style… what was I doing for my students? The purpose is not just for students to come into my classroom everyday, learn the curriculum, take a test, and leave; it is not to teach conformity or obedience. Rather, the purpose is to help students reach their full capacity and humanity; it is to ignite initiative and courage so that we can better ourselves and, in turn, better the world. To do this, we have to encourage our students and teach them to be active members of not only the classroom, but active members of their community, of the country, and of the world. Even when I think about this in terms of elementary schoolers, it is hard to picture how one would go about introducing these ideas to them, but it can and should be done because it is how the world is. All of these things are issues that surround us everyday, regardless of what our age is. Just as Jessica stated in her post, talking about these issues so that students are aware and able to make ethical and moral decisions about what is going on around the world will help strengthen and empower them as individuals and will hopefully give them the courage to stand up for what is right.
As a child in elementary school, It always seemed to me that teachers didn't exist outside of the school building. The teachers were only there to give us our lessons and seeing a teacher out in public was akin to a rare animal sighting in the wild. However, as I got older, I began to realize that some of the best lessons I learned from the best teachers were taught outside of a lesson plan. While students do come to school to learn reading, writing, math, science, etc, they are also there to learn new ways to think about and challenge the world around them. Because of this, it could be seen as a disservice for a teacher to ignore the world outside of the classroom doors. When it comes to whether or not politics should be allowed in the classroom, I say of course. While a teacher shouldn't necessarily be forcing their own political agenda on students, they should be talking about current important issues in the world so the students can process them and form their own ideas. If we can instill that sense of social or world awareness in the children we teach, I think that in itself is a positive social change.
Teachers are in a unique and privileged position to encourage thought in countless young minds. I think that is why teacher activism is so important. We play such a vital role in the development of students minds, so shouldn't we be active about affecting change to improve the ways we go about that role?
I have definitely thought of teaching involving work beyond the classroom, and those thoughts are being solidified the more time spent in my practicum classrooms, from my courses through this program, and from issues and topics talked about in today’s society. As a teacher, you become so much more than just that to your students. You are their mentor, role model, and advocate. Becoming a teacher is more than just lesson plans and graded papers, it’s helping your students to develop the skills to function in today’s society. Ayers mentions in Chapter 1 that “schools serve societies; societies shape schools.” Social strengths are reflected in society’s schools. He also says that education is always enacted within a social surround such as a community or society and as educators we need to keep our eyes open to the social order and the world around this. To me, this means as future educators we need to stay informed about what is going on in the world beyond the classroom so that we can educate our students in a more effective manner and teach them to be members of a community.
As most of us (students) do, I have always thought that teachers only worked during school hours, and that after hours, school was the least of their worries. However, since starting in the education program here at VCU, I have learned that that is far from the truth. Teachers are constantly working. Their brains are always thinking of ways to make a lesson better, ways to help a single student progress, or ways to get supplies and funds for their classroom. This weeks readings focused mainly on teaching as a job outside of the classroom, and how teachers should advocate for teaching by being active in the community within where they teach. As teachers, not only are we teaching academic material, we are also responsible for teaching students how to be good citizens, as well as how to maneuver out there in the real world, “the streets” if we may. And in order to do so, teachers must be active in the community and stay u to date on what is going on worldwide. They have to bring what they know and what they learn back into the classroom because like the reading said, “schools serve society and society shapes our schools”.
I've never thought of a teacher as someone who ONLY existed in the classroom/school walls. I think a teacher, like any job working closely with communities of people, requires much more than what the job description entails. We are going to see our students more during the week than their parents do. I think that the relationship we build with our students is one of, if not the most vital for successful students and a cooperative and engaging classroom.
I remember my kindergarten teacher inviting a few of us to her wedding when she got married years after we were even her students. about four of us with our parents went all the way up to PA for the ceremony and reception; she had continued that relationship beyond the nine months we were her students. I still talk to some of my elementary teachers and high school teachers to this day. My art teacher lives down the street from my parents, my 5th grade teacher was best friends with my neighbors mom, etc. From the very beginning, those teachers were the ones I felt most comfortable with going to for problems in school or at home.
This is especially important for people who want to work in inner city schools; odds are, you won't be living int he same neighborhood as your students. This makes it much more difficult to be a part of neighborhood events, etc. I know that will probably be my reality, so attending sports games, church functions, and getting my face out in the community I'm teaching in is a top priority. I want to make sure the parents and children are as comfortable with me as I was with my teachers who were even a small part of my life outside of school.
I have often thought that teaching will be a job that doesn't end when the students go home. Teaching doesn't even end at the close of one of your lesson's for the day. Teaching is an on-going effort. I've often thought of teaching going beyond the end of the day in terms of extra "work" that needs to be done to prepare for the next day. This list includes but is not limited to; lesson planning and writing, crafting materials, research, reading, grading, organizing, answering emails, etc. All of these jobs seem necessary if we are to continue teaching every day. On the other side of the extra work which I hadn't considered, is the work of activism and social justice. If you are concerned that your students aren't getting the educational benefits they deserve because of the chairs they're sitting in, you write a grant to get all your kids yoga balls. If you are worried that the new policies put in place will affect your students negatively, you write a letter to your representatives. If you are concerned for your student's safety at home, you write a report. There is a long list of outside jobs that we need to go through for our students to have the best possible education. Our role is an important part in enacting social change. If we care enough about our students and the struggles in their lives, teaching is a profession in which the work reaches far beyond the classroom and the school. We work hard for our students so that education can be that important piece in enacting social change.
I have always been aware of the physical work that teachers have to do outside of the classroom and school, such as grading papers, planning lessons, and preparing materials, however, I have never really thought about the different roles teachers can play in society or the other types of work teachers can get involved with other teachers and members of the community. Growing up, it was rare to see teachers outside of the school, and if I did see a teacher outside of school it was kind of weird because I had such a strong connection of teachers with school and nothing else (also, no one teacher really made a life-changing impact on me, therefore, strengthened my idea that teachers were merely just teachers). However, through our readings, it is clear that teachers can be and should be more than just people who teach in school. We have the potential to be a catalyst for social change and the power to enrich, educate, and expand young minds to motivate and empower their peers to stand up for what they believe in and get involved with their world.
I want to become a teacher because I believe that education is our strongest weapon to combat social issues and make our society and world greater (also, I believe that everyone deserves to be educated and learn how to become life-long learners, and I want to help increase the number of people who are educated). Teachers play an important role to provide students with opportunities and experiences to become better people and lead a successful life, therefore, I believe it is important for teachers to also have different life experiences and to continue to be involved with our community and our world.
I always knew that teaching didn’t end when the students went home, or even when the teacher went home. My dad was a teacher along in a low income middle school in Louisville when I was young and one of my cousins is an assistant principal as well. I grew up seeing the amount of work that went into the job of teaching outside of just the contracted demands. However, I was passionate about social justice long before I was passionate about teaching. When I realized that I wanted to be a teacher I was concerned how my activism would fit in a school setting. With our current administration, I am still concerned. However, I realize that my job as an educator inside the school is not to indoctrinate my students with my personal beliefs. Instead my job is to give them facts and to help them learn how to think critically and independently. By teaching them these things starting young, teachers can give students the tools they need to eventually go out into the world and to help shape it into what they believe it should be.
Being a teacher definitely extends beyond the classroom or school. My student teaching has shown the long hours planning lessons, printing all necessary documents, and changing certain things to fit different levels of students you teach. Outside of the time commitment, most teachers I have talked to end up spending their own money on many different things in the classroom that they need to effectively run it. For some reason, even before I wanted to be a teacher, I figured teachers need to put a lot of work in, at least the exceptional ones, because they have so many supplemental materials, background knowledge, or references. At least for the first few years, teaching will probably consume the majority of the teacher's time.
In terms of education, the topic I think about the most is the teacher’s political role inside and outside of the classroom. I believe teaching is inherently political. The “politicalness” not only applies to the subjects we (do not) choose teach, but also how we (do not) teach these subjects; it not only applies to the rules, routines, and procedures of our classrooms, but also the manner we pose these structures. When people talk of keeping politics “outside the classroom,” I think that is also political in the sense that it leans towards denial or apathy, which are two of the most dangerous political views. No matter how hard a teacher tries, politics will seep into the classroom in a blunt or subtle manner. The classroom is not an escape from reality, but rather a place to face reality and hone the skills we need to wade through it. Of course, not every second of the school day should be a heated debate, but including important political/human issues in the classroom (examples include the death penalty, fundamental rights- what they are and how we exercise them, women’s rights, LGBTQIA rights, etc.) guides students to go through their lives with a clearer picture of what they believe in.
ReplyDeleteThis leads to the teacher’s role outside of the classroom. In order to guide these important discussions, teachers need to have firsthand experience with them, not only as an educator but also as a community member and government worker. One role for a teacher could also be seen as advocating for students outside of the classroom. If I knew that my students were not getting the support they need in (and out of) school, I would be advocating to changing the situation, which is the basics of politics. Thinking about intersectionality makes this far more complex and even more significant. What policies affect students and schools? Since schools are a part of a community, what policies affect the community? How do teachers use their knowledge and power to stand up for the policies they believe in and to resist the ones they don’t believe in?
I like the questions Ayers poses in Chapter 1: “What am I teaching for? And what am I teaching against?” in combination with the questions Sachs poses in Stemhagen and Sober’s article: “(1) What is the best place to accomplish the project of becoming activist professionals in teaching? (2) What is the best place for me to be? (3) What can I do from where I am?” In order to teach for what the teacher believes in, s/he must first delve into the non-stop journey of figuring out exactly what it is they believe in politically, and explore ways to incorporate this into his/her life as a teacher, community member, and government worker.
ReplyDeleteBefore starting my classes here at VCU, I never deeply thought about the role of a teacher and whether it would extend outside of the classroom or school. I always assumed that the teacher goes to school, teachers his/her students, and leaves for the day. But of course, this is clearly not the case. As teachers, it is way more than just teaching the curriculum. Us, as well as our students and children, face social, political and economic issues every single day. We see it in our classroom and deal with it outside of our classroom. I believe we must recognize and do something about these issues. This can be done by working with the community and parents, having student organizations or organizing and mobilizing teachers to come together. Like the article said, the struggle for justice doesn't end when school is over; it is something that continues on in our students everyday lives. Our students come from so many different backgrounds; races, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds and disabilities. It is our job to try and make a change in the injustices and inequalities that our students face. But, not just one teacher can make this change; it takes a community of efforts to make these changes. We can also make these changes by using the curriculum. In the Teacher Activism reading, it gives an example of Rosa Parks. As kids, we learn about how Rosa Parks was arrested and then she boycotted for her rights. But what it doesn't tell you is that this boycott was strategically planned and thought out. If her story was told this was instead, it could teach students how to make choices. I believe that in order to be effective teachers, we need to understand and reflect on what we believe in- socially, economically and politically.
I have always thought about teaching as a job involves work outside of the classroom because for one, we must plan and that doesn't always happen at the school. Also, when we are out in public, we want to make sure we dress appropriately and act professionally because we never know who we may run into while we are out and about. Just like for students, their learning doesn't just exist inside the classroom. They have homework and projects they must do at home, and if their home life is not well, then they might not get their work done or even have what they need to get their work done.
ReplyDeleteNow, in regards to the readings for this week, they focus on teaching as a job outside of the classroom having to do with being an advocate for teaching. It's important for teachers to be active in the community within where they teach and get to know organizations that they can be in. As teachers, we must remember that we are not only teaching students content based material, but also how to be a citizen in the real world. This means we most know what is going on out in the world, so that if need be, we can talk about it in our classroom. Being active outside the classroom is important for teachers. One thing I read for this week mentioned how schools serve society and society shapes our schools. That to me says a lot about teaching right there.
Growing up, my teachers always seemed to have it together and to work towards some goal that I was unaware of at the time. When I chose this profession, I knew that my life would be forever changed and that I would serve a role in lives in which I would have to make a choice; a choice of how I wanted to teach and support my students. I knew that I would always bring my work home with me each day and carry a weight of decisions that I had to choose what to do with. Although when you are young, teaching seems to be filled with butterflies and rainbows, it is evident that our job is something greater; we have the ability to unite community and classroom through empowerment and the fight for social justice. As teachers, we serve a larger role in students’ lives by having the ability to educate them in the classroom and empower them to seek change and stand up for what they believe in. One thing that really struck out to me from the readings was the constant reminder of how the world (and it’s education system) wants to destroy independent thought and critical thinking. As teachers, I feel as though we need to promote and foster our students’ independent thought for that is where the start of change derives. The moment we suppress our students’ ability to question the world and think critically on the repercussions of various situations not only in the classroom or at school, but also in the world, we fail to educate and empower the next generation of activists.
ReplyDeleteWhile here at VCU, I believe that we have been exposed to the importance of teaching social justice and working to empower our future students, and need to take note of this information in order to better prepare ourselves. I believe very strongly that in order to do this, we must learn how we ourselves can serve as activists in our community and school. Change starts from a question and the ability or desire to make a change. As teachers, I believe that we can teach our students to look through a magnifying glass and think critically about what they are learning and learn to question what they see or are told to believe. Although we may not have a direct discussion on politics depending on appropriateness of the topic, I do believe it is our duty to educate our students on how to make a difference and how to fight for what they believe in. Teaching is not an occupation that stops when you leave the classroom. I believe that we have the ability and need to speak out for not only education, but also justice in our society and community itself.
I want to say I have thought about my job as such, though I am not going to be a teacher. As social workers we are trained to enter our professions as life-long learners and to be the best advocates for our population, clients, in my case students. I plan on working in schools as a school social worker. If we are going into our line of work because that is where our passion is we have the duty to provide the best we can for our students and if that means becoming a teacher activist, so be it. But if this line of work is more of a convenience one has to do some self-reflection. I share the value of wanting students to be free and aware. I personally enjoy and want to working with inner city youths because schools in the city tend to be the most disadvantaged. Its more difficult to reach freedom and to become aware in such a setting. What we do for the students when we engage with them goes a long way. We want to make sure we are providing them with the best tools so that our future generations take our society forward.
ReplyDeleteHello All,
ReplyDeleteHaving been a public school classroom teacher for two years, I have had occasion to reflect upon the many facets of the teaching profession. Dr. Ayers writing is quite thought provoking. In my opinion the goal of a classroom teacher is to have the students learn the material. This means, to me, that when asked, the students can correctly answer a question or have thoughts that demonstrate an expanded understanding of the subject. That being said, a teacher has a wonderful opportunity to model an approach that is beyond questions and answers. Curiosity can be contagious. If a student asks a question which may not directly relate to the material at hand, but allows for a relatable moment, I think that an effective teacher has allowed for just enough time in their planning in order to get 'off subject' for a moment and travel down a path that may lead to, in fact, a greater understanding. Being somewhat flexible is a good trait for a classroom teacher to have.
When I think of the phrase, "work beyond the classroom," I think of it possibly meaning, "work beyond the syllabus." Having awareness of an opportunity to engage the students in a wide perspective, critical thinking can be of great benefit to students as well as to the teacher.
Dr. Ayers asks, "As educators, what do we oppose or resist?" The fact that this question exists give one pause to consider that social factors that are 'outside' the classroom often become 'inside.' It could be that the more information that a teacher has at their disposal, the more clear it is as to when an idea should be opposed in the classroom filled with students. As far as I understand, a teacher's social opinions are to be used sparingly within the classroom setting. There are, however, moments when the teacher's (and the student's) opinions will be unavoidable. As Dr. Ayers writes, "Teachers in an open democratic society must learn to think freely and without fear. This is required of us if we hope to teach students who will continue to develop minds of their own." To me this means that a teacher must be willing to go there; to discuss with students issues that are 'outside' the classroom. An effective teacher must determine for themselves what moment is appropriate for this kind of social, and even sometimes political, engagement. This is not an easy thing to do and to me is one of the trickier aspects of classroom teaching.
Thanks,
Sunny
This week’s readings had a lot of good information. In particular I enjoyed the Ayers Introduction. I felt that the message is very poignant given the climate of our country recently. Unfortunately, like Ayers, later mentions (can’t remember if it’s in the intro or chapter one) we are not a nation of readers, unless the material is loud and fast. I share the sentiment that freedom must be actively fought for, and feel that it is more important to pass on this idea of self starting, perseverance, and commitment to future students.
ReplyDeleteSunny, I like your thought of, "work beyond the syllabus" more often than not I find myself frustrated the lack of choice in a syllabus, yet at the same time find it a necessary evil. Perhaps there's a happy medium.
I have thought about my job in these terms from the early days of thinking about pursuing teaching. I think of this in the most general sense of caring. You can look at caring in a variety of ways or combinations; caring for your job as a teacher, your students, and the difference you're going to make in the education system/your community. But at the end of the day, this is something I think that should happen in and outside of the classroom. Of course, we as educators/future educators I feel can collectively all say we care about our students when we are in that classroom. We may not always like our students and have our frustrations at times, but that doesn't mean you don't care about them. Just as we would, in the classroom, care about our students, express safety concerns ("don't run with scissors") and hand out positive encouragement, why would we stop caring when we leave that room for the day? From here, I feel as if this can be looked at in two ways. You go home from teaching for the day and care about your students in the sense of you want to provide them with great educational content so you work on lesson plans and activities for the next day. But I also think the second half of caring for students outside of the classroom also involves being aware of what's going on in your community not only for your sake, but for theirs. For some, that means being aware of community happens for neighborhoods or lifestyles that are different from theirs. This also means being aware of the politics happening in our society from a local to a national level. It's one thing to be aware of these things for your own self preservation, but when you're an educator or anybody that works in a field of helping other humans develop (such as teaching is) it takes a different mindset, or your "Teacher mind" to interpret and make sense of these happenings. Because no longer are you only responsible for you, but you are making an impact on the world through the students you teach. In fact, Ayers mentions in CH 1 that we as educators must be aware of social orders, how do we justify/warrant/defend the world, how do we oppose/resist, and explore alternatives that are possible. I feel as if that alone should hold all of us responsible for caring and all that caring encompasses.
ReplyDeleteThough I am passionate about education, I am not going to be a teacher. I am at VCU for Social Work so I will answer this question based on my own career choices. Social work is deeply set in working for social justice so being an advocate outside of my job is something that is unofficially required in order to be a social worker. I entered this field because I am passionate about social justice and wanted to dedicate my life to speaking out against oppression and discrimination. However, there was a time early in my undergraduate career where I did want to be a teacher and during that time I never thought about working advocating outside of the classroom. I knew I wanted to make a difference in children's lives, but I did not view it as being an advocate or working towards social justice. Now that I am older and and have learned a lot more about inequality and activism, I feel that it is imperative that teachers work collectively in order to fight inequalities.
ReplyDeleteWork beyond a particular classroom and even school. I think this is true of most teachers, they work beyond their classrooms and even school. It's hard to do everything within the designated school day. I find it especially hard if you plan outside activities, bring in outside resources, or just plain and simple want the children to have fun. I knew when I decided to teach, my first goal was to create an atmosphere or classroom that fostered a love for learning. I knew my style wasn't the traditional sit on the floor in an upright position, or walk in a straight line. I wanted the children in my room to have opportunities to explore learning at their individual levels. Due to the fact that I work with a very young population I want them to enjoy learning. My classroom is considered a self-contained class. The students in my room are ages 2.5 to 5 years old. They have various delays, so a lot of effort go into modifying routines, activities, play, and etc. So, whatever I choose to do stretches beyond the classroom. Actually, I really enjoy going beyond my classroom. I learn new things about myself and learn new ways to do old things. I meet new people and we share ideas, recipes, games and strategies for our students. When a teacher is committed to going beyond the classroom they give more of themselves, not just to the student,but the entire school. I work with my parents to find community resources, activities, and things they can do at home within their family routines.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started my journey to becoming a teacher, I didn’t really think about work beyond the classroom other than grading papers and lesson planning. However, as I have gotten older and moved through the program, I have found that my chosen profession is a much more far-reaching role than “just” a teacher. Of course, it is a top priority for teachers that their students make strides throughout the course of the year and are successful in learning the material necessary, but I also believe teachers should be involved and aware of the politics that affect their job, students, and community. Teachers need to be aware of legislation that is being written and passed by lawmakers and politicians to seek out what will benefit their students, community, and profession, as well as what can cause potential harm. As important as it is to be a part of the community and take action when necessary to protect our students and profession, it is also important for teachers to educate their students about the importance of activism and what can happen when a group of people come together, such as the Civil Rights Movement and more recently, rights for the LGBTQ community. On this same note, I think it is important for teachers to educate their students on how politics work and how they can make their own voice heard/count. Teachers should nurture the idea that each student’s voice is important and their ideas can become powerful realities if they believe in themselves. In the climate we are living in today, I think this is incredibly important and relevant.
ReplyDeleteI think it's hard for everyone to imagine teachers as human beings with other things to do besides teaching. Besides the effort put into lesson planning and organizing school events, teachers do have lives outside of the classroom. As a matter of fact, I was shocked to learn a professor of mine LOVES going to WWE events and invited another professor along with him. They both lost their voices because they were yelling all night. I kept having to remind myself they’re allowed to scream at guys in elaborate costumes for fun and weren’t just holed up in their offices all of the time. Anyhow, I think we imagine the teachers that "teach toward freedom" to be like the teachers portrayed in The Dead Poets Society or Stand and Deliver. As for the teachers that promote "unfreedoms," we recall teachers who may have belittled us or suppressed critical thought and creativity. I was particularly struck by Ayers’ point that, “Teaching becomes ethical action, the practice of freedom, when it is guided by an unshakeable commitment to working with particular human beings to reach the full measure of their humanity , a willingness to reach toward a future fit for all” (Ayers xi). While a noble thing to strive for, perhaps an issue to discuss is what the “full measure of humanity” is, as that’s something philosophers will banter about for centuries. I think all teachers have their own ideas about that as well.
ReplyDeleteAs for me and what I’ll be doing outside of the classroom, I’m already a freelance writer and I’m sometimes concerned a school district will tell me not to write about certain topics or I’ll get in trouble for something they might consider “inappropriate.” I haven’t written anything scandalous, but growing up in a conservative town where teachers and books (such as To Kill a Mockingbird in the 60’s; Harper Lee sent a witty and snarky response to the county shortly after) were sometimes censored. But as a professor told me, I don’t want to be working in a school district where I can’t voice my concerns. That’s why I’m impressed with the Richmond Teach-In site, as it blatantly opposes Devos as Secretary of Education and creates a community of like-minded teachers.
I absolutely agree that teaching is much more than presenting information and giving grades. It is a career that reaches far beyond the classroom, something that most people don't realize. As Ayers noted in his introduction, teachers "meet students where they are," meaning that they go above and beyond their job requirement in efforts to make sure each of their students has an equal opportunity to succeed. And it’s often a fight, especially for those who work in urban and high-needs communities. Even so, everybody has their problems, and it is inevitable that the injustices and/or obstacles students face in their personal lives with spill over into their educational experience. Therefore, it becomes the job of the teacher to figure out how to work with and around the student’s circumstances, whatever they may be.
ReplyDeleteThough teaching is such a demanding profession, it gives individuals the opportunity to actually touch lives and make a change. Teachers are activists, whether they know it or not. Their actions in/out of the classrooms and interactions with students can directly (or even indirectly) uplift, inspire, and mold the minds of our future leaders. It may sound cliché to some, but I know it to be true from my own personal life experiences, both as a teacher and student. By no means am I saying that one teacher by themselves can fix all of the world’s problems and recreate the social justice system. However, they can show students how to work hard, work together, and stand up for what they believe. I once heard a wise man say something that completely put teaching in perspective for me—something that every teacher should keep in the back of their minds as they go to work every day. He said, “I’m not saying that I’m gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that WILL change the world.”
SN: The wise man was rapper, Tupac Shakur :)
Morgan, teachers should definitely be listening to Tupac's message! That's what teachers are trying to do in the first place, they are trying to open the minds of students and prepare them to grow into their own self.
DeleteBefore I ever had the notion that I wanted to be a teacher, I had never thought about work beyond the classroom. Once I came to VCU and began taking teaching courses, I learned that teaching is much more than just going through a lesson plan and activities to teach your students required material. You first come in as a teacher as yourself, your beliefs and personality effect those that are taught. And how did you form your beliefs? You took in what was around you such as what's on the news.
ReplyDeleteThe most recent news that comes to mind that shows that teaching is working beyond the classroom is the new president. Because of the president's harsh ideas, there are families that are afraid of what will happen in the upcoming presidential term. We as teachers need to understand the information behind this because our students are going to ask us questions that we should know the answer to. One of my practicum b teachers told me that after the election, a younger elementary student had asked her what will happen to their family after Trump is elected. Understanding what is going on around the world politically, economically, and socially effects what teachers bring into the classroom.
I found it interesting that Ayers noted that schools exist at the heart of history as well as culture. Culture, for one surrounds us, and understanding the multitude of cultures from your students in your classroom requires work outside of the classroom. Teachers are not obligated to learn about their students different cultures, but it creates a connection between the teacher and the learner to show they understand and they care. History is happening right now, to which teachers need to work beyond the classroom to learn and share to their classroom what they have found. For example, telling students about the recent Women's March in numerous cities shows an example to students. Ayers noted that freedom began as freedom-in-action. Sharing with students history happening right now and connecting it to history that has already happened gives a better understanding to the student what is going on around them. Teachers need to be aware of what's going on beyond the classroom, so they are able to analyze it and bring it back into the classroom to share the knowledge with students. Teaching will always require work beyond the classroom because teaching is much more than just teaching.
When I chose to pursue teaching as my profession, I was not aware nor did I deeply consider the work it entails beyond the classroom and even the school. I, like Ashley Boehling, assumed that the work I would be doing outside of the classroom would include grading papers and lesson planning. However, the classes and practicum experiences I have had here at VCU have changed my perspective. This week’s readings were rather inspiring to me. One quote in particular from William Ayers, Teaching Toward Freedom stood out to me, “Democracy demands active, thinking human beings—we ordinary people, after all, are expected to make the big decisions that affect our lives—and in a democracy education is designed to empower and to enable that goal” (pg. 10). Our work as teachers extends well beyond the classroom. We need to be active and stay informed on what is going on within our community and governing body. We as well as the future generations we are going to be teaching are the big decision makers. I think it is just as important to teach our students about community involvement, politics and activism as it is to teach them about subject matter. They should be encouraged to be active thinking human beings who stand up for what they believe in while also respecting others views and/or differences. Their attention should also be brought to the resources, activities and relationships that can be formed not only inside the classroom but outside of the classroom as well. People tend to take these for granted—I know I have in the past. In the society we are living in today, this is extremely important.
ReplyDeleteAs a government major in my undergraduate classes, politics has always been of great interest to me. When I decided to become a teacher, I knew that I wanted to be in the classroom for several years, but more so than that, I hoped that this experience in the classroom would help me to make a change in how we view education at the governmental level. In our practicum course last week, we discussed that in other professions, it is a group of their peers that make legal and licensing decisions. In education, lawmakers and career politicians make these decisions. I have always wanted the opportunity to be an educated decision-maker, however, after reading these articles, I realize that it won’t take just one or two people. In the Stemhagen and Sober piece, what really struck me were the obstacles that stand in the way of teacher activism. Although I have never really thought about this, perhaps it is why I felt that I needed to take on a role in government in order to effect change.
ReplyDeleteI think that my love of politics and the idea of engaged citizenship will carry over into the classroom. Ayers says, “Democracy demands active, thinking human beings.” The thing that I take away is that we cannot just hope that our students will become engaged in society and will be active citizens without setting an example. Be no means should students agree with their teachers’ opinions all of the time. What kind of freethinkers would that create? However, I do think that teachers should become more active in modeling for students how to become effective actors on society. I have seen more teachers being engaged in society and voicing their political opinions during the process of Betsy DeVos’s confirmation hearing than ever before. It should not just be this one issue though. In my high school this year, a Gay-Straight Alliance Assembly was to be held. However, the administration cancelled the event right before it was to take place. The city and many teachers fought against this decision and it was re-scheduled and held last night. I believe that this kind of activism is important for teachers to emulate. If we are going to tell our students that they can accomplish anything they work for, we as teachers should work to provide real-life examples.
I have wanted to be a teacher ever since high school. In my eyes, teachers always had the hardest yet the most rewarding job. The fact that I have the honor and the privilege to teach our country's next generation is still mind boggling to me. When I was young, I thought being a teacher would be difficult because you were responsible for taking care of and educating a classroom full of students. Through my time at VCU, I have realized that going though a lesson plan is one of the simplest parts of teaching. VCU has taught me so much meaning in hidden curriculum and how much power teachers really have on their students. Our every little actions and words have the potential to impact a child in a good or a bad way. Also, I have realized that if you are a teacher, you are kind of like a public figure because every year, you have a classroom full of students that look up to you and sees you as a model for everything! Therefore, I think it is very important to take what you teach (both education curriculum and hidden curriculum) outside of your classroom and be a positive example for your students. I believe that teachers have a 24/7 job because we really have the power to change the world. I hope that when I am a classroom teacher, I can appropriately bring in important social issues and demand equality and justice in my classroom!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in elementary school, I used to think that my Kindergarten teacher slept every night underneath her desk and kept her clothes in one of the many closets in the classroom. It made sense to me since she was there in the classroom even when I got dropped off early, and made no motion to leave the building at the end of the day. It wasn’t until third grade that I ran into my third grade teacher at the grocery store and realized I was wrong and how silly I was to think that. Now that I’m on the path to becoming an elementary school teacher myself, I’ve often thought about teaching in terms of the time I’ll spend in and out of the classroom, and the time I’ll have remaining after weeks of planning, testing, and organizing.
ReplyDeleteThe nature of school is ever- changing, as Ayers references several times in Chapter 1. Many aspects of schools a hundred years ago have changed and even become illegal. You could also argue that the purpose of schools is changing, but since we did that last week, I won’t go into further detail. To me, keeping up with the changes or proposed changes of school goes hand-in-hand with the profession. It seems absurd to me that I wouldn’t want to be aware of how my life and job could potentially change, just like I can’t stand to not be informed on many aspects of the news. I’ve thought about teaching in terms of ways I’d like it to be: Inquiry lessons, less standardized testing, and so on, but also in terms of what I would do if I get a job where I have to stick to a very outdated curriculum and methods. I think many teachers are passionate about children and learning and want to make their lessons as engaging as possible for children. We all have ideas about how best to do so. As Ayers says on page 9, “Who, then, do we want to be? What shall we do? What are we teaching for? … “What does it mean to be human? What is society for? What is the meaning of life and what is the “good life?” I think all of these questions pose deep reflection, and are the aspects that teachers encounter aside from the lessons they plan. For instance, how do you answer questions students ask you that aren’t related to what you’re teaching? How do your lessons stick with your students? What will your students remember years after your class is over? What do you want them to remember? What do your students need to gain from your classroom, academically, and socially, that will guide or help them into adulthood?
To me, the term outside the classroom can refer to the hours spent outside of 9- 4, when you’re planning, conferencing, organizing, or crafting. It also refers to all that you bring to the classroom that isn’t covered in the common core standards. It has to do with what you answer to the questions Ayers poses on page 9. It has to do with the lasting impact you make on your students, and how you answer the question of the purpose of schools. I’m not trying to say that there’s a hidden curriculum that goes on, but I think we all know that we end up learning so much more in school than just math, science, social studies and reading.
The readings posed the question of what the purpose of education is in the first place. Why do we teach? Ayers stresses that education should be used to benefit humanity; that is, allow students the opportunity to grow and become more human through teaching them how to be engaged and participatory and free. As teachers, we need to consider our moral and ethical professional foundations. These readings made me reflect on my teaching style… what was I doing for my students? The purpose is not just for students to come into my classroom everyday, learn the curriculum, take a test, and leave; it is not to teach conformity or obedience. Rather, the purpose is to help students reach their full capacity and humanity; it is to ignite initiative and courage so that we can better ourselves and, in turn, better the world. To do this, we have to encourage our students and teach them to be active members of not only the classroom, but active members of their community, of the country, and of the world. Even when I think about this in terms of elementary schoolers, it is hard to picture how one would go about introducing these ideas to them, but it can and should be done because it is how the world is. All of these things are issues that surround us everyday, regardless of what our age is. Just as Jessica stated in her post, talking about these issues so that students are aware and able to make ethical and moral decisions about what is going on around the world will help strengthen and empower them as individuals and will hopefully give them the courage to stand up for what is right.
ReplyDeleteAs a child in elementary school, It always seemed to me that teachers didn't exist outside of the school building. The teachers were only there to give us our lessons and seeing a teacher out in public was akin to a rare animal sighting in the wild. However, as I got older, I began to realize that some of the best lessons I learned from the best teachers were taught outside of a lesson plan. While students do come to school to learn reading, writing, math, science, etc, they are also there to learn new ways to think about and challenge the world around them. Because of this, it could be seen as a disservice for a teacher to ignore the world outside of the classroom doors. When it comes to whether or not politics should be allowed in the classroom, I say of course. While a teacher shouldn't necessarily be forcing their own political agenda on students, they should be talking about current important issues in the world so the students can process them and form their own ideas. If we can instill that sense of social or world awareness in the children we teach, I think that in itself is a positive social change.
ReplyDeleteTeachers are in a unique and privileged position to encourage thought in countless young minds. I think that is why teacher activism is so important. We play such a vital role in the development of students minds, so shouldn't we be active about affecting change to improve the ways we go about that role?
I have definitely thought of teaching involving work beyond the classroom, and those thoughts are being solidified the more time spent in my practicum classrooms, from my courses through this program, and from issues and topics talked about in today’s society. As a teacher, you become so much more than just that to your students. You are their mentor, role model, and advocate. Becoming a teacher is more than just lesson plans and graded papers, it’s helping your students to develop the skills to function in today’s society. Ayers mentions in Chapter 1 that “schools serve societies; societies shape schools.” Social strengths are reflected in society’s schools. He also says that education is always enacted within a social surround such as a community or society and as educators we need to keep our eyes open to the social order and the world around this. To me, this means as future educators we need to stay informed about what is going on in the world beyond the classroom so that we can educate our students in a more effective manner and teach them to be members of a community.
ReplyDeleteAs most of us (students) do, I have always thought that teachers only worked during school hours, and that after hours, school was the least of their worries. However, since starting in the education program here at VCU, I have learned that that is far from the truth. Teachers are constantly working. Their brains are always thinking of ways to make a lesson better, ways to help a single student progress, or ways to get supplies and funds for their classroom. This weeks readings focused mainly on teaching as a job outside of the classroom, and how teachers should advocate for teaching by being active in the community within where they teach. As teachers, not only are we teaching academic material, we are also responsible for teaching students how to be good citizens, as well as how to maneuver out there in the real world, “the streets” if we may. And in order to do so, teachers must be active in the community and stay u to date on what is going on worldwide. They have to bring what they know and what they learn back into the classroom because like the reading said, “schools serve society and society shapes our schools”.
ReplyDeleteI've never thought of a teacher as someone who ONLY existed in the classroom/school walls. I think a teacher, like any job working closely with communities of people, requires much more than what the job description entails. We are going to see our students more during the week than their parents do. I think that the relationship we build with our students is one of, if not the most vital for successful students and a cooperative and engaging classroom.
ReplyDeleteI remember my kindergarten teacher inviting a few of us to her wedding when she got married years after we were even her students. about four of us with our parents went all the way up to PA for the ceremony and reception; she had continued that relationship beyond the nine months we were her students. I still talk to some of my elementary teachers and high school teachers to this day. My art teacher lives down the street from my parents, my 5th grade teacher was best friends with my neighbors mom, etc. From the very beginning, those teachers were the ones I felt most comfortable with going to for problems in school or at home.
This is especially important for people who want to work in inner city schools; odds are, you won't be living int he same neighborhood as your students. This makes it much more difficult to be a part of neighborhood events, etc. I know that will probably be my reality, so attending sports games, church functions, and getting my face out in the community I'm teaching in is a top priority. I want to make sure the parents and children are as comfortable with me as I was with my teachers who were even a small part of my life outside of school.
I have often thought that teaching will be a job that doesn't end when the students go home. Teaching doesn't even end at the close of one of your lesson's for the day. Teaching is an on-going effort. I've often thought of teaching going beyond the end of the day in terms of extra "work" that needs to be done to prepare for the next day. This list includes but is not limited to; lesson planning and writing, crafting materials, research, reading, grading, organizing, answering emails, etc. All of these jobs seem necessary if we are to continue teaching every day. On the other side of the extra work which I hadn't considered, is the work of activism and social justice. If you are concerned that your students aren't getting the educational benefits they deserve because of the chairs they're sitting in, you write a grant to get all your kids yoga balls. If you are worried that the new policies put in place will affect your students negatively, you write a letter to your representatives. If you are concerned for your student's safety at home, you write a report. There is a long list of outside jobs that we need to go through for our students to have the best possible education. Our role is an important part in enacting social change. If we care enough about our students and the struggles in their lives, teaching is a profession in which the work reaches far beyond the classroom and the school. We work hard for our students so that education can be that important piece in enacting social change.
ReplyDeleteI have always been aware of the physical work that teachers have to do outside of the classroom and school, such as grading papers, planning lessons, and preparing materials, however, I have never really thought about the different roles teachers can play in society or the other types of work teachers can get involved with other teachers and members of the community. Growing up, it was rare to see teachers outside of the school, and if I did see a teacher outside of school it was kind of weird because I had such a strong connection of teachers with school and nothing else (also, no one teacher really made a life-changing impact on me, therefore, strengthened my idea that teachers were merely just teachers). However, through our readings, it is clear that teachers can be and should be more than just people who teach in school. We have the potential to be a catalyst for social change and the power to enrich, educate, and expand young minds to motivate and empower their peers to stand up for what they believe in and get involved with their world.
ReplyDeleteI want to become a teacher because I believe that education is our strongest weapon to combat social issues and make our society and world greater (also, I believe that everyone deserves to be educated and learn how to become life-long learners, and I want to help increase the number of people who are educated). Teachers play an important role to provide students with opportunities and experiences to become better people and lead a successful life, therefore, I believe it is important for teachers to also have different life experiences and to continue to be involved with our community and our world.
I always knew that teaching didn’t end when the students went home, or even when the teacher went home. My dad was a teacher along in a low income middle school in Louisville when I was young and one of my cousins is an assistant principal as well. I grew up seeing the amount of work that went into the job of teaching outside of just the contracted demands. However, I was passionate about social justice long before I was passionate about teaching. When I realized that I wanted to be a teacher I was concerned how my activism would fit in a school setting. With our current administration, I am still concerned. However, I realize that my job as an educator inside the school is not to indoctrinate my students with my personal beliefs. Instead my job is to give them facts and to help them learn how to think critically and independently. By teaching them these things starting young, teachers can give students the tools they need to eventually go out into the world and to help shape it into what they believe it should be.
ReplyDeleteBeing a teacher definitely extends beyond the classroom or school. My student teaching has shown the long hours planning lessons, printing all necessary documents, and changing certain things to fit different levels of students you teach. Outside of the time commitment, most teachers I have talked to end up spending their own money on many different things in the classroom that they need to effectively run it. For some reason, even before I wanted to be a teacher, I figured teachers need to put a lot of work in, at least the exceptional ones, because they have so many supplemental materials, background knowledge, or references. At least for the first few years, teaching will probably consume the majority of the teacher's time.
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